Salt Lake Temple Wiki

Quick Facts

---

Description

The Salt Lake Temple is a temple located on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. At 253,015 square feet (23,505.9 m²), it is the largest LDS temple by floor area. Dedicated in 1893, it is the sixth temple completed by the church, requiring 40 years to complete, and the fourth temple built since the exodus from Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1846.^[1]Satterfield, Rick, “Salt Lake Temple”, Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, LDSChurchTemples.com, retrieved October 11, 2012

History

On Sunday, July 25, 1847 — the day after the first wagons of Latter-day Saint settlers arrived in Utah Territory — the Saints held an impromptu sacrament meeting outdoors. Church President Brigham Young was sick at the time, so Elder George A. Smith of the Quorum of the Seventy offered the first sermon.

According to Jacob Olmstead, a Church historian and curator of Church history sites, Elder Smith talked in the meeting about “the prophecy in Isaiah, about the mountain of the Lord’s house being established in the mountains, and essentially he said that they are going to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy.”

The prophecy Elder Smith referenced is found in Isaiah 2:2: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.” Nephi from the Book of Mormon repeated this prophecy in 2 Nephi 12:2.

Jesse Carter Little kept a diary of the Journey the pioneers made across the plains. Using a sextant and a compass he cataloged latitude and longitude, place names and miles for the entire trek westward. On the Day the pioneers entered the valley, 24 July 1847, his diary contains one entry. It reads, in part:

“….Northern boundary of the Temple Square 40 Degrees latitude and 11 degrees longitude.^[2]”Discovery of pioneer journal sheds light on Temple Square mystery” Deseret News, 20 July 2017. Accessed 23 September 2017.

Announcement

Wilford Woodruff drove a wooden stake into the hole left by Brigham Young’s cane to mark the location of the temple.^[5]Wallace Alan Raynor, “History of the Construction of the Salt Lake Temple” ScholarsArchive.BYU.edu, August 1961. Accessed 23 September 2017 Days later, as the city was being planned, and after much discussion, the decision was made to reduce the number of acres to 10, as it was felt 40 was unnecessary.^[6] Edward W. Tullidge, “History of Salt Lake City,” Salt Lake City, Utah 1886, p. 47-48.

^[7]Anthon H. Lund Journal, July 5, 1901, cited by BYU Prof. D. Michael Quinn https://byustudies.byu.edu/content/latter-day-saint-prayer-circles

1847

On 23 December of 1847, the Church circulated a letter calling for contributions of precious metals and other materials in preparation for building the temple.^[8]James R. Clark, comp., Messages of the First Presidency (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965), 1:333.

1850

Truman O. Angell Sr. was named as architect of the Church’s public works department (and consequently became temple architect as well) on 26 May 1850.^[9]Kate B. Carter, “Heart Throbs of the West,” Salt Lake City Utah: Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, 1939, P. 222.^[10]Richard O. Cowan, “The Design, Construction, and Role of the Salt Lake Temple, ” in Salt Lake City: The Place Which God Prepared, ed. Scott C. Esplin and Kenneth L. Alford (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, Salt Lake City, 2011), 47–68.^[11]Marion D. Hanks “Salt Lake Temple History” Light Planet. Accessed 23 September 2017.

1851

On 22 February the Red Butte Railroad Company was formed. The purpose of this railroad was to build a track to the red butte quarry. Carts would be towed up this track by ox teams, then the loaded carts would be coasted back down the track with a brakeman on board to slow the cart when it reached temple square.^[12]Wallace Raynor Interview with James Sharp, 7 February 1959

At the April conference in 1851, a motion was made to build the temple, and was carried with acclamation. Daniel H Wells was then appointed to be construction supervisor.^[13]Wallace Alan Raynor, “History of the Construction of the Salt Lake Temple” ScholarsArchive.BYU.edu, August 1961. Accessed 23 September 2017^[14]”Deseret News Weekly,” Salt Lake City, 19 April 1851, p. 1. Additionally the announcement was made about the coming Red Butte Railroad, and plans to have it assist in the construction of the temple:

“A railroad has been chartered to extend from the Temple Block in this city to the stone quarry and mountain on the east, for the conveyance of building materials; the construction to commence immediately.”^[15]James E Talmadge , “The House of the Lord,” p. 114

By the last day of April, construction had begun on the Red Butte Rail line.^[16]History of Salt Lake Stake, 30 April  1851.

1852

Shortly after the start of 1852, the decision was made to make the Red Butte Rail line a graded road and use broad tire wagons to hall the lumber and stone instead.

In the April Conference Truman O. Angell, already the architect of the Church’s public works department, was sustained as the official architect of the Church.^[17]Wendell J Ashton, “Theirs is the Kingdom” Salt Lake City Utah: Bookcraft & Co, 1945, p. 139.

On 3 August 1852 men were put to work building the 14 foot sandstone walls that surround temple square. ^[18]Arnold K. Garr, Richard O. Cowan, and Donald Q. Cannon, eds., Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2000), 966–67. ^[19]”Deseret Weekly News,” 7 April 1851.

At the October General Conference, The a vote was put forward as to the material the temple should be constructed from, sandstone, adobe, or the best local stone. The vote was for the best local stone and the Presidency was charged with determining where the stone other materials should be obtained from.^[20]Heber C. Kimball, in Journal of Discourses (London: Latter-day Saints’ Book Depot, 1854), 1:160, 162.

Groundbreaking/Site Dedication

Music and a Song were then performed, after which Heber C. Kimball offered a dedicatory prayer on the grounds. Then, preceding to the South East Corner of the site, one square foot of earth was loosened, and Brigham Young cast aside the first shovel of dirt.^[22]”Deseret News Weekly” Salt Lake City, 14 February 1853.

According to the account in the Deseret News Weekly, after the loosening of the dirt, and prior to the first shovelful being moved a silver dollar fell onto the loosened soil, and no one new where it came from. President Kimball prophesied that it was a sign that means to build the temple would not be wanted.^[23]”Deseret News Weekly” Salt Lake City, 14 February 1853.

Though some of the crowd returned to their homes shortly after the groundbreaking, many people stayed and commenced the work of preparing to lay the foundation.

Wilford Woodruff was appointed Superintendent of the foundation digging on 21 February.^[24]Manuscript History of Brigham Young, February 21, 1853, p. 32.

Cornerstone Ceremony

On 6 April of 1853, in conjunction with General Conference and the 23rd anniversary of the Church, the cornerstone ceremony was held for the Salt Lake Temple. Firestone sandstone quarried from Red Butte Canyon had been brought to the site for use as the Cornerstones and foundation of the new temple.^[25]Richard O. Cowan, “The Design, Construction, and Role of the Salt Lake Temple, ” in Salt Lake City: The Place Which God Prepared, ed. Scott C. Esplin and Kenneth L. Alford (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, Salt Lake City, 2011), 47–68. After convening General conference in the first tabernacle built on Temple Square a procession of bands and the First Presidency conducted the crowd tot he South East Corner, where the First Presidency and Church Patriarch laid the first cornerstone. The Presiding Bishopric representing the lesser priesthood than laid the South west corner, followed by the Presidency of the High priests, the High Council and the Stake Presidency laying the North west corner, and the Twelve apostles with representatives of the seventies and elders laying the North West Corner in the pattern taught by Joseph Smith on the other temples.^[26]Richard O. Cowan, “The Design, Construction, and Role of the Salt Lake Temple, ” in Salt Lake City: The Place Which God Prepared, ed. Scott C. Esplin and Kenneth L. Alford (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, Salt Lake City, 2011), 47–68.

