Clearfield Ward Exterior
I don’t have much info on this building yet, but will be researching some of its history in the next week. My guess is it was built in the early 1900’s. It has probably been vacant and in disrepair for many years, especially as the homes and town moved away from Main street. I am surpised it is still standing at all, considering the industrialized neighborhood. A wonderful building, though.
Here is a 1935 painting of the building by LeConte Stewart
Utah State Historical Society photo of building
380 S Main St
Clearfield, UT
Built ??
Now vacant and in great disrepair, used for storage
Map Location of Building
Porterville Ward Detail
Built 1898
Sold 1942 and remodeled into a private residence
Destroyed by fire in 2000
Map Location of Building
Porterville Ward Exterior
Built 1898
Sold 1942 and remodeled into a private residence
Destroyed by fire in 2000
This meetinghouse is located on a beautiful site, elevated above the town and the river running adjacent. Built of a stone base and brick structure in 1898, the building cost around $5000 to construct. Containing a single large chapel space on the main floor, the room was able to be subdivided by curtains for Sunday School classes. The basement was an open hall for activities and dances. The original design contained a weather vane and a bell tower above the entry door on the west side.
The building is currently for sale.
1920 photo showing the main entry with original tower.
Here is an image of the building as a private residence prior to the fire.
Additional information:
The Old Porterville Ward
Nineteenth-Century Mormon Architecture & City Planning by C. Mark Hamilton, pg 88-89.
Wikipedia entry on Porterville, Utah
Cedar City 1st Ward Rededication
(Photo from Cedar City Pictures Website)
I was excited to find out today that the Cedar City 1st Ward building, or historic Rock Church, will be Rededicated this Sunday after closing last year for renovations. The dedication will be at 6pm and the building will be open for tours both before and after from 5pm-8pm. I have not been to visit the building yet, but from what I understand, the Cultural Hall has been restored to its original design, including removal of carpet for the original hardwood floors and removal of the wall panels that covered the windows. The radiators were left for historical reasons, even though the building now has central heating and cooling. The original pews have been restored and the font and mural still remain even though it is no longer functional. This building was built when the original Tabernacle on Center and Main was sold to the Government to be demolished for a new Post Office, but the still-working clock from the Tabernacle can be seen in the steeple.
75 E Center
Cedar City, UT
Built 1931
Architect: Anderson and Young
Map Location of Building
Paradise Ward in the news
The local Utah media is finally reporting on this building. Several of my photos from this site were on a KUTV News story covering the building this evening.
And here are some other news stories that were posted today as well:
HJ News – Once upon a chapel: 133-year-old LDS church in Paradise to be razed
Deseret News – One of Utah’s oldest Mormon chapels to be demolished
Salt Lake Tribune – One of Utah’s oldest Mormon chapels to be razed
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
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
Paradise Ward Demolition
Sadly, I just found out that the historic Paradise Ward meetinghouse in southern Cache County will be torn down in the next several weeks. The Chapel is right in the center of town and I don’t yet know why it will be torn down or what the plans are for the site. I haven’t done a lot of research on this building yet, but I believe the original chapel was built in either 1882 or 1886. In 1952, the original chapel was divided internally into classrooms and the steeple was removed when a larger chapel and steeple was built as an expansion to the original building. Finally in 1979 a large Cultural hall addition in the back was added. According to my source, the last Sunday of services will be Easter Sunday. If anyone has additional information on this building or its demolition, I would be interested to hear about it.
9060 S 200 W
Paradise, UT
Original Chapel built 1886?
New chapel addition 1952
Cultural Hall addition 1979
Scheduled to be torn down April 2012
Map Location of Building
Heber 2nd Ward Chapel Interior
5 S 100 W
Heber, UT
Built 1915
Architect: Joseph Nelson
Sold 1960’s; Now St Lawrence Catholic Church
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Map Location of Building
Granite Ward Exterior
The exterior was completed in 1905 allowing use of the building, but the interior was still being worked on in 1913. The building was not paid off until 1938, after which it was dedicated on July 16, 1939. Ward members would joke that the building was as enduring as the Salt Lake Temple since both took 40 years to complete. Originally a red brick building, this Victorian Romanesque Revival building was painted white around 1950. The floor plan is a simple rectangle design with a 1938 rear office addition. In 1965, a new and larger building was completed north of here. The original cornerstone was moved to the new meetinghouse and the Granite Chapel ceased being used as a religious structure. In 1966, sculptor Avard Fairbanks purchased the building for $2000 and used the building as his art studio until his death in 1987. His son now owns the building and uses it to store the works of his father.
9800 S 3100 E
Sandy, UT
Built 1903-05
National Register of Historic Places
Map Location of Building
Salt Lake 10th Ward Original Chapel
This room was the original chapel that was built in 1873. View is looking towards the main entry standing where the front of the chapel would have been.
420 S 800 E
Salt Lake City, UT
Original chapel built 1873
Map Location of Building
Salt Lake 10th Ward Detail
Here is a beehive over a window.
420 S 800 E
Salt Lake City, UT
Gothic revival chapel built 1909
Map Location of Building
Salt Lake 10th Ward Detail
Above each window in the chapel are unique pieces of art.
420 S 800 E
Salt Lake City, UT
Gothic revival chapel built 1909
Map Location of Building
Salt Lake 10th Ward Stained Glass
This beautiful glass goes all the way to the floor of the balcony, but the pew in front of it and the sloping ceiling above makes it difficult to get a photo of the entire work of art. Definitely worth a visit to see, though.
