Historic sconce stolen from Masonic Temple in Oshkosh

OSHKOSH -- Since 1924, the Masonic Temple has stood on Washington Avenue in Oshkosh. Now, now one of its most well-known features is gone. Thieves have made off with a nearly century-old decorative light fixture from the Masonic Temple in Oshkosh, and this isn't the first time the temple has been targeted.

Mason Don Wood describes the missing piece, a sconce, as a three-foot high, 300-pound light fixture with claw feet and decorative lions' heads. Wood says it was taken late last Saturday or early Sunday.

"It's disheartening and sad. Not only is it kind of almost impossible to replace, even a replacement fixture is gonna be stressful on us," Wood said.

There were originally two sconces in front of the Masonic Temple, but back in June vandals knocked one over and took pieces of it.

Wood said officials were in the process of trying to get the pieces replaced after the initial incident when the second sconce was taken.

Wood says it's likely the first vandals didn't realize how hard the sconce would be to move.
Officer Joe Nichols with the Oshkosh Police Department says it would take more than one person.

"At least two, maybe three for the 300 pounds to move the thing," Officer Nichols said.

The sconce is made of solid brass and could bring in several hundred dollars if it was stolen for scrap.

"There's a lot of metal thefts in the Fox Valley, and people will take just about anything," Officer Nichols said.

"A couple hundred dollars in scrap will never replace what was there and it's just sickening," Wood said.

However, Wood says he's not out to see someone punished.

"In Masonic tradition, I don't really care about any kind of prosecution as long as we get it back," Wood said.

Anyone with information into this incident is asked to call Oshkosh police.