When conference reconvened,  Brigham Young taught the following:

“I scarcely ever say much about revelations, or visions, but suffice it to say, five years ago last July [1847] I was here, and saw in the Spirit the Temple not ten feet from where we have laid the Chief Corner Stone. I have not inquired what kind of a Temple we should build. Why? Because it was represented before me. I have never looked upon that ground, but the vision of it was there. I see it as plainly as if it was in reality before me. Wait until it is done. I will say, however, that it will have six towers, to begin with, instead of one. Now do not any of you apostatize because it will have six towers, and Joseph only built one. It is easier for us to build sixteen, than it was for him to build one. The time will come when there will be one in the centre of Temples we shall build, and on the top, groves and fish ponds. But we shall not see them here, at present.”^[27]Brigham Young, in Journal of Discourses, 1:133.”

Construction

Sandstone was originally used for the footings and foundation walls. During the Utah War, the foundation was buried and the lot made to look like a plowed field to prevent unwanted attention from federal troops. After tensions had eased in 1858 and work on the temple resumed, it was discovered that many of the foundation stones had cracked, making them unsuitable for use. Although not all of the sandstone was replaced (The sandstone footers remained,) the foundation walls were replaced. The walls are quartz monzonite (which has the appearance of granite) from Little Cottonwood Canyon, located twenty miles (32 km) southeast of the temple site. Oxen transported the quarried rock initially, but as the Transcontinental Railroad neared completion in 1869 the remaining stones were carried by rail at a much faster rate.^[28]Hanks, Marion D. “Salt Lake Temple”. LDS FAQ. BYU Studies. Retrieved October 11, 2012.

Detail

Most of the details in this section are taken from “History of the Salt Lake Temple,” a thesis by William Alan Raynor.

Construction

By 17 June 1853 the Red Butte road was completed and the work of hauling rock and lumber for the temple was begun.^[29]”Deseret Weekly News,” 18 June 1853.

1855

On 1 February the Legislative assembly granted rights to Brigham Young, Isaac Chase, and Feramorz Little to build a canal from Big Cottonwood Canyon to Salt Lake City. The purpose of this proposed canal would have been to float granite from the area of the canyons closer to Salt Lake, with any Surplus used for irrigation. and the hope was the Canal would be ready by summer of 1856.^[30]”Deseret News Weekly,” 1 May 1852.

William Ward, a stone-cutter who had some architectural training was asked to be Truman O’ Angel’s assistant on 9 March.^[31]Truman O. Angell, “Diary” March 9 – April 28 1855. LDS historians historian office. William Ward would later relate the following:

“Brigham Young drew upon a slate in the architect’s office a sketch, and said to Truman O. Angell: ‘There will be three towers on the east, representing the President and his two counselors; also three similar towers on the west representing the Presiding Bishop and his two counselors; the towers on the east the Melchisedek priesthood, those on the west the Aaronic preisthood. The center towers will be higher than those on the sides, and the west towers a little lower than those on the east end. The body of the building will be between these.’”^[32]“Who Designed the Temple?” Deseret News Weekly, April 23, 1892, 578.

Truman Angel, having been a skilled Carpenter who had worked as a wood Joiner on both the Kirtland and Nauvoo Temples took up the task of developing the general design of parts of the temple, and Ward, having been trained in architecture in England and was skilled in Stone construction, took Angell’s designs and drew detailed plans for each course of stone. By 28 April of the same year they had completed plans for the foundation and portions of the temple basement, and Brigham Young had approved those plans.^[33]Richard O. Cowan, “The Design, Construction, and Role of the Salt Lake Temple, ” in Salt Lake City: The Place Which God Prepared, ed. Scott C. Esplin and Kenneth L. Alford (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, Salt Lake City, 2011), 47–68.

Not long after completion of these initial plans Brigham Young Called Truman Angell to a mission to study architecture in Europe, setting him apart as a missionary prior to his departure:

“You shall have power and means to go from place to place, from country to country, and view the various specimens of architecture that you may desire to see, and you will wonder at the works of the Ancients and marvel to see what they have done: and you will be quick to comprehend the architectural designs of men in various ages, and you will rejoice all the time, and take drafts of valuable works of architecture, and be better qualified to continue your work and you will increase in knowledge upon the Temple and other buildings and many will wonder at the knowledge you possess.”^[34]Truman O. Angell, “Diary C,” 3 April 1856.

The foundation of Sandstone was completed to a height of 8 feet by the end of June, and work commenced on the inverted arches that would hold and redistribute the immense weight of the granite walls above them. The firestone sandstone foundation was 16 feet wide at the base, and tapered in 3 feet on each side, inside and out, till the walls reached a height of 7.5 feet. The stone was rough, fitted stones in a lime based mortar. It is estimated that the footer up to the eight foot mark where the basement commenced was 101,056 cubic feet, weighing about 14,956,288 lbs (7,478 tons.) This is estimated to be 33% more stone than was used to build the entire Nauvoo Temple.

A drought throughout the summer had caused men to be pulled from other projects, including the quarry, to work on the Cottonwood to Salt Lake Canal, and by August of 1855 larg sections had already been completed.

Work on the temple virtually ceased in the fall of 1856 due to a poor harvest and lack of supplies to support workers. Physical work on the temple would not commence to any large scale again until spring of 1857.

Render Released

Also in 1885, William Ward, Truman Angell’s assistant, completed teh first official perspective render of what a temple, specifically the Salt Lake Temple, would look like.

1856

On 13 June water was turned into the first section of the Cottonwood to Salt Lake Canal for irrigation purposes.

Truman Angel arrived in England on 13 July 1856, where he spent several months before moving to France. He visited many historical and architecturally significant structures.

1857

Truman received a letter from Brigham Young on 27 January 1857 asking him to return home, as his help was need for the temple. Upon his return he found that his assistant William Ward had quit his position and moved to St. Louis, leaving the work needing to be done to pile up on Truman Angell’s desk.^[35]Wallace Alan Raynor, “History of the Construction of the Salt Lake Temple” ScholarsArchive.BYU.edu, August 1961. Accessed 23 September 2017

The Wall around the Temple square, a low priority to this point, was completed on 23 May. The finished wall comprised 3 feet of red sandstone, followed by 10 feet of adobe bricks, with a sandstone coping one feet in height. The wall was hen dressed in cement, and completely enclosed the block except for central openings on each side.^[36]Wallace Alan Raynor, “History of the Construction of the Salt Lake Temple” ScholarsArchive.BYU.edu, August 1961. Accessed 23 September 2017

On 18 June Edward Parry laid the first stone of the basement story in the Northwest corner of the temple. It was reported:

“All along the foundation walls huge stones, averaging about two tons in weight, were strewn in readiness for being placed in their positions, while numerous stonecutters were busily occupied in shaping the rude blocks from the quarry.”^[37]”Deseret News,” 24 June 1857.

