Description

The Provo City Center Temple^[1]Walker, Joseph (March 23, 2012), “It’s official: the Provo City Center Temple”, Deseret News, retrieved November 9, 2012. is a temple built in the shell of the former Provo Tabernacle in Provo, Utah. Completed in 2016, the temple utilizes much of the external shell of the tabernacle, all that remained of the original building after a fire in December 2010.

The fire gutted almost all of the tabernacle’s interior but left the exterior of exquisite orange brick and sandstone mostly intact. Church leaders collaborated with architects, engineers and historical experts to decide the building’s future and determined there would be a complete restoration of the original façade.

“Clearly our desire is to save everything that we possibly can that’s useable,” said David Hall Jr., director of temple design and a member of the preservation team. “If there are details that we can glean from the existing building and reuse in the design, we are very thoughtful about doing that so the character of the original building [is evident in] the new purpose.”^[2]David Hall Jr., in Heather Whittle Wrigley, “Provo City Center Temple Teaches Lesson on Conversion,” Church News, Apr. 26, 2012, https://www.lds.org/church/news/provo-city-center-temple-teaches-lesson-on-conversion.

The architect of the Provo Tabernacle was William Harrison Folsom, who also designed the Manti Utah Temple. The tabernacle also shares design elements with the Assembly Hall on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. Conservators analyzed these buildings to determine what Folsom might have done to convert the Provo Tabernacle into a more sacred place.

By incorporating the original brick exterior along with beautiful art-glass windows inspired by the originals, the designers and builders have added a special touch of history to the temple. Construction of the original Provo Tabernacle took 15 years and was completed in 1898. Many people who helped build in those years were volunteers, sacrificing their time for the building of the kingdom of God. “Those who built the tabernacle will be pleased it was not destroyed but has been reborn, in a way, to a higher purpose,”^[3]Dieter F. Uchtdorf, in Gerry Avant, “President Uchtdorf Visits Provo City Center Temple Site,” Church News, Aug. 29, 2014, https://www.lds.org/church/news/president-uchtdorf-visits-provo-city-center-temple-site. said President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, a member of the Church’s First Presidency, when he visited the construction site on August 21, 2014.

The original Provo Tabernacle was used for Church meetings and cultural events, but now it will serve the holiest purpose to members of the Church. “The first use was very good and very attractive, but the new use will be even more attractive and more important and more divine,”^[4]William R. Walker, in Heather Whittle Wrigley, “Provo City Center Temple Teaches Lesson on Conversion,” Apr. 26, 2012, https://www.lds.org/church/news/provo-city-center-temple-teaches-lesson-on-conversion. said Elder William R. Walker, Church leader and executive director of the Church’s Temple Department.

History

Tabernacle

Tabernacles built by early members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were places of great religious and community significance. Tabernacles are larger than the tens of thousands of regular Mormon meetinghouses (or chapels) where Latter-day Saints meet weekly for Sunday services. They also differ from temples which are sacred buildings reserved for faithful Latter-day Saints to worship and perform sacred ordinances. Tabernacles are typically used today for meetings with several congregations combined. Historically, tabernacles have ranged from simple log cabins (Kanesville, Iowa, constructed in 1847) or adobe (mud brick) buildings (the first tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah, 1852) to classically inspired temple-like structures (Bountiful, Utah, 1857–63), picturesque Victorian halls (Bear Lake, Idaho, 1884–89, and Provo, Utah, 1883–96), and buildings that hark back to the American colonies (Boise, Idaho, 1924–25). The last tabernacle built by the Church was the Ogden Tabernacle. Of steel and concrete, it features modern international architecture (1952–56).

Meetinghouse

The history of the city of Provo began in September 1849, when President Brigham Young and his counselors headed a small caravan from Fort Utah to find a location to start a city. The center block of the planned mile-square city would be reserved for a chapel and schoolhouse. This “Public Square” was marked at present-day Pioneer Park, located at Center Street and 500 West. However, conflicts and disagreements combined with a lack of building materials slowed work on the meetinghouse. A foundation had been laid by 1856, but Brigham Young advocated abandonment of the project and moved Provo’s center five blocks east to today’s Tabernacle Block.

Old Tabernacle

“The Old Tabernacle,” a building of timber, adobe, and stone that faced Center Street, was completed in 1861.  It was situated north of the current tabernacle building facing Center Street. Plans for the first tabernacle began as early as 1852, though ground wasn’t broken until 1856.^[5]”Historic Provo Tabernacle,” Archived March 16, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.