420 S 800 E
Salt Lake City, UT
Gothic revival chapel built 1909
Map Location of Building
Salt Lake 10th Ward Chapel Interior
420 S 800 E
Salt Lake City, UT
Gothic revival chapel built 1909
Map Location of Building
Salt Lake 10th Ward Exterior
Of the original 19 wards in Salt Lake, the building to the right is the only original chapel remaining in the city, built in 1873. The Gothic revival church to the left was built in 1909. Also on the complex, at the far right is a school built in 1887. All three of these buildings are now connected into a single meetinghouse with the 1909 building serving as the Chapel and the original 1873 building serving as a large classroom or activity hall. This 1873 building used to be the Chapel but was remodeled many years ago into a Cultural Hall that even had a stage at one point. During a remodel in 2000, the building was almost torn down completely. The rumor is that Pres. Hinckley stepped in to save the building. Now, only the front wall and portions of the sides remain from the original building, but the remainder of the exterior was rebuilt as a replica of the original.
ADDED 10 Feb 2012: The steeple on this has always looked a little strange to me; too squatty and out of place. In looking at older photos, there was a taller steeple at the same location of the building in 1911 here, but by 1937 there was no steeple at all here. It appears that there was no steeple all the way until the 2000 remodel, when it was added back. With the steeple appearing to be part of the original design, I definitely appreciate the effort to restore the building, but I think I prefer the look of the building without one.
420 S 800 E
Salt Lake City, UT
Original built 1873
Gothic revival chapel built 1909
Map Location of Building
Randolph Ward Gable
15 S. Main
Randolph, UT
Built 1898-1914
Architect: John C. Gray
National Register of Historic Places
Map Location of Building
Randolph Ward Exterior
15 S. Main
Randolph, UT
Built 1898-1914
Architect: John C. Gray
National Register of Historic Places
Map Location of Building
Randolph Ward Chapel Interior
Even though many people classify this building as a Tabernacle, I have not, because from what I have read, it has always only been a meetinghouse for the local ward. The interior of this building features one of my favorite set of pipes for an organ that I have seen. Very minimal and unusual in that they point downwards.
Built between 1898 and 1914, the first meeting was held in the main Chapel in November 1904 when the building was not finished, but usable. Another ten years would pass before the building was completed. Apostle George A. Smith stopped the work until all debts were paid which greatly slowed down the work. Smith would later dedicate the building on July 26, 1914.
The plaque on the building says it was remodeled in 1938. At this time an amusement hall was added behind the building while a baptismal font and furnace were installed in the basement of the original building. Total time for this remodel spanned from 1936-38. The amusement hall was demolished in a 1984-85 remodel and a large rear addition was built with a new cultural hall, classrooms and offices. The addition attached to the original Chapel at the rear and on one side providing a new entrance lobby and hallway to access the entry to the Chapel. The Chapel was also refurbished at this time.
15 S. Main
Randolph, UT
Built 1898-1914
Architect: John C. Gray
National Register of Historic Places
Map Location of Building
Centerville 1st Ward Chapel Interior
160 S 300 E
Centerville, UT
Built 1879
Map Location of Building
Centerville 1st Ward Exterior
160 S 300 E
Centerville, UT
Built 1879
Side wings added 1927
Front portico and steps added 1934
Cultural Hall and Steeple added 1951
Map Location of Building
Centerville 1st Ward Cultural Hall
The exposed structural framework here is quite striking. Built in 1951 and dedicated by Assistant to the Twelve, Alma Sonne, on March 1, 1953.
160 S 300 E
Centerville, UT
Cultural Hall built 1951
Architect: George Cannon Young
Map Location of Building
Washakie Ward Chapel Interior
Although the building was locked, one of the exterior windows was broken which provided a view to the interior. Obviously it is in rough shape, but I was quite surprised to see that the pews still remain in the Chapel.
Box Elder County
Washakie, UT
Architect: Edward O Anderson (probable)
Built 1937-39; Sold 1966; Currently vacant
National Register of Historic Places
Map Location of Building
Washakie Ward Exterior
Repeated conflicts between the Native Shoshoni Indians settled near the Bear River and the local militia led to a treaty in 1863 that forever changed the lifestyle of the Shoshoni. As a result, the LDS Church decided to set up a community named Washakie near the Utah/Idaho border in 1880 in order to teach “white” farming techniques and to help integrate the Shoshoni into both American and Mormon society. Using missionaries to direct this effort, by 1886, 250 inhabitants lived here year-round, owning their property in common and maintaining their farms and homesteads.
Construction on the small Washakie Ward Chapel began in 1937 and sits in the middle of a large fenced lot. Dedicated on January 22, 1939, the building served this local Shoshoni farming settlement that consisted of about 125 LDS members by this time. Upon completion of the building, the first all-Native American Indian bishopric in the Church was installed to lead the ward with Moroni Timbimboo as Bishop. Out-migration from the community began with WWII and continued until 1960 when the Ward was downgraded to a Branch. In 1966 the congregation was completely discontinued and the building and property were sold. Not just the LDS chapel, but the entire community project was abandoned at this time, with all the remaining families evicted and all 184 acres of property either returned to the tribe or sold. The small brick chapel is the most significant of only a few remaining structures from this community that remains. In 1998 the building, still vacant and in disrepair, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
*Source of information obtained from National Register Nomination Form
Box Elder County
Washakie, UT
Architect: Edward O Anderson (probable)
Built 1937-39; Sold 1966; Currently vacant
National Register of Historic Places
Map Location of Building
Parowan 3rd Ward Exterior
90 S Main
Parowan, UT
Architect: Miles Miller
Built 1914
Map Location of Building
LDS ARCHITECTURE 