On 24 July word was received that almost 1/6 of the United States regular Army was enroute to Utah, and plans were made to defend the territory. Many projects were abandoned at this time, including temple construction and work on the Cottonwood to Salt Lake Canal as preparations were made against the coming of the army.

1858

Brigham Young issued instructions to hide the temple and the work related.  To this point, 6 temples had been planned. Adam-Ondi-Ahman and Independence were never begun, Far West only proceeded as far as the cornerstones. Kirtland And Nauvoo were completed, but Kirtland had been abandoned and desecrated, while Nauvoo had been abandoned and finally destroyed completely just 2 years earlier. Now the Salt Lake Temple, as far as the foundation, was apparently threatened.

But in April there was still a feeling of hope:

“The President remarked to Brother Smith, ‘I do not feel the least gloom over the city, nor have not felt but what we shall remain here and finish the temple.’ “^[38]Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 12 April 1858.

By 6 May the entirety of the temple construction, including tools and plans had been cached in the footings trenches, covered with dirt, and plowed over. When the army passed through the center of the city on 26 June they found the city empty, and a walled off plowed field in the city center.

On 30 June, Brigham Young declared his satisfaction with the Army’s conduct and declared from his temporary headquarters in Provo Utah that all who wished to retern were now at liberty to do so.

Ironically, though the coming of the army, while halting construction of the temple, made temple construction financially easier for a time. William Clayton wrote to George Q. Cannon in England the following:

The Great Buchanan Expedition, cost the Government millions, and accomplished nothing, except making many of the saints comparatively rich, and improving the circumstances of most of the people of Utah.”^[39]”Millenial Star,” August 1861, P.566

1860

In Late spring of 1860 work commenced on a public road to run from Salt Lake City to Little Cottonwood canyon in preparation for moving Granite to the temple site.^[40]”Deseret Weekly News,” 28 May 1860. First contract to haul stone from Little Cottonwood is given to John Sharp that spring as well.^[41]”Manuscript History of Brigham Young,” 26 May 1860, p. 143. Multiple teams were used, keeping about a 1 mile distance between traveling teams while two smaller units would travel the road keeping it in repair and repairing equipment.^[42]Wallace Raynor Interview with James Sharp, 7 February 1959 In addition to this contract set of teams wards were appealed to to hall loads as well. Quotas were determined based upon ward size and distance from Salt Lake.^[43]”Letter to Bishops, 12 October 1867, Brigham Young’s Letterbooks, p. 423.” LDS Historian’s Office, Steel File

By the summer of 1860 work had cautiously commenced on exhuming the foundations of the temple. As the excavation progressed cracks were discovered in the Firestone foundation. Concerned that such a foundation could not support the weight of the temple, Brigham dismissed the workers for and resolved not to be removed from the site until he knew what was to be done. In a discussion with Bishop Archibald Gardner, the decision was made to start over, using less mortar to prevent cracking and spreading.^[44]Delila Gardner Hughes, “Life of Archibald Gardner. Pioneer of 1847,” West Jordan Utah Alpine Publishing Company. 1939, p. 139. It would later be determined that the firestone sandstone, which was used in many buildings around Salt Lake and not just the temple footings, was very pourus, allowing water to seep into the stone and then freeze. This would in turn cause cracking and fracturing.^[45] Cowan, Richard O. (2012). “Latter-day Saint Temples as Symbols”. Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture. 21 (1). Retrieved July 10, 2017.

1861

On 12-13 April The Civil War starts with the attack on Fort Sumter.

1862

An announcement was made by Brigham Young on 2 March of 1862 that the Cottonwood Canal Project was canceled:

“We have learned some things in relation to the nature of the soil in which the bed of the canal is made that we did not know before. We pretty much completed that canal, or, in other words, we hewed out that cistern, but, behold, it would not hold water.”^[46]”Journal of Discourses,” IX, 240.

One of the individuals who worked on the canal, W. C. A. Smoot would later give the following explanation about the failure of the canal:

“When the water… reached the point on the side of the mountain round which it passed Parley’s Canyon, the soil was of such a nature that the fluid sank nearly as rapidly as it entered… and the water seeping down as it did in quantity from the hillside, threatened with destruction the newly established woolen mill a short distance below…”^[47]”Deseret News,” 18 December 1909, p. 13.

In the summer of 1862 work finished up on replacing the broken portions of the foundation, and the process of placing carefully cut and numbered block for the walls of the temple then began.^[48]”Deseret News Weekly,” 6 June

On 8 July 1862 brought the Morrill Anti-Bigamy act, passed by the senate and signed into law by Abraham Lincoln, which directly targeted the Church’s practice of polygamy and the Church’s influence in Utah Politics. The act had no funding behind it, and Lincoln made no effort to uphold it. Lincoln later made comments that made it clear he had every intention of leaving the church alone so far as they made no effort to get involved in the Civil War.^[49] Firmage, Edwin Brown; Mangrum, Richard Collin (2001), Zion in the courts, University of Illinois Press, p. 139, ISBN 0-252-06980-3, Having signed the Morrill Act, Lincoln reportedly compared the Mormon Church to a log he had encountered as a farmer that was “too hard to split, too wet to burn and too heavy to move, so we plow around it. That’s what I intend to do with the Mormons. You go back and tell Brigham Young that if he will let me alone, I will let him alone.”

1864

On 21 August a meeting was held to propose another canal for transporting block. This one would go from the Jordan River near the point of the mountain and would intersect the original canal.^[50]”Deseret Weekly News,” 24 August 1864

31 August  Bishop John Sharp was instructed by Brigham Young to start laying the walls of the temple by contract.^[51]”Letter to Daniel H. Wells from Brigham Young.” Milleniel Star XXVI, No. 38, September 1864, 601-602.  Prior to this, temple work had been done by tithes of time by wards and individual members. The contract to lay the stones for the basement was 20 cents per foot. At this point, 50 to 80 stonecutters were squaring and shaping stone directly on the temple grounds for the walls, and a much smaller crew of masons could easily keep up with placing the cut block on the walls. Work proceeded as fast as stone could be brought to the temple block.^[52]”Millenial Star,” 25 July 1863.

On 2 November a survey for the new Jordan River canal was completed and plans were made to start the new canal with the express purpose of moving stone for the temple. (It does not appear this canal was actually begun, however.)^[53]”Deseret Weekly News.” 2 November 1864 24 days later another public meeting was held by a private company, this time proposing 3 separate canals.^[54]”Brigham Young’s Letterbooks,” 7 January 1865

1865

By January of 1865 it was apparent that residents were against new canal plans, wanting to neither share the water nor a portion of the expenses through taxes. The state governor, Charles Durkee, sharing many concerns of the residents in addition to being concerned about monopolies and mis-management, vetoed the bill that would have allowed for the canal.^[55]”Letter from Charles Durkee to George Albert Smith, 15 January 1865.” Utah State Historical Society, Steel Kitchen Safe, Under Legislature, Via “History of the Salt Lake Temple,” William Alan Raynor.