Thomas Allman and John Watkins did much of the interior woodwork. The first tabernacle seated 1100, though more could fit with chairs added in the aisles. The single tower, located on the north end above the foyer, stood 80 feet (24 m) tall and carried a 500-pound (230 kg) bell. For practical purposes, the tabernacle was completed in 1861, although the final plastering and dedication of the building occurred in 1867. There is confusion as to whether Brigham Young or John Taylor dedicated the first tabernacle. At the dedication, Brigham Young expressed that the tabernacle was “entirely too small” and should have been completed 12 years previously. The original Provo tabernacle was razed between 1918-1919. The foundation for the first tabernacle and nearby baptismal font were unearthed by the Office of Public Archaeology at Brigham Young University in 2012. Many coins, trinkets and other small items that had fallen through the floor boards and remained in the foundation were discovered.^[6]Morgenegg, Ryan (February 28, 2012). “Provo Tabernacle excavation: Work completed!”. Church News. Retrieved October 15, 2013.

The rock foundation was then disassembled and the stones were donated to Provo City

New Tabernacle

Work on the new tabernacle (referred to also as the Utah Stake Tabernacle or the New Provo Tabernacle) began in 1883 under the direction of President John Taylor. It was built by the LDS Church as a meeting place that would hold more people than its predecessor. The new tabernacle, designed by William Folsom could seat 3,000 individuals in its auditorium and balconies. By 1885, the $100,000 building was in use and even hosted the April 1886 (Members of the First Presidency were in hiding at the time on polygamy charges and were not present.^[7]“salt lake architecture: provo tabernacle”. Saltlakearchitecture.blogspot.com. January 17, 2011. Retrieved October 15, 2013.

) and 1887 general conferences. The edifice was finally dedicated in 1898 , by George Q. Cannon, with church president Joseph F. Smith also in attendance. The tabernacle was built with seating for 1,500 and featured a brick exterior, octagonal towers at all four corners, a high-pitched roof, frosted-glass windows, spiral staircases, and exquisite woodwork including a hand-carved rostrum.

Over the years, the tabernacle was remodeled and refurbished, culminating in a rededication in September 1986.

Bishop John P. R. Johnson and others opposed the tower at the time of the tabernacle’s construction, cautioning that it would place too much stress on the building. Over thirty years later, that advice was finally heeded when it became apparent that the roof could not bear the weight of the tower in the long term. The building had been partially condemned in 1913. Then, as part of a 1917 remodel, which included replacement of the frosted glass windows with stained art glass windows, the tower came down. Bennett’s Paint and Glass had the contract to replace all the windows, with new stained art glass.^[8]”Historic Provo Tabernacle” Archived October 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine..

The supporting platform for the central tower was removed in the 1950s.

In 1964, plans to raze the tabernacle were entertained to make way for a commercial development and a new multistake facility built elsewhere. In the end, however, the decision was made to improve the grounds and facility, allowing it to better fulfill its purpose. the tabernacle was updated, with much of the interior painted white, while the electrical and heating systems were updated.^[9]“The Provo Tabernacle’s Remodeling Phases,” Historic Provo Tabernacle 2 Oct. 2011.

Cultural impact

The Tabernacle was home to many concerts, LDS stake conferences, and other community events. One of the first big-name entertainers to perform in the tabernacle was Madame Abbie Carrington in 1891. On September 1, 1909, U.S. President William H. Taft visited and spoke in the tabernacle.^[10]Scott Taylor, “Provo Tabernacle remembered for its past?and presence,” Deseret News 17 Dec. 2010, 2 Oct. 2011.

In the 1930s, Herald R. Clark, the head of BYU’s College of Commerce, arranged to use the tabernacle for university lyceum programs. One of the most famous lyceums occurred in 1938 when composer Sergei Rachmaninoff performed in concert.^[11]Carter, D. Robert (December 17, 2010). “Unwelcome bells at Provo Tabernacle”. Daily Herald.

Many funerals of prominent residents of Provo were held in the tabernacle, including those of Abraham O. Smoot, Hugh Nibley and Truman Madsen. In 1975, the building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

Fire

After standing unharmed for 125 years, the Provo Tabernacle met tragedy on December 17, 2010. The events were set into action when a lighting technician, making room for temporary stage lighting, removed two 300-watt light fixtures in the attic and set one on a wooden speaker box without removing the bulb.^[12]“Fire guts Provo Tabernacle”. KSL-TV News. December 17, 2010.

The night before the fire, the light came on with the rest of the house lights at 7:00 p.m. when performers arrived for a rehearsal of Lex de Azevedo’s Gloria. The report estimates that the hot bulb ignited the speaker box by 9:30 p.m. and continued burning by the time everyone left at 11:00 p.m. Signs of a fire were passed off or mistaken by observers until a security guard at Nu Skin saw smoke coming from the tabernacle roof at 2:39 a.m. Fire dispatchers soon received a call.^[13]Dennis Romboy, “Report: Light fixture, human error caused Provo Tabernacle fire,” Deseret News 31 Mar. 2011, 2 Oct. 2011.

