The City of Little Rock Public Works Department uses a front loader remove bricks from West Ninth Street after a fire destroyed the Mosaic Templars Building.

A City of Little Rock Public Works Department front loader removes bricks from West Ninth Street after a fire destroyed the Mosaic Templars Building.

Fire Destroys Mosaic Templars of America Headquarters Building But Not the Spirit of the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center Project

A fire, early on the morning of March 16, 2005, destroyed the Mosaic Templars of America Headquarters Building at West Ninth and Broadway Streets in downtown Little Rock. A catastrophic loss, the historic building was slated to become the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center (MTCC), the fourth museum of the Department of Arkansas Heritage (DAH). The MTCC was scheduled to open in late 2006.

"We are completely devastated by this," said Cathie Matthews, director of the Department of Arkansas Heritage. "The building was a great piece of Arkansas history."

The Project Will Go On

Cathie Matthews, director of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, receives a hug from Little Rock Mayor Jim Dailey

Cathie Matthews, director of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, receives a consoling hug from Little Rock Mayor Jim Dailey.

"Our intent is to rebuild and continue our plans to open the museum," said Cathie Matthews. "The next few weeks will clarify for us what we need to do. We have such a compelling story to tell about the Mosaic Templars and what that association and its leaders achieved during very trying times. We will let their determination inspire us as we move ahead.

"Many people and organizations have been involved in the plans for this building and museum," Matthews continued, "including the City of Little Rock, the Arkansas General Assembly, Governor Mike Huckabee, the Mosaic Templars Building Preservation Society and the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center Advisory Board. We will continue to look to them for help and support in the days ahead."

The Downtown Partnership announced that a bank account was created to assist in the construction of the new Mosaic Templars Cultural Center. Contributions can be made to the "Mosaic Templar Phoenix Fund" by sending a check to Post Office Box 16270, Little Rock, 72231. In the next few weeks, on-line donation services will be available from this webpage.

MTCC Collection Not Lost but Artifacts Still Needed

The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center's collection was not housed in the building when it was destroyed by fire. However, the MTCC is still in need of artifacts including documents, photographs, and three-dimensional objects related to the Mosaic Templars of America organization, Arkansas's African American history, and West Ninth Street. If you have any artifacts you would like to share with us, please contact Assistant Director and Curator, Heather Register at 501.683.3615 or via email at heather@arkansasheritage.org.

Built in 1911, the Mosaic Templars of America Headquarters Building served as the gateway to the West Ninth Street Business District during the twentieth century.

Built in 1911, the Mosaic Templars of America Headquarters Building served as the gateway to the West Ninth Street Black Business District during the twentieth century.

The History of the Mosaic Templars of America

The Mosaic Templars of America was established in 1875 as a fraternal organization to provide insurance and other services. The Mosaic Templars provided services to black people during the era of segregation when few basic services were available to them. By 1900, Mosaic Templars industries grew to include an insurance company, a building and loan association, a publishing company, a business college, a nursing school and a hospital. Construction of the Mosaic Templars National Headquarters Building was completed in 1911 and housed Mosaic Templars offices as well as other businesses. For more information on the history of the building, visit the website of the Mosaic Templars Building Preservation Society.

The Mosaic Templars of America is now recognized as one of the great endeavors in the history of the State and Little Rock. For nearly forty years, the Mosaic Templars' Headquarters Building was the anchor of the thriving black social and economic district on Ninth Street. The economic effect and example set by the Mosaic Templars were felt throughout the state, the nation, and beyond. Please visit the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center website for more information

The Department of Arkansas Heritage and its agencies and museums seek to recognize the state's heritage and to enhance Arkansas's quality of life through the discovery, preservation and presentation of the state's natural, cultural and historic resources. The other agencies and museums of DAH are the Delta Cultural Center in Helena, the Arts Council, the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, the Historic Arkansas Museum, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission and the Old State House Museum.

For more information, please email us at info@mosaictemplarscenter.com or write us at 1500 Tower Building, 323 Center Street, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201.