Talk:Eau Claire Masonic Center

Eau Claire buildings

According to http://www.scottishrite-ec.org/ecmc.html, the "Temple of Free Masonry" is the Graham Avenue building. Therefore, I have reverted the changes swapping the buildings today. --SarekOfVulcan (talk) 14:39, 13 April 2011 (UTC)

I just called the Scottish Rite contact number on the site and spoke to a gentleman who clarified a couple of things for me. The S Bartow St building was replaced by this one in 1927, and is no longer used by Masonic organizations. He also said that the building was generally referred to as the "Masonic Center", but that this wasn't an official name change. When I asked if the name was still "Temple of Free Masonry", as per the engraving on the front of the building, I couldn't take his answer as either a yes or no, so I'll leave it here pending reliable sources that it's inaccurate.--SarekOfVulcan (talk) 17:06, 26 April 2011 (UTC)

Sort-of-requested move

The following discussion is an archived discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. No further edits should be made to this section.

The result of the move request was: page moved. Vegaswikian (talk) 17:57, 4 May 2011 (UTC)

---

Temple of Free Masonry → Eau Claire Masonic Center – Apparently, the current common name of this building is "Eau Claire Masonic Center", but it's not an official name change, as far as I can tell. I can go either way. --SarekOfVulcan (talk) 18:52, 27 April 2011 (UTC)

Oppose. Seems like a "false proposal", that you are suggesting be considered but don't take a stand for, self-labelling this as "Sort-of-requested". I oppose such proposals, in general, as there probably isn't enough information for others to come to a decision that is an improvement. Here, there isn't information establishing the proposed name is better. The solid information in the article is that the place was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as "Temple of Free Masonry". NRHP listing name guidelines are very clear, that a name used substantially through the history of a building should be used. It's conceivable that there are a few recent occurrences of different usage, but even if those were established they wouldn't necessarily show the weight of usage has changed. So, just, don't rename, and don't have this rename discussion without more development of the article. It's premature, on such a short article, to have a big naming debate, IMO.

FYI, i find my way to this naming discussion from a bot-generated list of outstanding naming discussions at wp:NRHP. --doncram 21:12, 30 April 2011 (UTC)

• Support this or some other move, if not to the suggested name, to Eau Claire Masonic Temple or possibly Eau Claire Temple of Free Masonry. Looking for evidence of the WP:COMMONNAME of this building, I find that the source http://www.scottishrite-ec.org/ecmc.html that's cited in the article uses several names for the building, including "Eau Claire Temple of Free Masonry", "Eau Claire Masonic Temple" (actually, "Historic Eau Claire Masonic Temple") and "Eau Claire Masonic Center." Another page and a PDF on the same site call it only "Eau Claire Temple of Free Masonry". The Wisconsin Freemasons newsletter] consistently calls it "Eau Claire Masonic Center."[1][2][3][4] A local blog for mothers of dyslexic kids calls it "Historic Eau Claire Masonic Temple." That same name is the one on this state page for Scottish Rite Masons. An old postcard called it "Masonic Temple, Eau Claire, Wisconsin." It's not clear what the best name is, but it's clear that the pompous-sounding "Temple of Free Masonry" is not the common usage; the name "Eau Claire" always is included in the name. I'd say that Eau Claire Masonic Temple is the best bet -- Wisconsin freemasons prefer "Center," but everybody else seems to say "Temple." Keep the pompous version in the infobox. --Orlady (talk) 22:49, 30 April 2011 (UTC)

  Problem with that is that "Eau Claire Masonic Temple" is already taken.--SarekOfVulcan (talk) 23:11, 30 April 2011 (UTC)

  Oops, yes. Ironically, the building described at Eau Claire Masonic Temple is older than the building that often is called "Historic Eau Claire Masonic Temple". I guess "Center" will work, but all those other names probably need to be in the article. --Orlady (talk) 23:52, 30 April 2011 (UTC)

• I totally support referring to this building as the "Eau Claire Masonic Center" for a variety of reasons. First of all, I actually live in the city where this building is located and am involved with activities that take place there. In speaking with someone who is a former Worshipful Master of Lodge #112, I learned that "Temple of Free Masonry", like "City Hall" or "Public Libray", is a generic term that refers to any such building that is owned and operated by the Masons. Secondly, the mailing address is "Eau Claire Masonic Center" or simply "Masonic Center". The reason city residents say "Temple" instead of "Center" is because the change to "Center" has been recent. Furthermore, any mention of the building at the corner of South Barstow and Main Streets should say "former" or include the dates when the building really was the "Eau Claire Masonic Temple". Anyone wanting to attend an event at the "Eau Claire Masonic Temple" could easily be confused if they relied on Wikipedia to help them find it. Villwock (talk) 16:17, 3 May 2011 (UTC)

  Wikipedia is NOT a travel guide. Also, while "Masonic Temple" is a fairly generic term, "Temple of Free Masonry" is much more rarely used -- the first few pages of Google hits seem to refer to only about 5 buildings.--SarekOfVulcan (talk) 17:20, 3 May 2011 (UTC)

The above discussion is preserved as an archive of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on this talk page. No further edits should be made to this section.