A four-alarm fire engulfed the building—ripping through wooden pews, organ pipes, a rented Fazioli piano, priceless pioneer craftsmanship, and original pieces of art, including a Minerva Teichert painting with no known copy in existence. For hours, a crew of approximately 25 firefighters subdued flames and doused the building with water. Around 5:00 a.m., the roof began to collapse, giving way completely within the hour and dragging with it portions of the front parapet and wall.^[14]Carter, D. Robert (December 17, 2010). “Unwelcome bells at Provo Tabernacle”. Daily Herald.

Crews were still drenching hot spots by mid-afternoon, but felt encouraged by the still-standing exterior walls. Tearful crowds gathered throughout the day, looking on in reverent dismay as black smoke billowed from the iconic edifice.^[15]11. Donald W. Meyers, Kristen Moulton, and Bob Mims, “Provo’s cultural heart broken by Tabernacle fire,” Salt Lake Tribune 17 Dec. 2010, 2 Oct. 2011.

Perhaps the most remarkable discovery made among the ashes the day after the fire was a giclee print of The Second Coming by Harry Anderson, which depicts Jesus Christ coming through the clouds with heralding angels on either side—a picture frequently featured in LDS temples and chapels alike. The tabernacle painting, which sat inside the east front door, was completely blackened by residual fire except for the untouched figure of Jesus Christ himself with hands outstretched. Those who saw the painting in person were awestruck. Officials directed the print to be removed immediately for conservation and stabilization. It was handled with the greatest care, wrapped in plastic, and loaded into a waiting truck. The extraordinary occurrence was dubbed by some to be a “Christmas miracle.”^[16]Caleb Warnock, “Scorched portrait of Christ saved from Tabernacle,” Daily Herald 18 Dec. 2010, 2 Oct. 2011

After the fire the walls were braced with large steel support structures while the Church decided what to do with the remains of the Historic Building.

Announcement

During his opening remarks at the Saturday morning session of the 181st Semiannual General Conference on 1 October 2011 President Thomas S. Monson began his temple announcements by stating, “First, may I mention that no Church-built facility is more important than a temple. Temples are places where relationships are sealed together to last through the eternities. We are grateful for all the many temples across the world and for the blessing they are in the lives of our members.” He then announced that the Provo Tabernacle, which had been devastated by fire the previous December, would be rebuilt as a second temple for the city of Provo.^[17]The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, “New Temples Announced for France, Africa, Colombia, Utah and Wyoming,” 1 Oct. 2011.^[18]“Mormon church president announces plans for new temples in Utah, Wyoming, Colombia, Africa”. Washington Post. AP. October 1, 2011. Retrieved <span class=”nowrap”>October 5, 2011.^[19]Walker, Joseph (October 1, 2011), “LDS general conference opens with the announcement of six new Mormon temples”, Deseret News, retrieved November 9, 2012.^[20] Walker, Joseph (1 October 2011). “Provo Tabernacle to rise from ashes as a temple”. Deseret News.

A gasp of surprise filled the Conference Center after the announcement, and in Provo, it wasn’t long before joyful members filled the streets near the historic building flashing cameras and flashing smiles. “We’re so happy,” said Orem resident Kay Davenport. “We are going to have two temples in the city.”[ref name=”meyers”]Donald W. Meyers, “Mormon temple to rise from ashes of Provo Tabernacle,” Salt Lake Tribune 1 Oct. 2011, 2 Oct. 2011.[/ref]

The temple was announced concurrently with those to be built in Barranquilla, Colombia; Durban, South Africa; Kinshasa, DR Congo; and Star Valley, Wyoming, along with the temple in Paris, France which had been previously announced.[backref name=”meyers”]

Planning and Approval

President Monson stated that the temple will “include a complete restoration of the original exterior.”^[21]“News Release: New Temples Announced for France, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Colombia, Utah and Wyoming”, Newsroom, LDS Church, October 1, 2011, retrieved November 9, 2012.

Patterned after a similar situation with the 1997 dedication of the Vernal Utah Temple, which was built from the Uintah Stake Tabernacle of the early 1900s, this second Provo temple was built upon a complete restoration of the original exterior design of the Provo Tabernacle  including the central tower from the original building.^[22]Meyers, Donald W. (October 5, 2011), “Mormon temple to rise from ashes of Provo Tabernacle”, The Salt Lake Tribune, retrieved November 9, 2012

In August 2011, it announced the purchasing of land from two nearby businesses (Travelodge Motel and Los 3 Amigos restaurant).

On September 27, 2011 the Provo City Council, acting as the Redevelopment Agency Board, voted unanimously to sign a letter of intent with the Church to sell the site of the old Hotel Roberts.^[23]Derek P. Jensen, “Provo selling more land near tabernacle to LDS Church,” Salt Lake Tribune 28 Sept. 2011, 2 Oct. 2011

The Howard C. Nielson Post Office stands on the final tract, which is not for sale, but the Church has expressed interest in acquiring.

NuSkin International sold its former parking terrace to the Church, located west of the temple, as a new facility has been constructed further west and south.

