The Detroit Masonic Temple is rumored to be haunted by the spirit of its architect, George D. Mason. However, this story is an urban legend, as historical records show Mason died peacefully at the age of 91 in 1948, decades after the temple's completion. The massive, castle-like building with its numerous hidden rooms, secret passages, and long history naturally inspires ghost stories. The most famous—and false—ghost story connected to the temple alleges the following: During the temple's construction in the 1920s, Mason supposedly went bankrupt from the project and was abandoned by his wife. Overcome by debt, the story claims he climbed to the top of the temple and committed suicide by jumping from the roof. Since then, security guards have supposedly seen his ghost on the stairs leading up to the roof. In reality, Mason lived for 22 years after the temple was completed and died of natural causes.