Zembo Shrine
A notable Harrisburg building has received national recognition for its history.
Zembo Shrine, on N. 3rd and Division streets, recently announced that it is now on the National Register of Historic Places. The Shriners hope that the new designation will offer opportunities for growth.
“It’s something we are very proud of,” said Mike Smith, former Zembo potentate. “It shows the community what we are about.”
Several years ago, the fraternal organization had put Zembo, which was built in 1929, on the sales market, stating that maintaining the building had become too costly. However, in February 2022, the Zembo Shriners pulled the building off the market, opting to retain and restore it as an event space for the Harrisburg area.
“Just talking to people who aren’t even Shriners, I’ve seen what Zembo has meant to them,” Smith said. “People love Zembo and want it to stay in our hands.”
Once they decided to keep the building, the Shriners moved forward with the process of registering it as a National Historic Place, citing its unique Moorish Revival-style architecture. Zembo partnered with the Historic Harrisburg Association (HHA), which helped the organization raise donations for registration process costs.
“We are delighted that HHA was able to provide technical and administrative assistance to Zembo in the challenging process of seeking and successfully securing a National Register listing,” said HHA President Jeb Stuart.
With the designation, Smith said that Zembo can now apply for certain grants that are only made available to properties on the register. The historic designation also shows the community that Zembo is here to stay, Smith shared.
“Zembo has played an important role in a lot of people’s lives,” he said.
The organization has also been working to make upgrades in the building, recently replacing the HVAC system and completing roof work.
And while membership has been on the decline over the years for the group, Zembo still has about 1,350 Shriners who meet in the building.
Smith said that, post-COVID, event space rentals have picked back up, as well. One of the most popular events, the Zembo Shrine Circus will return to the building’s auditorium from March 21 to March 24.
To celebrate Zembo and its addition to the National Register of Historic Places, HHA will host “A Toast to Zembo Shrine!” at the Shrine on Friday, May 17, from 6 to 9 p.m. The event will also honor recipients of HHA’s 2024 Preservation Award.
Zembo Shrine is located at 2801 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit their website.
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