On March 14, 2012, the Provo City Planning Commission heard a request from the City to vacate a portion of 100 South—the road running between the Provo City Center Temple and the Church’s recently acquired property to the south. The Commission unanimously recommended approval so that the property could be sold to the Church for its temple campus.

On April 17, 2012, the Provo Municipal Council unanimously approved an ordinance to vacate Provo City Corporation’s property interest in 100 South between University Avenue and 100 West. A study examining the effect of closing 100 South to traffic found that traffic flow would improve in downtown Provo.

On May 1, 2012, the Provo Municipal Council unanimously voted to surplus 0.447 acres of 100 South between University Avenue and the west end of the Provo Tabernacle. Once fair market value has been established for the property, the City will sell to the Church. The portion of the street in front of the post office and NuSkin parking terrace is not part of the sale so that access to those structures will remain the same.

On October 30, 2012, another portion of 100 South was added to the City of Provo’s surplus property list, in preparation for selling the parcel to the Church. The land is adjacent to the NuSkin parking terrace, which was recently acquired by the Church and will be demolished in the spring of 2013.

Groundbreaking

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles presided at the groundbreaking on May 12, 2012.^[24]Weaver, Sarah Jane (May 12, 2012), “Rising from ashes: Ground is broken for LDS Church’s 2nd temple in Provo”, Deseret News, retrieved November 9, 2012^[25]Meyers, Donald W. (May 22, 2012), “Mormon Church breaks ground for new temple on Provo Tabernacle site”, The Salt Lake Tribune, retrieved November 9, 2012

“What an absolute stunning site!” said Elder Holland. He confessed to being deeply touched by the occasion. “You can tell people Elder Holland was downright giddy today about the temple groundbreaking.” After the Provo Tabernacle was tragically lost to fire, Church leaders contemplated the future of the building’s empty shell and spires, and a decision was reached. “It is inspired to build a temple out of the ashes of the tabernacle,” said Elder Holland. Having two temples within miles of each other is a “tribute to you that the Brethren would approve another temple here. That says very much about you.”^[26] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, “Ground Broken for Provo, Utah’s Second Temple,” 12 May 2012.

Construction

On March 31, 2012, the archaeology team that excavated and documented the foundation of the Old Provo Tabernacle completed its work. It was announced that the foundation would be removed with a large portion of the stone being donated to the City of Provo. “We’re very excited about this announcement,” said city spokeswoman Helen Anderson. “There are several ways it can be integrated into using it for our pioneer heritage.” Use of the stone has yet to be determined.6

By the end of April 2012, removal of the foundation of the Old Provo Tabernacle—just north of the Provo City Center Temple—was completed. The limestone foundational walls were built four feet thick and up to five feet deep. The excavated stone was donated to the City of Provo for use in community projects. Artifacts from the archaeological dig went on display in an exhibit at Brigham Young University’s Museum of People and Cultures. Rich Talbot, director of the Office of Public Archaeology at BYU, said, “Construction of the Provo City Center Temple will require that the southern portion of the old Provo Tabernacle be removed. The northern portion will be covered over to protect and preserve it. If at some point the Church wants to incorporate that portion of the structure into the landscaping, it could then be uncovered and stabilized.”^[27]Ryan Morgenegg, “Provo Tabernacle excavation: Work completed!,” Church News 28 Apr. 2012, 12 May 2012.^[28] Genelle Pugmire, “City surpluses property before planned sale to LDS Church,” Daily Herald 31 Oct. 2012, 31 Oct. 2012.

August 9, 2012 saw the removal of the tower cupolas. Despite being damaged by the fire they were remarkably inchurctact. Each cupola being removed in a single piece was then moved to the north lot for renovation and eventual re-installation.

In October of 2012 construction began on a joint underground parking facility for NuSkin employees and temple patrons, which will have an entrance in the middle of the block between 100 and 200 South on 100 West.

In early November 2012, the earliest known baptistry of the Church in Utah County was discovered on the site of the Provo City Center Temple. The five-by-nine-foot font was built around 1875 and used until 1906 or so. It had three layers of wood laid in crisscross fashion, fastened by nails and screws. A water pipe to fill and drain the font were also discovered. Large quantities of painted plaster fragments were found, revealing the original sky blue color of the interior walls.

During 2012 The doorways and windows of the tabernacle shell were stabilized. Of the 5 layers of brick making up the walls of the shell, 2 layers were removed, the best bricks of each layer being salvaged for rebuilding damaged portions of the remaining shell. Thousands of Helical ties, or spiral steel anchors 14-16 inches in length were drilled into the remaining layers of brick horizontally with the ends sticking out into the tabernacle interior. Rebar was attached to the spices, and 6 to 10 inches of shotcrete, a type of spray-on concrete, was applied to the interior of the shell.^[29]Genelle Pugmire, “A construction marvel, Provo City Center Temple rises from the ashes,” Daily Herald, 10 January 2016.

November 21, 2012 brought the completion of the Shotcrete process, and the removal of the exterior structural bracing, revealing the damaged shell for the first time in almost 2 years.

