Location Information
(for the Masonic Hall {Rectitude Lodge No. 323})
Name:Masonic Hall {Rectitude Lodge No. 323}
Address:1905 32nd Avenue
City/County:Gulfport, Harrison County
Architectural Information
Construction Date:c.1905
No. of Stories:2
Mississippi Landmark Information
Designated:07-15-2008
Recorded:10-17-2012
Book/Vol. No.:6576 D-J1
Easement Information
Date Signed:04-07-2007
Easement Type:Preservation/Maintenance
Book/Vol. No.:Book 2007 Pg. 8471 D-J1
Context/Comments
This two-story, wood-frame building has long served as the meeting place of Rectitude Lodge No. 323, an African American Masonic lodge. The lodge hall was reportedly a focal point for the African American community in this section of Gulfport before the establishment of the 19th Street Community Center. The hall at times housed medical and dental services and a library, and hosted social functions such as union meetings and community dances.

This building is mentioned in "Buildings of Mississippi" (2020) (p. 346, within the listing for the Dr. Felix Dunn House and Clinic, GC21).
Brief Description
Two-story, wood-frame, two-bay (D-D) meeting hall with front-gable roof. The doors are 3-light over 3-panel. Windows are 4/4 wood DHS, some paired. The building is supported by brick piers, is clad with novelty siding, and has an asphalt shingle roof with exposed rafters.
Historic Information
Rectitude Lodge No. 323, an African American Masonic lodge, can document its existence in Gulfport back to 1901. The building is reported to have been moved to this site, which was purchased by the lodge in 1910. Comparison of 1912 and 1921 Sanborn Maps of Gulfport support this assertion.