This 1960 aerial photo looks north over the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium on W. Jefferson Blvd. The 110 Freeway runs along the right side, parallel to Flower Street. Figueroa Street angles from the lower right towards the middle top, while Jefferson Blvd. crosses horizontally below the auditorium. USC's campus is visible at the bottom center, and a diagonal street on the left is possibly Hoover Street.
The Shriners (A.A.O.N.M.S.), a Masonic fraternity, was founded in the US in 1870 by Dr. Wa.. Read more »lter M. Fleming and actor William J. Florence. Membership requires Master Mason status. Inspired by Middle Eastern themes, the first temple, Mecca Shriners, was established in 1872. Initially small, with just 43 members in 1875, the organization created the Imperial Grand Council in 1876 to boost membership through publicity and recruitment. This proved successful, increasing membership to 425 across 13 temples by 1878, and continuing to grow to 7,210 members in 48 US temples and one Canadian temple by 1888. By 1898, membership reached 50,000 across 71 temples.
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