Starting around December 3, 2012 work began on strengthening the foundation. 140 temporary 12-inch micropiles, 60 foot long steel pilings in a 90 foot deep hole with 30 feet of concrete in the bottom of them, were installed immediately adjacent to the mortar and cobble foundation. Sections of the original rubble foundation (which was to be removed for new concrete basement walls) were removed and twin “needle” beams were installed at 56 locations, supported by the micropiles. The piles were then pre-loaded with hydraulic jacks, allowing adjustments to be made to keep the shell level as the ground underneath it dried out, shifted and settled.

Meanwhile there was a need to take care of the water on site. The excavation was going to go down deep enough to add 2 stories under the temple, but the water level under the site was just 15-20 feet below the surface.^[30]Walker, “Provo City Temple a feat of engineering”

Starting January 22, 2013 and in just 72 hours a large machine dug a 710-foot long, 53-foot deep trench outside the footprint of the temple excavation area. A cutoff wall was constructed using a mixture of existing soil, cement and bentonite– a special clay that expands when coming into contact with the water to form a tight seal. The slurry and cutoff wall created the sides of a bathtub around the building to hold back the water as the second phase of excavation below the original water table began. Four dewatering wells and two monitoring wells were installed during this hustle to drain the tub in concert with the excavation. The cutoff wall stopped the de-watering effort from extending beyond the basement to not consolidate or overstress the sensitive clay, which would cause significant settlement of adjacent properties. The next tier of bracing was installed and the remaining 20 feet of soil was excavated.^[31]”Provo City Center Temple – deep foundations,” Nicholson Construction, accessed 12 March 2018.

Then the ground underneath the shell was painstakingly excavated 40 feet deep to provide for the 2 stories of temple that would now be underground. 25,000 cubic yards of dirt were removed from around the building. As excavation progressed down, welders and steel workers braced the exposed piles with cross bracing. By April 2013 the shell of the tabernacle appeared to have been lifted into the air on stilts. While the shell appeared to have been lifted, in reality it had barely moved.^[32] Joseph Walker, “Provo City Center Temple a feat of engineering, hard work and faith”, Deseret News, April 18, 2013

Starting around March 1, 2013 excavation having reached design grade, 390 permanent piles (on two-foot centers) along the perimeter were installed to support the new basement walls of the Temple. by April 18, 2013 work on the footings was complete and the sub slab for the basement was poured.

The excavation encompassed the majority of the Church-owned property. Half of the block to the North of the tabernacle was excavated and added to the temple. The property west of the temple was excavated, half of the space being added to the temple, and half to the underground parking. The property south of the temple was completely excavated, with a small portion being added to the temple, a portion to the underground story of the pavilion, and the rest to underground parking. All of this was enclosed and beautiful landscaped grounds added above at street level.

August 2, 2013 saw the new basement walls completed enough that the could begin to support the weight of the shell. The original micropiles were cut off at ground level. The portions underground remain as part of the foundation of the temple.

Interior steel framing on the temple began around mid August of 2013.

Vertical, steel beams reached roof level by September 20, 2013. At the same time framing for the second floor inside the above ground temple began.

Another milestone was reached December 5, 2013 when structural steel reached the highest point of the temple project. The central spire was lifted into position that afternoon.

January of 2014 saw the beginning of brick preservation and restoration on the temple exterior.

By January 28, 2014 structural steel work on the temple was finished, and the steel underlayment for the roof was complete as well. Sheathing on the roof began around this time.

With the completion of the center spire, on March 31, 2014, a statue of the angel Moroni was installed on top of the temple.^[33]Walch, Tad (March 31, 2014), “Angel Moroni statue ascends to top of Provo City Center Temple”, Deseret News, retrieved March 31, 2014

The underground portions of the temple had been closed up by October 10, 2014 and work moved on to landscaping and finishing the interior.

By February most of the scaffolding had come down. Work turned even more to the interior.

On Friday, 10 July 2015, construction workers add a copper roof onto the gazebo at the new Provo City Center Temple. The framework for the 5,290-square-foot, two-story pavilion, located approximately midway between 100 and 200 South, was initially constructed in June 2014. It serves as a waiting area for non-temple patrons and a place for wedding parties to take pictures, and will connect to the underground parking via elevator.

The Temple took 43 months from groundbreaking to be completed. It was finished almost five years to the date of the inferno that almost destroyed it forever.

Open House

Following a five-year restoration of the former Provo Tabernacle, the Provo City Center Temple is now complete. The more than a century-old icon (Provo Tabernacle) located in the central Utah community of Provo will now serve as a House of the Lord. Prior to it’s dedication a public open house was held from Friday, January 15, 2016 through Saturday, March 5, 2016, excluding Sundays. The 44 day open house drew more than 800,000 visitors, an average of 18,182 visitors per day.^[34]“Open House Announced for Provo City Center Temple”, Newsroom, LDS Church, June 9, 2015^[35]Walch, Tad (March 9, 2016). “Provo City Center Temple open house drew more than 800,000 visitors”. Deseret News. Retrieved April 7, 2017.

