Anchorage Alaska Temple Wiki

ANNOUNCED
2 October 1997

ANNOUNCED BY
President Gordon B. Hinckley

GROUNDBREAKING
17 April 1997

GROUNDBREAKING PRESIDED BY
Elder F. Melvin Hammond

DEDICATED
9 January 1999

DEDICATED BY
President Gordon B. Hinckley

DEDICATION ORDER
54

LOCATION
13161 Brayton Drive
Anchorage, Alaska  99516
United States

PHONE
(+1) 907-348-7890

The Anchorage Alaska Temple was announced on 4 October 1997, by Church President Gordon B. Hinckley in Priesthood Session of the 167th Semiannual General Conference. In the same general conference, President Hinckley announced that the Church would be constructing small temples in remote areas of the world where the number of Church members was not very large. There are many areas in the Church which are remote and where membership is small and not likely to grow much in the future. It was decided to begin building the smaller temples in an effort to reduce travel distances for much of the membership of the church. Many of these members could only make one temple trip in a lifetime due to the great distance and cost of such trips.

On 17 April 1998 Elder F. Melvin Hammond of the Seventy presided over the groundbreaking and site dedication for the temple Approximately 1,700 members attended the ceremony.^[3]Walter, Byron D. “Temple Groundbreaking Ceremony”, Mission.net, 19 April 1998. Accessed 6 January 2015

The construction of the 6,800 square foot temple took only nine months.

6,291 Church members attended a total of seven dedicatory sessions from January 9 to 10, 1999. President Hinckley offered the dedicatory prayer, in which he mentioned the global scope of temple work: “May this great work of temple building go forward across the earth to bless Thy people wherever they may be found. May all who come with hope and high expectation leave with satisfaction and gratitude, having tasted of the sweet things of Thy divine work.”^[5] Anchorage Alaska Temple dedicatory prayer, in Church News, Jan. 16, 1999, ^[6]Dockstader, Julie “Northernmost temple dedicated Some 6,000 attend services in frigid Anchorage winter”, ldschurchnewsarchive.com, 16 January 1999. Accessed 10 April 2015

Construction Duration

President Hinckley conducted the rededication on 8 February 2004. ^[9]
 Howlett, Sandi, “Anchorage Alaska Temple Rededicated by Prophet”, ldschurchnews.com, 14 February 2004. Accessed 10 April 2005

Construction Duration

On 23 January 2023 the First Presidency announced that the Anchorage Temple would be closing in about a year for a complete reconstruction. Instead of enlarging the existing small structure, perched on a small rise at the edge of the property, they announced that the existing Stake Center would be removed, and a larger 30,000 square foot temple would instead be built at that location. Then, after completion of the new temple, the original temple would be removed and a new Chapel built at the spot the Temple currently sits upon.^[10]“Anchorage Alaska Temple to Be Reconstructed.” newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org, 23 Jan. 2023, newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/anchorage-alaska-temple-to-be-rebuilt.

To be determined

Construction Duration

The exterior of the temple measures on Google Earth as being m ( ft . long,) by m ( ft.) wide and has an estimated footprint of m ( sq ft.)

Cladding

The temple walls are covered with gray and white quartz-flecked Sierra White Granite from Fresno California. ^[18] “Gathering of Saints”, by Jasper and Lommel, p 320

Windows

The windows on the Anchorage Alaska Temple are stained glass with dual panels, the windows are in sets of four.

The stained glass has been described as being reminiscent of water, and stylized evergreens with patterns resembling native designs are used to adorn interior furnishings.

Exterior Finish
Sierra White Granite

Architectural Features
Single attached spire right of original entrance

Specifications

The exterior of the temple measures on Google Earth as being m ( ft . long,) by m ( ft.) wide and has an estimated footprint of m ( sq ft.)

Cladding

All new additions to the temple were clad in the same gray and white quartz-flecked Sierra White Granite from Fresno California.

Windows

The north windows of the temple were removed and placed into the new north facade of the temple, in an identical configuration.

The bottom story received new single pane windows featuring similarly patterned art glass.

Exterior Finish
Sierra White Granite

Architectural Features Asymmetrical wandering floorplan.

Specifications

The first inscription on the temple is on the north east side of the temple on the exterior wall of the Celestial Room.

HOLINESS TO THE LORD
THE HOUSE OF THE LORD

The second inscription of the Anchorage Temple is on the base of the spire at about eye height. Unlike the Celestial Room inscription, it is in English, inscribed into the stone, and painted black.

HOLINESS TO THE LORD
THE HOUSE OF THE LORD

The cornerstone of the Anchorage Alaska Temple is located on_____, east face of the temple. Like the Celestial Room inscription, it is also engraved into the stone and unpainted.

