A Building for the Community: The History of Mosaic Templars of America Building
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Mosaic Templars of America building, c. 1920.
Courtesy of the Arkansas History Commission (PS16-03) 
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The Mosaic Templars of America building after the March 16, 2005 fire.
2005.03.30, Mosaic Templars of America Building Collection, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center
Learn more about the Mosaic Templars of America building from construction to destruction. In 1913, the Mosaic Templars of America trustees constructed the multi-purpose building on the corner of West Ninth Street and Broadway Streets in downtown Little Rock. This structure served as an anchor to Little Rock’s African American community until the late 1930s, when the organization closed. In the 1990s, the structure become a beacon of hope for a group of historic preservationists and by 2004, the building was being restored to serve as the home for the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center. Unfortunately in the early morning hours of March 16, 2005, the building burned to the ground. The exhibit highlights the original building pediment, cornerstone and documents recovered from the cornerstone.