Cultural Celebration

On Saturday evening, 19 March 2016, four and a half years after President Thomas S. Monson announced plans for the Provo City Center Temple, approximately 4,500 youth joined together to celebrate the completion of the 150th temple for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and to commemorate the heritage of the Provo region through narration, song, and dance.

The cultural celebration took place at the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah. Before the celebration began, Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles addressed the youth from the Provo and Springville area stakes. Many other LDS Church leaders attended the event, including youth general auxiliary leaders. The theme of the celebration was “Beauty for Ashes” (see Isaiah 61:3) which represented the old Provo Tabernacle that was gutted by fire in 2010 being transformed into a beautiful sacred edifice.

Director of the cultural celebration, Polly K. Dunn, commented, “These youth are just wonderful. I think the very act of pulling [the youth] together and doing this celebration helps them to focus on the dedication of this temple.” The event included photos, short videos and dances highlighting the history of the Provo Tabernacle. Dunn further remarked, “The very first thoughts when I was called, before I even had a committee, … were, this building had an incredible life. This building that was built by pioneers without electricity, without power tools, without even running water, it just had such an incredible life. I just felt from the get-go that the program needed to revolve around this building.” Based mostly on stories from the community and people who have had experiences in the old Provo Tabernacle, the cultural celebration walked the audience through a timeline of events, sharing the important role the building has played in the community over the years, beginning with the sacrifice and dedication of early Church members young and old. Dubbed as a “place where givers give,” the building had been used as gathering place for Church or civic meetings, service opportunities and cultural events. Over the years many special guests such as President William H. Taft, renowned musician John Phillip Sousa, Helen Keller, and poet Robert Frost visited the Provo Tabernacle.

One of the participants, 17-year-old Zack Sink, who remembers seeing the smoke from the temple as he was sitting on a bus on the way to school, commented, “It is a beacon of hope to me in my life.” And Isai Sanchez, 14, commented that all of the hard work, practices and even learning to dance has been a good experience “because it is for something special. And I can tell future generations I danced for that temple.”

Dedication

The temple was dedicated in three sessions on Sunday, March 20, 2016 by Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Russell M. Nelson, the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, was in attendance at one of the three sessions. Also in attendance at one or more sessions were M. Russell Ballard and Gary E. Stevenson, both of the Quorum of the Twelve; members of the Presidency of the Seventy; members of the Seventy responsible for overseeing the church’s Temple Department (Kent F. Richards, Executive Director, and Michael T. Ringwood[citation needed] and Larry Y. Wilson, Assistant Executive Directors); Dean M. Davies, First Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric; and auxiliary leaders, including Bonnie L. Oscarson, Young Women General President.^[36]“‘Beauty for Ashes’: 4,500 youth participate in cultural celebration”, LDS Church News, Deseret News, March 19, 2016^[37]“150th Temple Is Dedicated: Provo City Center Temple becomes the 16th Utah temple”, Newsroom, LDS Church, March 20, 2016^[38]Walch, Tad (March 20, 2016), “Elder Oaks dedicates Provo City Center Temple as 150th temple of the LDS Church”, Deseret News

The dedicatory sessions were held at 9:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. MDT, and broadcast to Utah meetinghouses. The normal three-hour block of meetings were cancelled to allow members to participate in the sacred events. Tickets, distributed through local church leaders, were required to view the broadcast. A cornerstone ceremony, with music provided by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, took place at the southeast corner of the temple at the start of the first dedicatory session. Elder Oaks and Elders Lynn G. Robbins of the Presidency of the Seventy, Elder Richards and the new temple presidency, helped secure the cornerstone with mortar, the symbolic completion of the temple. Elder Oaks also invited a young woman and young man to place mortar around the cornerstone to represent, what he called, “The rising generation that will come to the temple in the future.” The dedication took place on the 115th anniversary of the death of William Harrison Folsom, the original architect of the Provo Tabernacle.

On Tuesday, 22 March 2016, the the temple opened for active temple waork. The temple serves Latter-day Saints living in 29 LDS stakes in Provo and Springville, including university student and single-adult stakes.

One of the most striking parts of the whole history and now conversion of the Provo Tabernacle into the Provo City Center Temple is all of the stories. The structure has already been a part of thousands of lives. From those that walked door to door collecting funds for the original building to the owner of a single shoe left there in the 19th century and found in the excavations, those that met their spouses at events there, heard speakers that changed their testimonies forever or sat in their graduation ceremonies in those seats, nervous about what to do next. And that’s before the hundreds of people that have worked to convert the building into a temple even came on the scene.

