Paradise Ward Farewell
Yesterday I was fortunate to visit this building for the first time. It also happened to be the last day that worship services would be held. Even though it was Easter Sunday, members of the ward lingered long after services to reminisce, take pictures and just to sit and enjoy the Chapel for the last time while the bell in the tower rang outside for the small community of Paradise to hear.
As you can see, part of the building has already been removed exposing the original stone of the 1877 chapel. There was a nice display in the lobby with old photos of the chapel, some of the original stone as well as drawings of the new building to replace this one. Apparently they will save the bell to put into the new steeple. This bell was part of the original 1877 chapel. Also, some of the original stone will be used on the front elevation as a decorative feature.
Some of my favorite features of the building were the exposed stone, the railing in the lobby, the cry room in the balcony behind glass, the pulpit, the hand-painted flowers throughout the chapel, the abundance of natural light in the chapel, and the pews up in the cry room. I may be completely wrong, but if I were to guess, I would say those pews in the balcony are from the original building. The pews down in the chapel appeared to be from the 1952 addition. Rumor has it that some of the interior painting in the chapel was done by the same artist who painted scenes in the Salt Lake Temple Celestial room.
There was an attempt to save the building and have it be used as a community center that made it all the way to the First Presidency, but that request was denied. As a result the building that has stood here as a centerpiece for the town since 1877 will very soon be demolished.
9060 S 200 W
Paradise, UT
Original Chapel built 1877
Classrooms added 1902
New chapel addition 1952 by architect Lawrence D Olpin
Cultural Hall addition 1979
Scheduled to be torn down April 2012
Map Location of Building
LDS ARCHITECTURE 
Glad you were able to make it. I love this building. It has the same feeling for me as a hug from my grandparents, three of whom we honored in that chapel after long and valiant lives.
Do you still want me to scan the early history of the church or were you able to get it from the lobby display?
April 10, 2012 at 5:41 pm
Hi Wendy – I was able to get a little from the display, but would love if you could send me what you have. Thanks so much.
April 16, 2012 at 6:26 am
I am troubled by the LDS Church continuing to demolish landmark churches built by the artisam pioneers the church claims to revere. Cost is in fact no factor to the church, which could carry 100% of the cost to preserve these buildings.
May 2, 2012 at 1:06 pm
I don’t see how someone can say that cost is no factor for a church that is trying to build hundreds of new buildings every year and run programs in hundreds of countries for millions of people. Cost is ALWAYS a factor, because the Church has to choose whether it will spend a large sum on a particular building rather than spend the money on some other building project, or missionary project, or humanitarian project.
May 13, 2012 at 6:37 pm