Modern Brotherhood of America Building

The MBA Building, or Modern Brotherhood of America Building, also known as the Brick and Tile Building, is a large office building in Mason City, Iowa, built in 1916-1917 for the Modern Brotherhood of America, a fraternal lodge. The MBA's primary purpose was to provide life insurance to its members, and the building housed those operations.





== Modern Brotherhood of America ==

The Modern Brotherhood of America was founded in Tipton, Iowa on April 5, 1897. One of its founders, and Supreme President for its first 22 years was Thomas B. Hanley (1852−1919), a former mayor of Tipton, as well as an active Pythian and Mason. Membership reached 130,000 during the period of cheap rates, but fell off in the 1910s as the Order attempted to institute actuarially sound rates and was hit by the First World War and the influenza epidemic. Nevertheless, it was during this period that the M.B.A. building was acquired.

By 1923 the M.B.A. had 48,610 benefit members every state except the Deep South (Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana) and Canada. While the M.B.A didn't mention anything about rituals or secrets in their propaganda literature, they did have a ritual that was adopted at their Supreme Lodge in December 1901.

Officers of the order included the Supreme President, Supreme Vice-President, Supreme Treasurer, Supreme Physician, Supreme Chaplain, Supreme Conductor, Supreme Watchman, Supreme Sentry, General Attorney, and the Board of Directors. The headquarters were called the "Supreme Office".