On February 4 a new plan was put forward for a single canal 32.25 miles in length, the first 12 mile portion running from Little Cottonwood to Salt Lake City and built by the newly formed Deseret Irrigation and Navigation Canal Company. Most of the new canal would be funded by land sales, and taxes on benefited properties, rather than taxes on large sections of the county as a whole. The Canal was begun shortly afterward, with the hope that 4,000 tons of stone would be transported tot he temple along this canal annually.^[56]”Deseret News.” 18 December 1909.^[57]”Deseret Weekly News,” 15 February 1865^[58]”Deseret Weekly News,” 30 November 1864

1866

By May 27 the west end of the temple was nearing ground level, making the height of the walls down to the bottom of the foundation about 16 feet. ^[59]”Deseret News,” November 8, 1866.

Later in 1866 A finished road was pushed through from Little cottonwood canyon to Salt Lake by the New York and Utah Prospecting Company.^[60]W. Turrentine Jackson, “The Infamous Emma Mine: A British Interest in the Little Cottonwood District, Utah Territory,” Utah Historical Quarterly XXIII, 340.

1867

Fourteen years after the groundbreaking the walls of the temple finally rise above ground level.

1868

Heber C. Kimball prophesies before his death on 22 June that

“when the walls reached the square, the powers of evil would rage and the Saints would suffer persecution.” ^[61]Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1967), 397.

Note: to reach the square in this instance refers to reaching the highest point of the non-tower portion of the temple.

1869

The transcontinental railroad is completed on the 10 of May with the driving of the gold spike at Promontory summit Utah, 32 miles west-northwest of Brigham City. One week after the completion of the railroad thoughts turned to completing a line down the Wasatch front into Utah Valley. A rail line was begun on 17 May heading south from Ogden towards Salt Lake.^[62]Milton R. Hunter, “Utah, the Story of Her People,” Salt Lake City: Deseret News PRess, 1946, p. 196.

1870

By January 5 the Deseret Canal was nearing completion and there was hope that it would be open by the following spring.^[63]”Deseret Weekly News,” 5 January 1870. However, the rail was also pushing its way through to Salt Lake and the line from Ogden to Salt Lake was completed just days later on10 January.^[64]Milton R. Hunter, “Utah, the Story of Her People,” Salt Lake City: Deseret News PRess, 1946, p. 196. Also at This time mines in the Alt area above the Little Cottonwood granite quarry were begining to pay off and the Mining companies began raising money for a good double track rail from the the mouth of Canyon to the Alta Mine area.^[65]”Salt Lake Tribune,” 20 May 1872.

On February 15 the Utah Southern Railroad was incorporated^[66]Milton R. Hunter, “Utah, the Story of Her People,” Salt Lake City: Deseret News PRess, 1946, p. 196.and within a year granted right of way to construct a line through to Payson Utah, with a branch line to the mouths of Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons.^[67]”Deseret Weekly News,” 1 March 1871. This announcement effectively ended any plans for a Canal to ferry stone for the temple, or any plans to use canals for any purpose other than irrigation within Utah.

Ground was broken for the first Utah Southern Rail extension on 1 May. By August the first 20 miles were graded.^[68]”Deseret Weekly News.” 2 August 1871. The track was laid and completed as far south as Sandy Utah 23 September 1871.^[69]Andrew Jenson, “Encyclopedic History of the Church,” Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret News PRess, 1941, p. 907. Stone was carried by oxcart to the Sandy Station at this point, and then carried by rail to downtown, where it would then be oxcarted up to the temple block half a mile away.

1871

31 January Brigham Young announces the St. George Temple. Ground is Broken for the St. George Temple on 9 November 1871 by George Albert Smith.

1872

Brigham Young and others organized the Salt Lake City Railroad Company on 19 January. The purpose of this company was to construct and manage rail lines from the Utah Central depot in Salt Lake to the temple block, a distance of one half a mile. The first section of track was completed and tested by coasting a single car down South Temple street in June of the same year.^[70]”Bulletin, Utah Power and Light Company,” II  (April 1917). 32.

July 9 marked the start of a spur from South Temple into the Temple block enclosure so that stone could be delivered directly to the masons.^[71]”Salt Lake Tribune.” 9 July 1872

The first stone delivered via the rail arrived in the temple enclosure on 31 July, pulled on rail cart by 2 oxen.^[72]Deseret News, 27 August 1872

Permission was granted for a heavier rail line to be buil along the round on 13 August.^[73]”Deseret News,” 14 August 1872. The new line had thicker rails, and when completed on 21 August it allowed the stone to be moved by locomotive rather than oxcart.^[74]”Deseret News,” 21 August 1872. This rail spur would be used to haul all the remaining Granite to Temple square till the completion of the temple.

As the Utah Southern Railroad was focusing primarily on the push to Payson, a new corporation, the Wasatch and Jordan Valley Railroad was incorporated on 14 October. The largest portion of stock in this company was held by the Cottonwood Mining Companies, a result of the previous years fund raising efforts.^[75]”Salt Lake Tribune,” 6 January 1873. This corporation was able to break ground n 4 November for a new line of narrower gauge track from the Sandy Station.^[76]”Deseret News Weekly,” 18 November 1872.

1873

The first temple stone road the completed rail line on 4 April 1873. Brigham Young traveled to the quarry by train on a flat car up to the Cottonwood Quarry and accompanied the stone back to celebrate the event. The train left the quarry at 4PM, switched trains at the Sandy Station and arrived in Salt Lake at 5:15, just one hour and fifteen minutes later, compared to the 4 days that the ox carts had been taking to complete the trip.^[77]”Deseret News Weekly,” 16 April 1873. In the first year of operation, the train would ship 8,706,000 pounds of stone from the quarry to Salt Lake.^[78]Edward L. Sloan, “Gazetteer of Utah and Salt Lake City Directory 1874,” Salt Lake City: Salt Lake Herald Publishing Company, 1875, p. 47.

13 September marked the completion of 4 large derricks (Platforms with attached cranes) Initially placed outside of the temple, these cranes would be used to lift stones up onto the rising walls, each derrick covering 1/4th of the whole temple.^[79]”Deseret Evening News,” 16 August 1873.

1875

The Manti Temple is announced 25 June by Brigham Young.

The walls of the Salt Lake Temple reach nearly 18 feet in height.

1876

During 1876 five large sheds were built between the south wall of Temple Square and the railroad spur on the block. These open wall sheds protected the stone-cutters from inclement weather.finished stones were stacked according to placement on the temple, while the granite chips were raked up and utilized for projects like paving the city streets.^[80]Wallace Alan Raynor, “History of the Construction of the Salt Lake Temple” ScholarsArchive.BYU.edu, August 1961. Accessed 23 September 2017

By September of 1876 the four construction derricks had been moved inside the walls of the temple near the corner towers, allowing it to better reach the areas it was responsible for. Additionally an 8 horsepower steam engine had replaced the hand cranking mechanism that turned the spools on the cranes, and lifting of the blocks proceeded at 3 times the original speed.^[81]”Historian’s  Office Journal,” 16 August 1876. There was at this time only one steam engine hoisting apparatus, and it would be attached to one of the four derricks at a time while that derricks cranes laid 5 courses (rows) of stone, each just under 14 inches in height, on the temple section it covered. It would then be removed and attached to one of the other four derricks,^[82]”Deseret Evening News,” 5 September 1876 as in the following example:

• 13 July, engine moved from northeast corner to northwest corner.^[83]”Deseret Evening News,” 13 July 1877
• 17 August, 5 courses completed at northwest corner, engine moved from northwest corner to southeast corner, to lay 5 courses on southeast corner.^[84]”Deseret Evening News,” 17 August 1877
• 27 September, 5 courses completed at southeast corner, engine moved from southeast corner to southwest corner.^[85]”Manuscript History of Brigham Young,” p.3219

In this manner, 5 courses could be completed around the whole temple about once every 4 months barring any other issues blocking construction.

