"Michigan's Venice" is a nickname for the St. Clair Flats, a freshwater river delta where the St. Clair River flows into Lake St. Clair. The reference to 1895 specifically points to the construction of a unique community of lavish homes and clubs, built upon wooden pilings and canals, that drew comparisons to Venice, Italy. 

The Stillman on the north side of Euclid avenue just beyond Erie succeeded the Angier house as the exclusive hotel of the city. It was built by the Stillman Witt estate and opened June 2, 1884. Its imposing building was placed well back from the street on a spacious lawn in keeping with its stately surroundings. On April 12, 1885, fire destroyed its upper floors. In 1901-2 it was torn down at behest of the irresistible commercial invasion of the avenue. It had been the scene of many brilliant social functions.

The long gone Menzies Hotel once stood on the se corner of Bourke & William Streets, and was the hotel of choice of the elite from its opening in 1867 into the 1950s. It went through many additions over the years : the original hotel was 3 floors, designed by Reed & Barnes with curious but distinctive square bell cast corner roofs, and it was the first proper grand hotel in Melbourne, immediately popular with the better off country and international visitors.

View of The Masonic Hotel on the corner of Hardy and Trafalgar Streets. A group of people are outside on the footpath. A horse drawn passenger vehicle is parked outside.

Nelson Provincial Museum

The District Grand Lodge was established in 1895. It’s headquarters were the Masonic Temple in Jeppe Street

Johannesburg 1912 – suburb by suburb research

Sam spoke there on May 28, 1896, four other audiences were at the Standard Theatre.

The Capital Theatre (former Masonic Hall) Bendigo, a cement rendered building designed in the Renaissance Revival style by Bendigo architects William Charles Vahland and Robert Getzschmann in 1874. At the time of construction, the building housed several public and private uses, including lodge rooms, a tavern, and a concert hall that was later converted to a theatre.

Victorian Heritage Database