Erected
1999

The Second inscription is on the North-North West side of the temple above the new entrance.

HOLINESS TO THE LORD
THE HOUSE OF THE LORD

The cornerstone of the Anchorage Alaska Temple remained unchanged during the renovation.

HOLINESS TO THE LORD
THE HOUSE OF THE LORD

The Angel Moroni statue was placed upon the single spire of the temple on 17 December 1998. The statue is a gilded fiberglass replica of LaVar Wallgren’s 5′ 11″ statue holding a scroll in the left hand.

Sculptor:	LaVar Wallgren
Commissioned:	1997
Completed:	1999*
Material:	Fiberglass
Height:	5’ 11” (1.8 m)
Weight:	– lbs (- kg)
Currently On:	5 temples

Anchorage Temple details

The same Angel Moroni statue inhabits the top of the temple spire.

Motif

The temple design incorporates Alaskan motifs, such as likenesses of fir trees on the doorway pilasters. ^[20] “Gathering of Saints”, by Jasper and Lommel, p 320

Services Rooms

The temple has no food services and no clothing rental.

The Entry and Waiting Area of the temple is directly under the spire of the temple, and sits between the Baptistry and First Instruction Room.

The Anchorage Alaska Temple has a single baptistry. It is located to the right of the main entrance of the temple, along the centerline of the structure, at the temple’s west end.

There is one initiatory space attached directly to each of the changing rooms. There is one Room per changing room area, for a total of 2 booths.

Each Room is partitioned into 4 progressive spaces.

On the other side of the entrance from the baptistry, is the temple’s instruction room.

The Celestial Room, a place for prayer and meditation representing Heaven, is at the east end of the temple on the center line, next to the Instruction Room.

The 700-pound Celestial Room chandelier of the Anchorage Alaska Temple features thousands of Hungarian crystals and 140 lights that make the room’s windows appear gold from the outside.

The Anchorage Temple has one sealing room, located to the side of the Celestial room and Instruction Room.

The Brides room on the Original temple design was separated from the sealing room by a movable partition wall, allowing the Brides’ room to be added to the sealing room, if more space was needed for that room.

The expanded temple contains two endowment rooms, set up in a progressive presentation, with 2(?) sealing rooms.

Motif

The temple design incorporates Alaskan motifs, such as likenesses of fir trees on the doorway pilasters. ^[21] “Gathering of Saints”, by Jasper and Lommel, p 320

Services Rooms

The temple has no food services and no clothing rental.

The Entry and Waiting Area of the temple is directly under the spire of the temple, and sits between the Baptistry and First Instruction Room.

The Anchorage Alaska Temple has a single baptistry. It is located to the right of the main entrance of the temple, along the centerline of the structure, at the temple’s west end.

There are two initiatory spaces attached one each directly to each of the changing rooms. There is one Room per changing room area, for a total of 2 booths.

Each Room is partitioned into 4 progressive spaces.

On the other side of the entrance from the baptistry, are the temple’s two, progressive style instruction rooms.

Instruction A

A mural of Alaska’s mountainous terrain adorns the wall of the first instruction room.

Instruction B

The second Instruction Room of the temple. Location TBD.

The Celestial Room, a place for prayer and meditation representing Heaven, is at the east end of the temple on the center line, next to the Instruction Room.

The 700-pound Celestial Room chandelier of the Anchorage Alaska Temple features thousands of Hungarian crystals and 140 lights that make the room’s windows appear gold from the outside.

The Anchorage Temple has one sealing room, located to the side of the Celestial room and Instruction Room.

Cory Karl was Project Manager for the Church.^[22] “Anchorage Alaska Temple” ldschurchnewsarchive.com. Accessed 10 April 2015

Projects by the Manager

Cory Karl Projects

The temple was designed by Doug Carlson of McCool Carlson & Green Architects. ^[23] “Anchorage Alaska Temple” ldschurchnewsarchive.com. Accessed 10 April 2015 ^[24]McCool, Carlson & Green Architects (Project Page) To date this was his only temple, though he was involved in the expansion as well.

H. Watt and Scott was the General Contractor.^[25] “Anchorage Alaska Temple” ldschurchnewsarchive.com. Accessed 10 April 2015 To date this is the only temple by this contractor.^[26]”Anchorage LDS Temple,” hwatt.com

The temple was designed by Doug Carlson of McCool Carlson & Green Architects. ^[27] “Anchorage Alaska Temple” ldschurchnewsarchive.com. Accessed 10 April 2015 ^[28]McCool, Carlson & Green Architects (Project Page)

Westland Construction was General Contractor for the Renovation and expansion.^[29]
”Anchorage Alaska Temple Expansion” gowestland.com. Accessed 10 April 2015