On 30 September The walls reached nearly 24 feet in height.^[86]”Deseret Evening News,” 30 September 1876.

1877

Ground is broken for the Manti Temple 25 April by Brigham Young.

On 17 May The Logan Temple is announced by Brigham Young and ground is broken the same day by John W. Young. The Site was then dedicated by Daniel H. Wells.

The St. George Temple is dedicated 4 June – 4 August by Daniel H. Wells.

Brigham Young dies on 29 August 1877.

1879

Walls of the temple are now 45 feet in height.

1880

On 10 October 10 John Taylor was sustained as the third president of the Church

1883

Walls of the temple reach 85 feet.

1884

The Logan Temple is dedicated 17-19 May by John Taylor.

1885

Around October the lifting engine from the recently completed Logan Temple is brought in. Rather than sharing one engine amongst all 4 derricks, one engine is shared by the east pair and one engine is shared by the west pair. ^[87]”Deseret Evening News,” 31 October 1885

1886

The Battlements are placed on the temple, and the buttresses are topped out.

Truman Angel dies from dropsy on 16 October.

1887

The Edmunds-Tucker act amended the Morrill law of 1862 on 19 February. This act dissolved the corporate charter of the LDS Church, re-affirmed abolishment of polygamy, confiscated all LDS Church property over $50,000 and turned it over to the Secretary of the Interior. In anticipation of the passage of this act, the Church had moved much of it’s property into privately held trusts and associations.^[88]Wallace Alan Raynor, “History of the Construction of the Salt Lake Temple” ScholarsArchive.BYU.edu, August 1961. Accessed 23 September 2017

On 7 February Frank H. Dyer, US Marchall for Utah, was appointed receiver of Church Properties.^[89]Orson F. Whitney, “History of Utah,”  4 vols.’ Salt Lake City, Utah: George Q, Cannon & Sons C. 1898, v. III, p. 588-589. Church properties were turned over to Dyer upon request, including the Temple block, and were then rented back to the Church. While some properties rented for more than $500, the Temple Block was rented for $1 monthly.

John Taylor died on 25 July 1887.

Fall of 1887 brought a halt to the temple work. All workers were discharged, partly as a consequence of the financial difficulties that resulted from the Governments actions.^[90]Wallace Alan Raynor, “History of the Construction of the Salt Lake Temple” ScholarsArchive.BYU.edu, August 1961. Accessed 23 September 2017

1888

On 17 May the Manti Temple was dedicated by Lorenzo Snow.

The Church sought for confirmation of title for all properties and buildings surrendered from the Utah Supreme court, but all cliams were denied with the exception of the temple block, which was released on condition it be used exclusively for religious purposes.^[91]”Deseret Evening News,” 9 October 1888.

1889

Willford Woodruf was sustained as the fourth President of the Church on 7 April 1889.

On 2 November Deseret News Reports a new crane system for hauling stones into place. In the new system a track made of a pair of I-beams allows 2 cranes capable of holding 2 tons each to move back and forth along the east /west length of the temple, placing block anywhere along its length.^[92]”Deseret News Weekly,” 2 November 1889

At the end of the annual construction season, 2 November of 1889, the walls reached 160 ft above ground.

1890

In May the US Supreme court upheld the 1888 decision of the Utah Supreme court.^[93]Wallace Alan Raynor, “History of the Construction of the Salt Lake Temple” ScholarsArchive.BYU.edu, August 1961. Accessed 23 September 2017

25 September 1890 Brought the official declaration ending polygamy. It would be another 5 years before all properties were returned back to the Church.^[94]Doctrine and Covenants:OD1

1891

In the October Conference of 1891 a resolution was passed that the temple be completed and dedicated by the April Conference of 1893.^[95]Address by President Symour B. Young, Conference Report, April 3, 1893, p. 19.

1892

The capstone—the granite sphere that holds the statue of the Angel Moroni—was laid on 6 April 1892.^[96]“Temple capstone laid 100 years ago”, Church News, April 4, 1992, retrieved October 11, 2012

  60,000 people assembled around the temple, Instructions were given to the assembled and at 11:30 the Priesthood marched to a platform erected at the Southwest corner. A Band played a sont titled the “Capstone March,” followed by the “Temple Antehm by the Tabernacle Choir. President Joseph F. Smith offered a dedicatory prayer, and the choir sang “Grant Us Peace.” As noon arrived, President Wilford stepped to the platform and proclaimed:

“Attention all ye house of Isreal, and all ye nations of the Earth! We will now lay the top stone to the Temple of our God, the foundation of which was laid by the Prophet, Seer and Revelator, Brigham Young.^[97]”Deseret Evening News,” 6 April 1892.

Then with the press of a button, an electric motor lowered the capstone into place. 60,000 people then participated in the Hosanna shout, and the congregation sang “The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning.” The Union Glee Club then sang “The Temple Ode.”

Francis M. Lyman of the twelve Apostles then proposed that, believing the President’s council to be the word of the lord, the assemblage pledge themselves individually and collectively to finish the interior of the building within one year, thus allowing the temple to be dedicated forty years to the day of its commencement. The Tabernacle Choir then sang “Song of the Redeemed.” and George Q. Cannon gave the Benediction.

The angel Moroni Statue was placed on the top of the capstone after the ceremonies, and was unveiled at 3:10 PM.^[98]”Deseret Evening News,” 6 April 1892.

On 1 May work commenced on the Temple annex, 100 feet north of the temple. The annex was finished in oolite limestone like the Manti Temple and was designed by Don Carlos Young.^[99]”The Contributor,” p. 282-283.

During the following year, every effort was made to obtain the materials needed to finish the temple. A steam boiler plant was constructed north of the temple and steam was fed to 4 generators underground and west of the temple which provided enough power to light not just the temple, but planned electric lighting at the Tabernacle and the Assembly Hall as well.

1893

The Temple and the Annex were finished on 5 April 1893.

Capstone

The capstone—the granite sphere that holds the statue of the Angel Moroni—was laid on April 6, 1892, by means of an electric motor and switch operated by Wilford Woodruff, the church’s fourth president, thus completing work on the temple’s exterior. The Angel Moroni statue, standing 12.5 feet (3.8 m) tall, was placed on top of the capstone later the same day.^[100]“Temple capstone laid 100 years ago”, Church News, April 4, 1992, retrieved October 11, 2012

At the capstone ceremony it was proposed by Woodruff that the interior of the building be finished within one year, thus allowing the temple to be dedicated forty years to the day of its commencement. John R. Winder was instrumental in overseeing the completion of the interior on schedule; he would serve as a member of the temple presidency until his death in 1910.

