tabernacle to temple special section daily herald provo, ut
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The original Meeting House and Tabernacle were at the center of this bustling city and a place where citizens, officials, entertainers, politicians, and even great world leaders gathered. As this beloved relic of another time went up in flames early on the morning of December 17, 2010, the hearts of an entire community ached. But through the smoke and flames of this tragedy came the announcement from LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson in October 2011 that the Tabernacle would become Utah’s 16th temple and those “precious aspirations” were once again flourishing throughout this community. A harmonious melding of ideas from city, church and business leaders created plans for a new town center that would bring back the cherished historical building we all love, enriched with walkways, gardens and even a fountain. Rising from the ashes would be something even more striking which would once again be a center for gatherings, weddings and families. We hope you enjoy this special gTRANSCRIPT
Tabernacle
The Past, Present & Future
of Provo’s City Center
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TabernacleJuly 21, 2013July the Twenty-First, Two-Thousand & Thirteen
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Introduction from Michele
Use your smartphone or tablet to scan or go toheraldextra.com/tabernacletotemple
“For me this building, with its stained-
glass windows, sandstone Gothic arches, hexagon towers and arcadia-like
landscape is as close as Utah gets to a jeweled reliquary, or saintly shrine, not
because it holds the remains of those revered for their nearness to God but
even better. This edifice represented the finest and most precious aspirations
of a whole community,” said Brad Westwood, manager of acquisitions for
the LDS Church History Department. The original Meeting House and
Tabernacle were at the center of this bustling city and a place where citizens,
officials, entertainers, politicians, and even great world leaders gathered.
As this beloved relic of another time went up in flames early on the
morning of December 17, 2010, the hearts of an entire community ached.
But through the smoke and flames of this tragedy came the announcement
from LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson in October 2011 that
the Tabernacle would become Utah’s 16th temple and those “precious
aspirations” were once again flourishing throughout this community.
A harmonious melding of ideas from city, church and business leaders
created plans for a new town center that would bring back the cherished
historical building we all love, enriched with walkways, gardens and even
a fountain. Rising from the ashes would be something even more striking
which would once again be a center for gatherings, weddings and families.
We hope you enjoy this special gallery of photographs, information and
community reaction that, as Provo’s source of news and information for
more than 140 years (since 1872), we feel elated to record and reveal.
Since 1898 the spires of the
historic Tabernacle have stood
as a testament to Provo’s rich
history and heritage.
Executive Editor . . . . . . Michele BatesEditor . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jennifer DurrantCover and Layout . . . . . Lisa KaneWriter . . . . . . . . . . . . . Genelle PugmirePhotography . . . . . . . . . Mark Johnston. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spenser Heaps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . James Roh
The Daily Herald is excited to share with our readers
this story of history, loss and promise. Go online to
HeraldExtra.com/TabernacleToTemple for expanded
photo galleries, video, articles and additional
community reactions and memories.
Letter from the Editor
-Michele Bates
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The Old Meeting House, to the north of the Tabernacle, was
completed in 1861. Following completion of the Provo Tabernacle
in 1898, the two buildings stood side by side for roughly two
decades, until the Meeting House was ordered to be torn down in
1918. Prior to the new temple construction, crews excavating the
site found small relics and the stone foundation. Larger stones
were saved and now provide seating for people at the renovated
Pioneer Park splash pad and other parks throughout the city.
he elaborate central tower and cupola of the Tabernacle were removed from the building in 1917
because the weight of the structure had caused the roof to sag. A replica of the central tower will be
on the new Provo City Center Temple. From ground level to the top of the middle spire is 127 feet.
That spire will hold the Angel Moroni.
T
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ver its 112 years, the Provo
Tabernacle has hosted world-
class entertainers, symphonies,
ensembles, soloists and other artists
as well as politicians. United States President
William H. Taft spoke at the Provo Tabernacle
on Sept. 24, 1909, to an audience of about
3,000 listeners. The Tabernacle was decked
out in red, white and blue bunting, just as it has
been on numerous Fourth of July celebrations.
Other national and international notables
include opera singer Helen Traubel. violinist
Jascha Heifetz, singer Paul Robson, pianist
Bela Bartok, French organist Marcel DuPre,
and children’s book author Tasha Tudor.
Local stars include Robert Peterson, George
Dyer, Michael Ballam, Kurt Bestor and
Michael McLean.
As a young couple in 1938, Provo residents
Monroe and Shirley Paxman, both 93, heard
Sergei Rachmoninoff play at the Tabernacle
following a stint at Carnegie Hall.
Carma de Jong Anderson remembers, “I’ve
lived in that Tabernacle, I remember as
a 4-year-old girl sitting on the benches
watching my parents perform.”
he Tabernacle’s 1907 organ was built by the
Austin Organ Company of Massachusetts and was
augmented over several decades. Some of its original
pipes were preserved with the organ that replaced it
in the 1990s. A new pipe organ will be installed in the
new temple.
