On this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY - the second episode today devoted to the Masonic Home of Washington in Des Moines, WA - Feliks Banel speaks with Todd Scott, preservation architect for King County, for history and context; and with Lloyd Lytle, a member of the citizens' group working to prevent the facility's demolition.

The Masonic Home - which is also known as "Landmark on the Sound" - is a sprawling hotel-like complex built in the 1920s south of Seattle as a retirement home for Freemasons in a park-like setting. After many years of sitting empty on a prominent piece of land near Puget Sound along Marine View Drive South, a demolition permit will likely be issued by the City of Des Moines, WA on Friday, August 8, 2025.

The land and buildings are owned by a private developer called Zenith whose plans for the site have not been revealed. CASCADE OF HISTORY reached out to two different companies associated with Zenith to request an interview, but we have not heard back.

Previous Episode featuring Des Moines, WA City Manager Katherine Caffrey

https://soundcloud.com/cascadeofhistory/bonus-episode-masonic-home

Preservation/Demolition Permit Appeal Fundraising Campaign from Lloyd Lytle's Group

https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-the-masonic-home-of-des-moines-support-our-appeal

City of Des Moines Masonic Home FAQ

https://www.desmoineswa.gov/departments/planning_and_building/plan_development/current_projects/key_messages_and_f_a_q

Background via the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation's List of Most Endangered Places

https://preservewa.org/most_endangered/masonic-home-washington/

Des Moines, WA City Council Meeting Details for August 7, 2025

https://www.desmoineswa.gov/workspaces/one.aspx?objectId=20806884&contextId=17555022

CASCADE OF HISTORY is broadcast LIVE most Sunday nights at 8pm Pacific Time via SPACE 101.1 FM in Seattle and gallantly streams everywhere via www.space101fm.org. The radio station is located at historic Magnuson Park - formerly Sand Point Naval Air Station - on the shores of Lake Washington in Seattle.

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