Dedication Order

This is the second city in the LDS Church to have two temples, following South Jordan, Utah which has the Jordan River Utah and Oquirrh Mountain Utah temples. It is the second tabernacle in Utah to be converted to a temple, following the Vernal Utah Temple. It is the fourth LDS temple converted from an existing building. (The three previous being the Vernal Utah Temple, the Copenhagen Denmark Temple, and the Manhattan New York Temple.) It is one of only two LDS temples not to include the name of the state/province or country in which the temple is located (the other being the Salt Lake Temple).^[39]Although some other temples vary from the official naming guidelines, all of them except Provo City Center and Salt Lake include at least the name of the state/province or country. For official guidelines, see “Temples renamed to uniform guidelines,” Deseret News, October 16, 1999 (accessed October 27, 2015). Since that article was published, the temple in Omaha, Nebraska, has been renamed to “Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple” (see Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple page at LDS.org).

The Provo City Center Temple was the 150th active temple dedicated by the church. The number is significant in that the nearby Provo Utah Temple was the 15th temple, denoting that there are now 10 times as many active temples as there were just 40 or so years ago. The Provo City Center Temple was the 16th temple in Utah and teh 74th temple in the United States.

At the time of it’s dedication there were 15 temples under construction and 8 temples announced and awaiting groundbreaking. Additionally there were 3 temples undergoing rennovation, including both of the temples in Germany.

Under Construction	Awaiting Groundbreaking	Under Renovation
Philadelphia Pennsylvania	Urdaneta Philipines	Freiberg Germany
Rome Italy	Winnipeg Manitoba	Frankfurt Germany
Concepcion Chile	Durban South Africa	Jordan River Utah
Fortaleza Brazil	Kinshasa D. R. C.
Sapporo Japan	Arequipa Peru
Lisbon Portugal	Abidjan Ivory Coast
Hartford Connecticut	Port-Au-Prince Haiti
Fort Collins Colorado	Bangkok Thailand
Meridian Idaho
Paris France
Barranquilla Columbia
Star Valley Wyoming
Tucson Arizona
Cedar City Utah
Rio De Janeiro Brazil

Presidents

Temple President	Years Served
President Allen C. Ostergar Jr.	2016–

Detail

The Provo City Center Temple is the fourth temple that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has adapted from an existing building — the others are the Copenhagen Denmark Temple, the Manhattan New York Temple and the Vernal Utah Temple.

The Provo City Center Temple stands at the corner of 100 South and University Avenue in Provo’s Central Business District. In August 2011, news reports revealed the Church’s acquisition of the Provo Travelodge Motel and the Los 3 Amigos Restaurant on the block south of the tabernacle.

Landscape

Landscaping around the temple is extensive, bringing lush flower gardens, trees, and greenspace to downtown Provo. The public gardens and benches on the north side of the property are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Fences topped with columns topped by beehives will surround the temple—both a lower ungated fence around the perimeter of the property and a taller gated fence around the temple proper. . Special features include a magnificent 17-foot, four-tiered bronze Victorian fountain with ornamental nozzles and a finial cast in the style of a newel post from the tabernacle. There is a 5,290-square-foot, two-story Victorian pavilion (one story above ground, one below) about halfway between 100 and 200 South—connected by elevator to the underground parking area—which will provide a waiting area for non-temple patrons and a photograph-taking venue for wedding parties.^[40]Genelle Pugmire, “LDS Church: New Provo temple to stay true to historic roots,” Daily Herald 26 Jan. 2013, 27 Jan. 2013.

Exterior

The Provo City Center Temple captures the historic beauty of the former Provo Tabernacle through meticulous preservation and careful study of the design of the original structure. Scalloped shingles, matching the original 1800s design, have been placed on the roof. A magnificent 147-foot central tower has been built to replace the original tower that had to be removed in the early 1900’s. The body of the temple is one main cube with four projected gables at the midway points of each side, bringing the whole design to a cross-wing design.

Towers

Each corner of the tabernacle features a large Octagonal tower that runs the height of the building and extends another half story above the drip-line of the primary roof. Each tower is topped with an octagonal cupola , the base of which flares out to extend beyond the tower. Each of these towers was built for, and in the new temple still contains, a spiral staircase. On the east end, each of these staircases is attached to an ordinance room and provides access to the upper story of the temple for use in completing the progressively arranged endowment ceremony. On the west end, the North tower is attached to hallways, and the south tower attaches to the marriage waiting room, allowing patrons attending weddings access directly to the sealing rooms up stairs.

Cladding

The temple is clad in the original orange red facing brick. The bricks were each made by hand and were brittle. Combined with the soft lime mortar, and it is likely the tabernacle would not have survived a serious earthquake. Every single brick removed from the interior of the shell was examined to see if it could be reused. An estimated 95% of the original brick is in use on the temple, with only about 10,000 replacement bricks needing to be used.

