“It truly was a Titan effort to build this magnificent Temple…”

The Elks Tower

No city of Sacramento’s size, here or elsewhere in the 1920’s could boast a larger, more attractive or costly home than the Elks Tower; it was the vision of all visions.

At its inception, the Elks committee felt a structure should be one of substantial importance, of monumental scale that would rise far into the air and demonstrate that architecture, in a modern city’s midst, need not of necessity be uniformly flat, uninteresting and featureless, but rather, one that would last the test of time with its design and style.

In a building where artistry and utility unite in a harmonious blend, the Elks Tower, ever cognizant of the desires of its committee members, wanted a building that would appeal and be appreciated by those of all ages, for all occasions and for all reasons.

Thus, the period endeavored to portray was the Italian Renaissance. This high Renaissance typified the most appropriate of all designs, as well as the richest and most artistic of any era. In the first forty years of the sixteenth century, the most perfect buildings were reared. It was the age of Bramante, Ginlio Romano, Peruzzi, Raphael, Leonardo Da Vincini and Michelangelo.

Many designs were submitted and selections were made, but only after careful comparisons with the illustrations of models from the Museums of Florence, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, along with many private collections, was a unanimous decision easily secured.

The Elks Tower had given the city a credible structure, one that bespeaks vision, courage and resource. It has and always will contribute to the beauty and the splendor of Sacramento and translate a magnificent faith and confidence for decades to come.

The work of carrying through the task was carried on by renowned Architect Leonard J. Starks under the firm name of Hemmings & Stark.