Open House

Dedication

Dedication Order

There were 3 other temples in use when the Salt Lake Temple was dedicated, The St. George Utah, Logan Utah, and Manti Utah Temples.

1904~

1910~

1915

The first major renovation of the temple happened in 1915 when Frithjof Weberg, a Norwegian-born Latter-day Saint artist, was commissioned to paint murals on the white walls of the creation room.

1920~

1930~

1938

Around 1938 excavation began between the annex and the temple. The underground tunnel connecting the annex to the temple was expanded to the west, adding significantly to the square footage of the temple. The east end of the above ground portions of the annex were expanded to the North and South adding administrative spaces. A new annex entrance was added to the east end in front of the original annex

~1950

Around 1950 the temple annex was expanded again, this time adding space to the north of the annex entrance. The garden room annex was removed from the temple around this time.

1962

Announced, Render Released

Closure

The temple was closed in August 1962 to upgrade mechanical, electrical, plumbing and air conditioning systems. This renovation also added 10 new sealing rooms and cleaned the exterior stone of the building.

As part of the renovation, the existing annex was demolished so that the grounds north of and around the temple ccould be excavated and a 2 story underground annex consttructed in its place.

1962 temple bombing

On November 14, 1962, at about 1:30 AM, the southeast door of the Salt Lake Temple was detonated by a bombed.^[109]Blast Mormon Temple with Plastic Bomb”. Chicago Daily Tribune. 15 November 1962. Retrieved 19 January 2015.

FBI agents state that the explosive had been wrapped around the door handles on the southeast entrance of the temple. The large wooden entrance doors were damaged by flying fragments of metal and glass. Damage to interior walls occurred 25 feet inside the temple, but damage to the interior was minor. Eleven exterior windows were shattered. Some members of the LDS Church believed the incident was related to violence surrounding the Civil Rights Movement, the nation’s racial strife,^[110]Johnson, Jeffrey O. (June 1994). “Change and Growth: The Mormon Church & the 1960sHE 1960” (PDF). Sunstone. Retrieved 19 January 2015. and the church’s priesthood restriction, based on race, still in effect at the time.

Reopening

After the completion of the North Visitors center of the temple, then located in the north west corner of the square, the temple was reopenined in March of 1963 with the Visitor’s center functioning as the new entrance, bypassing the construction North off the temple, and allowing use of the temple again.

An are to the South of the temple would become a tunnel connecting the temple and the tabernacle to the new administrative complex slated to be built to the east of temple square. The area between the temple and the street on the east, and between the temple and North Temple Street on the north of the temple, were added to the underground portions of the temple. A new annex and temple entry was built above ground on the far north edge of the temple square. An additional “sealing wing” was added directly to the temple itself to house additional sealing rooms.

Annex Completion and Private Dedication

A new annex building for the Salt Lake Temple was privately dedicated on March 21, 1966. The building had “seven new sealing rooms, a children’s waiting room, mechanical systems, two new locker rooms, new initiatory areas, and a new chapel seating 450 patrons.” This annex was constructed of granite from Little Cottonwood Canyon, the same canyon the Salt Lake Temple’s rock is from.

Public Dedication

The annex building, privately dedicated a year and a half prior, was publicly dedicated on 22 October 1967. President Hugh B. Brown, 1^st counselor in the First Presidency, offered the dedicatory prayer.

1971

Before the Church administration Building across the street could be finished, the temple was again expanded, this time on the new annex, to the east side, to add a larger entryway and waiting area.

1993

The Salt Lake Temple’s exterior was extensively cleaned in 1993 to restore the vivid granite tone to the stonework. This cleaning came 100 years after the temple’s dedication.

Record Stone

On August 13, 1993, the contents of the Salt Lake Temple record stone—a hollow stone in the foundation—were removed 136 years after they were originally placed there by Brigham Young and other leaders. Items placed in the stone included books, pamphlets, periodicals, and a set of Deseret gold coins. Because the stone had cracked, the paper items were severely damaged by moisture. Salvaged materials are now housed in the Church History Library.

2002

Entryway on the annex is expanded and remodeled again. The project was designed by FFKR Architects and Planners II.^[111]“Salt Lake Temple entrance remodel and addition, 2000-2001,” Church History Library. Accessed 27 September 2017.

2025 Renovation

Announcement

Before his announcement of twelve new temples to be constructed across the globe, President Russell M. Nelson announced on 7 October 2018 that plans were underway to renovate and update the temples of the pioneer generation, including the historic Salt Lake Temple.

During the 6 April 2019 General Conference, President Nelson announced that details of the Salt Lake Temple renovation would be announced Friday, 19 April 2019.^[112]Nelson, Russell M., Closing Remarks. 1 Apr. 2019, www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2019/05/57nelson.

Details Released

At the April 19 press conference, it was announced that the temple would close 29 December 2019, for an extensive renovation lasting approximately four years. Mobility and ADA issues would be addressed, as well as translation capabilities. The largest portion of the renovation would be reinforcing the foundations and placing the temple on base isolators as part of addressing seismic and safety. The temple would include the usual update to systems and furnishings, and the removal of the current annex and its replacement with an entirely new one.^[113]President Nelson Outlines Plans for Salt Lake Temple During Its Four-Year Closure for Renovation – Church News and Events. www.churchofjesuschrist.org/church/news/president-nelson-outlines-plans-for-salt-lake-temple-during-its-four-year-closure-for-renovation

Commencement

The renovation of the Salt Lake Temple commenced 29 December 2019.

Earthquake

On March 18, 2020, a 5.7-magnitude earthquake struck the Salt Lake Valley during the renovation of the Salt Lake Temple, causing the trumpet to be shaken from the grasp of the angel Moroni statue and land on the tower roof.

Firsts and Facts

• This is the first temple with a statue of the angel Moroni on top. The Nauvoo Temple — dedicated in 1846 and later destroyed in 1848 — had a weathervane with an angel on it, but the Salt Lake Temple is the first house of the Lord to specify the angel as Moroni.
• The Salt Lake Temple was the first Latter-day Saint temple to hold a public open house. Besides the one day VIP open house the day before dedication, all those coming to the deedication were conducted on a non-public tour throught the temple before reaching the Assembly Hall for the dedication.
• A baby was born inside the temple during one of the dedicatory sessions. When the mother went into labor, she was moved to a side room to give birth.
• The Salt Lake Temple is the first temple to have the addition of a second baptistry announced. It was announced on March 12, 2021, during an extensive renovation of the temple and Temple Square.
• It was the first to begin construction in the territory of Utah.

The official name of the Salt Lake Temple is also unique. In 1999, as the building of LDS temples accelerated, the church announced a formal naming convention for all existing and future temples. For temples located in the United States and Canada, the name of the temple is generally the city or town in which the temple is located, followed by the name of the applicable state or province (with no comma). For temples outside of the U.S. and Canada, the name of the temple is generally the city name (as above) followed by the name of the country. However, for reasons on which the church did not elaborate, the Salt Lake Temple was made an exception to the new guidelines and was not renamed the “Salt Lake City Utah Temple”.^[116]“Temples renamed to uniform guidelines”. Church News. Deseret News. October 16, 1999. Retrieved October 11, 2012.  (The Provo City Center Temple is the only other temple that does not include a state, province, or country in the temple’s name.)^[117]Walker, Joseph (March 23, 2012). “It’s official: the Provo City Center Temple”. Deseret News. Retrieved August 10, 2013.

