LDS Tabernacles and Chapels

Growing up in the Seattle suburbs, the only church buildings I was accustomed to were the standard cookie-cutter designs built by the LDS church since the 1950's. When I moved to Utah, I noticed all kinds of old and unique buildings the small towns throughout the region. I began researching some of these only to learn there were many old buildings scattered in the larger cities throughout Salt Lake, Davis and Utah counties. I have yet to find any resource listing all the pre-1940 structures. My interest is mostly the tabernacles and chapels but other old buildings include old bishops storehouses, relief society centers and assembly halls...the precursor for the "gyms" in our chapels.

It became even more apparent to me when only a few weeks after shooting pictures of the Provo Tabernacle, it burned to the ground. At that point, I had shot a few dozen buildings but the only one that was open for me to get access inside was the Provo Tabernacle. I feel very lucky to have taken the shots I did and realize I was probably the last person to photograph the inside.

Unfortunately, this project won't be finished because I moved out of Utah. At the bottom is a list of other buildings I was planning on visiting. Maybe someone will someday make a nice coffee table book full of history and pictures. It is a big project but the book would sell well. If you send me some good pictures of any of the remaining buildings, I will add them to my website.

Salt Lake County, Utah

Wasatch Stake Tabernacle in Heber City (off Main St. & 100 W)

Heber Second Ward Meetinghouse (now St. Lawrence Catholic Church) off Center St.

Summit County Stake Tabernacle (Summit Lake Tabernacle) 45 North Main in Coalville.

Porterville Ward Meetinghouse in Morgan Co. (may be demolished)

Morgan Stake Tabernacle (11 West Young Street, Morgan UT)

Echo Chapel & Cemetery (Summit County)

Laketown Ward Chapel (Rich County)

Uintah Stake Tabernacle (now the Vernal Temple)

Randolph Tabernacle

Manti Tabernacle 1879 (Manti Ward Chapel)

Orderville Utah building

Rockville Utah building

Joseph Utah building 1929 (now the Old Church Vacation Renal)

Emery church building 1898

Spring City Ward Chapel, Sanpete Co.

Moab First Meetinghouse (between Center St. & 100 N)

Hanksville Meetinghouse on Sawmill Basin Road, Hanksville, Wayne Co.

Sevier Ward Church (on US89)

Torrey Log Church and Schoolhouse, Wayne Co.

Wayne County Stake Tabernacle (Loa Utah Tabernacle) in Loa

Snowville Ward Meetinghouse (may be gone)

Garland Tabernacle

Washakie Ward Chapel

Smithfield Tabernacle

Wells Ward Building 1920

Liberty Ward Building 1908

Sugarhouse Ward Building 1924

White Chapel across from the Capitol Building

Salt Lake Tabernacle in Temple Square

Assembly Hall in Temple Square

NYC Upper East Side Chapel on 87th between 2nd and 3rd Avenue

Inwood, NYC building

Midwood Chapel, 1218 Glenwood Road, New York

Smithfield Utah Fourth Ward Meetinghouse

Mount Pleasant Utah chapel built in 1938

Beaver Utah building built in 1935

Las Vegas Chapel built 1930's

OTHER POSSIBLE INCLUSIONS

Eureka Building (sold to another church)

Grantsville First Ward (297 West Clark Street)

Star Valley Tabernacle in Aften Wyoming

Mormon Pioneer Rock Church in Auburn WY (built 1885 now a community center)

Montpelier Idaho Tabernacle

Bear Lake Stake Tabernacle in Paris Idaho

Chesterfield Chapel 1892

Ovid Building (may be gone)

Ely LDS Stake Tabernacle (Centennial Fine Arts Center) 900 Aultman St.

Phoenix Second Ward Chapel

Wilshire Ward Chapel Los Angeles Tabernacle) 1209 S Manhatten Place, Los Angeles

Honolulu Stake Tabernacle (1560 South Beretania St. Honolulu)

First Chapel in Hawaii (I think it still stands)

Gadfield Elm (first chapel in England)

Old Hyrum Church south of Logan...not sure if LDS

Washington DC Chapel

First Chapel in Hawaii (I think it still stands)

Pre-1940 LDS Tabernacles and Chapels