First Shriners Headquarters

In the early years of the fraternity, the location of the unofficial Shrine Headquarters was dependent on the city of residence of the Imperial Recorder.

As the fraternity grew and flourished, there was an increasing need to have a centrally located headquarters to be more convenient for the temples (chapters). In 1959, the fraternity purchased a building in Chicago to accomplish this purpose. The building was located at 323 North Michigan Avenue in Chicago. After doing some remodeling, the headquarters opened in late 1960 with a staff of 35 people.

Headquarters housed the Imperial Recorder and Assistant Imperial Recorder, temple accounting, public relations, hospital accounting, stenographers, IBM operators, and a mail and photo copy room.

Shriners International Headquarters relocated to its current location in Tampa, Florida, in December 1979.