Myths and Stories

Elevators

There is a story circulated that Brigham young demanded large rectangular shafts be left open and empty in the Salt Lake Temple, and until the elevator was invented no one knew why. The exact details of the story change depending on who told it to you and where they heard it form, but all these stories boil down to a single premise: elevators became available after the Salt Lake Temple was designed but President Brigham young was inspired to plan for them anyway.

This story is a myth, and persists mainly due to a lack of knowledge in relation to elevators.

• Elevators in some form existed back to the 1700’s.
• The Otis Elevator company was founded in 1853,  making the first commercial elevators the same year ground was broken for the temple.
• The Otis Elevator Company actually made the first Elevators for the temple while the temple was under construction. The Church archives have the bid, dated 1889.
• The Salt Lake Temple plans are some of the earliest known plans to feature a clearly labeled Elevator shaft. Early interior plans dated January 1886 clearly show marked elevator shafts.^[118]Salt Lake Temple architectural drawings, 1853-1893; Elevations, cross-sections, floor plans, and interior and exterior details, 1853-1889; Fourth floor, 1887 January; Church History Library, https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets/54ae7a30-698e-47d2-80ca-f2e722f5a862/0/0?lang=eng (accessed: February 11, 2023)
• Truman Angel studied buildings in Europe that had elevators.

Reference:

“The Salt Lake Temple Infrastructure: Studying it Out in Their Minds” by Paul C. Richards

“Debunking the Salt Lake Temple Elevator Myth,” LDSLiving.com

Replacing the Foundations

In 1857, Johnston’s Army approached Salt Lake. Likely worried that their history was about to repeat itself, Brigham Young had the foundations of the then under construction Temple buried, along with all stones then in progress of being cut.

When the army passed on, the work on the temple was allowed to go forth again. However, the foundation was found to have settled and cracked. After much thought, on 1 January of 1862 Brigham Young declared that the foundation would be taken up and replaced with the Granite the stone the rest of the temple would be built from. From this, the tradition has sprung up that the entirety of the foundation and footers was removed, the sandstone being replaced with the Quartz Monzonite the rest of the temple was built from.

During the 1960s the grounds around the temple were excavated, right up to the foundation of the temple. It was found that, while the foundation stones were all Quartz, the footers under the foundation are still the same Firestone sandstone that they were when they were first laid.^[119]Arave, Lynn, “Is the foundation of the Salt Lake Temple composed of granite or sandstone?,” Deseret News, 13 May 2018.

It appears then, that the foundation stones were originally being constructed of the sandstone material. It was the foundations alone, and not the foundations and the footers, that were removed and replaced over the next 14 years after Brigham’s 1862 pronouncement.

Mysterious Channels

This is a lesser known story attributed to the temple, but one that still gets shared.

The story goes that back in the 1990s when the computer was being fitted out with computer systems for the first time, the contractors involved found perfectly sized channels and holes through the walls that their data cables fit through just perfectly.

Variations of this story include claims that Brigham Young demanded the channels be included for future use, and changes to the time period that the work was being done.

I had the pleasure of talking with an individual who was involved with an upgrade and renovation to the Salt Lake Temple in the 1990s. The renovation included HVAC work, which he was involved with, and other electrical and computer based upgrades. As they were doing the upgrade, they frequently ran across old unused gas pipes that the temple had been constructed with. These pipes were installed during the interior construction, before the decision was made to light the temple with electricity, and heat it with steam radiators.

Whenever the pipes were encountered, the pipes were pulled out of the temple, by instruction for the project leads, and the spaces they occupied used for whatever equipment was being added and upgraded.

So the story is kind of half true, but misquoted.

An interesting aside, the individual showed me a piece of the gas pipe that he removed. It was about 6 inches long, and had been constructed by taking a wooden dowel, like a broomstick, and wrapping it in multiple layers of paper that had first been coated in oil. The paper pipe was then allowed to cure, and was then used to run “coal gas,” made from the burning of coal. So the practice back then was to run flammable gas through a flammable pipe. It’s probably a good thing they changed their minds on that.

Presidents

Temple President	Temple Matron	Range	Years
Blaine Jackson Wixom Jr.	Rosemary Mix Wixom	2017–
Cecil Osborn Samuelson Jr.	Sharon Giauque Samuelson	2014–2017	3
Oren Claron Alldredge Jr.	Lillian Kaye Smith Alldredge	2011–2014	3
Sheldon Fay Child	Joan Haacke Child	2008–2011	3
Milton Richard Walker	Kathleen Hinckley Barnes Walker	2005–2008	3
Lloyd Aldin Porter	Shirley Faye Palmer Porter	2002–2005	3
Warren Eugene Hansen	Jenine Showell Hansen	1999–2002	3
Derrill Hunt Richards	Colleen Germer Richards	1999–1999	3
Carlos Egan Asay	Colleen Webb Asay	1996–1999	3
George Ivins Cannon	Isabel Hales Cannon	1993–1996	3
Spencer Hamlin Osborn	Avanelle Richards Osborn	1990–1993	3
Edgar Martell Denny	Eula Jane Peterson Denny	1987–1990	3
Victor Lee Brown	Lois Ashton Kjar Brown	1985–1987	2
Marion Duff Hanks	Maxine Lehua Christensen Hanks	1982–1985	3
Alexander Raine Curtis	Elaine Broadbent Curtis	1977–1982	5
John Kaestli Edmunds	Jasmine Romney Edmunds	1972–1977	5
Oscar Leslie Stone	Dorothy Cobbley Stone	1968–1972	4
Edward Howard Stevenson McDonald	Lillian Hamilton Ferguson Ella Gibbs McDonald	1964–1968	4
Willard Richards Smith	Florence Grant Smith	1961–1964	3
ElRay LaVar Christiansen	Lewella Ann Rees Christiansen	1953–1961	8
Robert Dixon Young	Mary Susannah Parker Young	1949–1953	4
Joseph Fielding Smith	Jessie Evans Smith	1945–1949	4
Stephen L. Chipman	Annie Maddick Jamison Chipman Florence Gay Smith	1938–1945	7
George Franklin Richards	Alice Almira Robinson Richards	1921–1938	17
Anthon Henrik Lund	Edna Lambson Smith	1911–1921	10
Joseph Fielding Smith Sr.	Bathsheba Wilson Bigler Smith	1898–1911	13
Lorenzo Snow	Zina Diantha Huntington Young	1893–1898	5

Details

Location

Site

 The temple grounds are open to the public and are a popular tourist attraction.