Windows

The windows of the Provo City Center Temple feature Gothic arches on the upper story, and a depressed segmented arch on the bottom story windows. due to the need to add a second floor to what had once been a single large room in the tabernacle, the bottom story windows had to be cut shorter. Rather than destroy and reconstruct parts of the facade, stone lintels were put in the window openings to fill the section the upper story would eclipse.

Symbolism

Inscriptions

There are three inscriptions on the Provo City center Temple. The first is in the upper pointed arch of the east gable in a sandstone plaque. The text is engraved in the sandstone, and the letters are gilded.

HOLINESS TO THE LORD

THE HOUSE OF THE LORD

The second inscription on the Provo City Center Temple is above the south entrance, in the transom above the entry way doors. The inscription is made of stained art glass.

HOLINESS ^{TO THE} LORD

^THE HOUSE ^{OF THE} LORD

The Third inscription on the Provo City Center Temple is on the south side of the temple above the underground entrance. This inscription, like the first, is inscribed into the sandstone, and gilded.

HOLINESS TO THE LORD

THE HOUSE OF THE LORD

Cornerstone

The cornerstone on the Provo City Center Temple is on the east most face of the south east  tower. The text on the cornerstone is engraved into the stone and unpainted. Unlike most cornerstones, this cornerstone features 2 dates, one for the tabernacle, and one for the temple.

TABERNACLE COMPLETE 1898

TEMPLE DEDICATED 2016

Spires and Moroni

Spire

The Provo City Center Temple is one of 3 temples that have five spires. The other two are Oakland California and Cochabamba Bolivia Temples. The center spire of the temple stands 133 feet above the main floor, 138 feet above ground level. The 4 corner towers stand at about 82 feet above floor level, or about 87 feet above ground level.

Moroni

Church officials had determined the placing of the Angel Moroni statue on the middle spire should bring as little attention as possible.

“Builders had planned to place the angel early in the morning of the first day of April,” Cowan said. “But they made a last-minute decision to accomplish this task one day earlier because of forecast of unfavorable weather.”

Word of the change leaked out, and by the afternoon thousands of spectators had gathered at the Historic Courthouse across the street, at the post office parking lot to the south on the roof of the NuSkin building next door and at other locations to see Moroni placed on the spire. Cameras and happy faces watched as construction workers lined the center tower with scaffolding and used a crane to place the statue on top.

The statue as carved by Karl Quilter in  1985. It is placed on the temple so that his chest and feet are facing east.

Interior

The temple is four levels—two above ground and two below. The lower levels house the baptistry, dressing rooms, offices, and bride’s room with a large skylight while the upper levels house the chapel, endowment rooms, sealing rooms, lobbies, and additional offices. The main entrances to the temple are on the south side near the 50-car surface parking lot and through the 245-car underground parking area. Both lots are accessible from 200 South and 100 West.

Interior components that survived the fire including wood moldings, newel posts, and balustrades, were used as models for the production of rich woodwork and other design elements used throughout the temple.

Inside the temple is a historic window that was rescued from the Astoria Presbyterian Church in Queens, N.Y., when that building was razed in 2008. An art dealer preserved the windows. He sold them to an LDS art collector, who in turn donated at least 4 of them to the Church. All 4 have now been placed in Temples, 2 in the Cedar City Temple, one in the Provo City Center Temple, and one here in the Star Valley Temple. In each temple the panels are set in ornate wood partitions constructed behind the recommend desk, with lighting behind the panels to allow the glass to be displayed in it’s full beauty.^[41]Katherine Lyon and Alex Mortenson, “Why Cedar City and 2 Other LDS Temples Have Stained Glass Windows Rescued from a Presbyterian Church,” LDS Living, 23 October 2017

Holdman Studios of Lehi, Utah, performed their restoration.^[42]“Cedar City Utah Temple Fact Sheet,” Newsroom, LDS Church, 23 October 2017

Individuals and Contractors

Architect	FFKR Architects
Contractor	Jacobsen Construction Company
Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing	VBFA
Murals	Robert Marshall
Murals	James Christensen
Interior Stone, Tile Finish	Global Stone
Water Fountain	Water Design Inc.

Sources and Links for Provo City Center Temple

Additional Articles

Announcement

• To Rise From the Ashes (SL Tribune)

Groundbreaking

• Ground breaking for new Temple (SL Tribune)
• Ground breaking for new Temple (Deseret News)

Construction

• Temple Construction Blog
• Feat of Engineering

History

• Tabernacle Interior (1908 Deseret News)
• Tabernacle nears 100 (1983 Deseret News)
• Tabernacle History (1984 Deseret News)
• Tabernacle Rededicated (1986 Deseret News)
• Tabernacle history (1986 Deseret News)
• Tabernacle Facelift (1997 Deseret News)
• Fire Guts Tabernacle (2010 KSL)
• Provo City Center Temple: A Mighty Change at the Heart by Mariah Proctor
• High and Lifted Up – The Mormon Provo City Center Temple by Keith L. Brown
• Tabernacle to Temple: Provo’s Legacy of Worship

Sources/Citation