Johnstown Masonic Temple

History & local legend

Johnstown’s Masonic Temple at 130 Valley Pike grew out of the city’s expanding fraternal community. The Temple Association approved a new building in 1929, laid its cornerstone on November 14, 1931, and held Johnstown Lodge’s first meeting there in 1934. Its richly decorated rooms include an Egyptian-inspired Blue Lodge Room, which opened in 1948.

Members describe experiences inside the temple in a documentary preview shared by Bump in the Night Society. One interviewee recalls fleeting shadows and unexplained sounds, and says others have seen a figure dressed in a tuxedo or suit where no person was expected. The preview also includes reports of doors slamming and unusual experiences during events.

One member gives a more detailed account from the bar. While setting up tables, he noticed someone he thought was another member and went to greet them. The figure disappeared; when he looked for the person, he found nobody there. Participants in the film interpret such encounters as visits from former members who remain attached to their lodge.

The temple also hosts the WPA Cryptid and Supernatural Expo, bringing together investigators, speakers and visitors interested in the unexplained. It entered the National Register of Historic Places on August 13, 2025, and continues to operate as the Johnstown Masonic Event & Conference Center, with events and visits arranged through its operators.