Exterior

Symbolism

The Salt Lake Temple incorporates many symbolic adornments, similar to other temples around the world. Symbolism is an important subject in the LDS faith.^[122] “Why Symbols?”, Ensign, February 2007, retrieved October 11, 2012

• All-Seeing Eye – The center tower on each side contains a depiction of the All-Seeing Eye of God representing how God sees all things.
• Handclasp – Each of the center towers features a pair of clasped right hands identified as the “right hands of fellowship” cited in Galatians 2:9. In Jeremiah 31:32, the Lord uses the handclasp to denote covenant making—an act at the very heart of temple worship.
• Keystones – Each window on the Salt Lake Temple has a keystone above it. A keystone is the last stone placed in an arch before the construction supports are removed. It locks the arch n place and distributes the weight of the stone above evenly down either side of the arch. While keystones are often symbolic within the Church and temple construction of the Book of Mormon, often known as the Keystone of the religion, in the case of the Salt Lake Temple they are also very much structural, holding the arches of the windows and doorways up.
• Star Stones – Just above the cornice of the temple are five-point star stones. The eastern towers have 40 star stones. These number 12 on the central towers. They are also found on the majority of keystones. The five-pointed star with an elongated downward ray has been interpreted to represent Christ coming to Earth.^[123] Lyon, Jack (December 5, 2016). Understanding Temple Symbols: Themes of the Temple in Scripture, History, and Art. Deseret Book Company. ISBN 1629722448. In the representation of the Big Dipper on the west tower, the stars are represented by six pointed stars.
• Sun Stones – Near the top of each buttress on the temple are the sun stones, with 52 points per face, to represent the sun’s rays. These stones were patterned after the Nauvoo Temple’s sun stones. These stones also represent the highest degree of glory, the celestial kingdom is LDS theology
• Moon Stones – These are found about half way up each of the buttresses of the temple in all its different phases. Drawings by the temple’s architect, Truman O. Angell, show that the stones are based on all phases of the moon during the year 1878. There were 13 new moons, 13 first quarters, 12 full moons and 12 last quarters during that year. Midway along the north wall of the temple is the first quarter of the moon, based on January 1878. Going clockwise and the moon’s phases for that year continue in sequence. The moon also represents the middle degree of glory, the terrestrial kingdom in LDS scripture.^[124]Roberts, Allen D. (May 1985). “Where Are the All-Seeing Eyes? The Origin, Use, and Decline of Early Mormon Symbolism” (PDF). Sunstone Magazine. 1 (49). Retrieved June 25, 2017.^[125]Holzapfel, Richard Neitzel (November 1993). “Every Window, Every Spire Speaks of the Things of God”. Liahona. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
• Earth Stones – These are found at the base of each of the temples 36 buttress. The 36 stones are believed to symbolize the spreading of the gospel throughout the world. They also represent the telestial kingdom, the lowest of the three degrees of heavenly glory in LDS beliefs
• Big Dipper – High on the west center tower is a depiction of the Big Dipper, a constellation used by travelers for thousands of years to find the North Star. It is an appropriate symbol for the temple where patrons come to get their bearings on the journey home.
• Battlements – The castle-like battlements that surround the temple symbolize a separation from the world as well as a protection of the holy ordinances practiced within its walls

Early Symbolism Ideas for the temple

The following symbolism had at one time been suggested for use on the temple, going so far as to have been included in drawings for the temple, but was ultimately not used.

• Saturns – Early drawings and a written description by Angell showed Saturnstones along the top tier of the temple,^[126]James E Talmadge , “The House of the Lord,” p. 114^[127] Zimmerman, Dean R. (June 1978). “The Salt Lake Temple”. The New Era. Retrieved July 10, 2017. though the design was changed years later.^[128] Cowan, Richard O. (2012). “Latter-day Saint Temples as Symbols”. Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture. 21 (1). Retrieved July 10, 2017. [/ref]Oman, Richard G. “Beehive Symbol”. BYU Harold B. Lee Library. Brigham Young University. Retrieved June 25, 2017.[/ref]^[129]Roberts, Allen D. (May 1985). “Where Are the All-Seeing Eyes? The Origin, Use, and Decline of Early Mormon Symbolism” (PDF). Sunstone Magazine. 1 (49). Retrieved June 25, 2017.
• Compass and Square – Early plan drawings of the temple show Masonic style arrangements of a compass and square placed around the second and fourth floor window^[130]Roberts, Allen D. (May 1985). “Where Are the All-Seeing Eyes? The Origin, Use, and Decline of Early Mormon Symbolism” (PDF). Sunstone Magazine. 1 (49). Retrieved June 25, 2017. but the plans were changed during construction.^[131]Roberts, Allen D. (May 1985). “Where Are the All-Seeing Eyes? The Origin, Use, and Decline of Early Mormon Symbolism” (PDF). Sunstone Magazine. 1 (49). Retrieved June 25, 2017. These symbols had appeared on the Nauvoo Temple weather vane.^[132]Roberts, Allen D. (May 1985). “Where Are the All-Seeing Eyes? The Origin, Use, and Decline of Early Mormon Symbolism” (PDF). Sunstone Magazine. 1 (49). Retrieved June 25, 2017.
• Faces in the sunstones. Early depictions of the temple show faces in each of the sunstones, similar to the Nauvoo Temple sunstones
• Earth Hemispheres in the earthstones. The same early plans noted above show depictions of the the continents of the earth, viewed from different points, on the earthstones.

Inscriptions

Cornerstone

The cornerstones on the Salt Lake Temple were placed to commence the construction of the temple On 6 April of 1853. Unlike on modern day temples, where they are visible from the outside of the temple, the Salt Lake Temple cornerstones are part of the foundation of the temple.

Spires and Moroni

Spire

.

Moroni

Interior

1893

Entry/Waiting Area

Baptistry

Instruction Rooms

Celestial

Sealing Rooms

Assembly Hall

2027

Entry/Waiting Area

Baptistry

Instruction Rooms

Creation

Garden

World/Telestial

Terrestrial

Celestial

Sealing Rooms

Assembly Hall

Contractors

1893

Architect

Project Manager

General Contractor

Other Contractor

Master Stone Mason, John Rowe Moyle

2026

Architect

General Contractor

Region

TEMPLES IN UTAH _{by county}

Box Elder	1	Brigham City
Cache	2	Logan · Smithfield
Carbon	1	Price
Davis	3	Bountiful · Layton · Syracuse
Iron	1	Cedar City
Salt Lake	6	Draper · Jordan River · Oquirrh Mountain · Salt Lake · Taylorsville · West Jordan
San Juan	1	Monticello
Sanpete	2	Ephraim · Manti
Tooele	1	Deseret Peak
Uintah	1	Vernal
Utah	8	Lehi · Lindon · Mount Timpanogos · Orem · Payson · Provo Rock Canyon · Provo City Center · Saratoga Springs
Wasatch	1	Heber Valley
Washington	2	Red Cliffs · St. George
Weber	1	Ogden

Sources and Citations

Primary Sources

Most of the History through the dedication of the temple was written using the information and sources cited in the following articles. I have used the original source citations from these documents where possible:

Wallace Alan Raynor, “History of the Construction of the Salt Lake Temple” ScholarsArchive.BYU.edu, August 1961. Accessed 23 September 2017

Richard O. Cowan, “The Design, Construction, and Role of the Salt Lake Temple, ” in Salt Lake City: The Place Which God Prepared, ed. Scott C. Esplin and Kenneth L. Alford (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, Salt Lake City, 2011), 47–68.

Marion D. Hanks “Salt Lake Temple History” Light Planet. Accessed 23 September 2017.

Sources/Citation