The
OPresident Taft 1909
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1920s
rom LDS Stake Conferences and firesides, the
Tabernacle was used mostly for LDS Church meetings. In
1886 and 1887, LDS General Conference was held at the
Provo Tabernacle, even though construction had not been
completed. The conferences were moved from Salt Lake
City out of concern for the safety of church leaders, many
of whom were being sought by law enforcement officials on
account of anti-polygamy laws.
The area around the Tabernacle (now University Avenue and Center Street) has been a gathering place for activities and social events including parades like the one depicted in this photo, circa 1920s.
F
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Orange flames
and a plume of gray
smoke poured out of a
gaping hole in the roof
of Provo’s Tabernacle
early Friday
morning,
Dec. 17, 2010.
In what officials
described as likely
a complete loss, the
historic building was
gutted by the blaze
that began sometime
overnight. By Friday
afternoon what had
once been a Utah
landmark and city icon
was little more than a
charred shell belching
ash onto mourning
onlookers.
0
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ire officials said that
alarms notified them of a
blaze in the historic building
at 2:43 a.m. By 4:30 a.m.
crews were still struggling
to contain the blaze. Deputy
Chief Gary Jolley said the fire
department initially hoped
to salvage the building, but
added that it posed a unique
challenge because of its size
and the large wooden timbers
used to support its roof. By 6
a.m. most of the Tabernacle’s
roof had collapsed, pulling
down the brick gables on the
sides of the building.
F ire
The new temple will improve the surrounding area. This central Provo area
has never been that shiny (I can say this because I’ve lived here 19 years),
and having the temple here will really increase the value of the area.
-Amber Jane Sorensen
It’s going to be beautiful! My dad re-roofed the Tabernacle in the ’80’s
so I’m happy to see so much time and effort going into restoring this
historic, beautiful building!-Britney Lowe Quarnberg
I remember how fast the news spread around the globe. I work for Nu
Skin in The Netherlands and we wondered what would happen to this
beautiful building. So you can imagine how happy I was when I heard
that it would be saved!-Frans Utt
I’ve always considered it one the most beautiful buildings in Provo,
or even in the state. I think we all thought we were going to lose the
building at that point. I’m glad they decided to save the exterior.
-Autumn Skye
From Ashes
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The destructive fire in 2010 is not the first time the Tabernacle suffered from flames. The Tabernacle was almost lost to fire before it was finished in 1891. It also dodged destruction by fire again in 1912.
ne of the biggest
challenges the Provo Fire
Department faced during the
blaze was simply getting water
onto the flames. Even after the
roof collapsed, much of the
debris remained in the building,
piled up on top of the ground
floor. When that lower section
of the building began to burn,
that debris isolated the ground
level from the fire hoses above.
As a result, fire crews were
forced to continue a pattern of
containment, spraying the debris
with water and waiting for the
flames to exhaust themselves.
he final report on
the fire noted that the blaze
would never have started, nor
reach such intensity, except
for an almost incredible
series of misjudgments and
glitches. To set up lighting for a
performance, two incandescent
lights were removed from the
ceiling and set on wood boxes,
which ignited. Then the alarm
system proved inadequate;
people on the scene failed to
comprehend warning signs;
and materials brought in for
the show, including Christmas
greenery, helped fuel the fire.
O
T he
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Residents who saw it called it no less than a miracle. Some said it was
a sign. A giclee print of “The Second Coming” by Harry Anderson was
meticulously removed from inside the east front door of the Tabernacle.
The print depicts Jesus Christ descending to Earth at the Second Coming,
arms outstretched and surrounded by hosts of angels. The fire charred the
painting just to the outside edges of the body outline of Christ.
n all, 14 tons of debris left by the fire were hauled out of the Tabernacle.
I
Partial list of items lost in the fire include:
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D. This is the underground extension that takes the square footage of the former Tabernacle from 35,000 to 85,000 square feet.
E. Main floor will have a lobby, chapel, meeting rooms and office.
F. Rumor has it this area will house many new stained glass windows and relics saved from the original Tabernacle.
South Facing
A
C
F B
E
D
A. There was no Moroni on the original Tabernacle.
B. This is one of five endowment rooms.
C. Along with all maintenance rooms you will also find the aquifer pumping continuously.
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I. This is a tiered bowl Victorian fountain made of bronze and marble. Just south of it will be a 5,000-square-foot Victorian gazebo that will be used for wedding guests and photos.
J. Original spiral staircases have been refurbished and will be featured as a focal point in the temple.
East Facing
G
I
J
H
G. Great care was made to keep as much original wood from the Tabernacle to be used in the construction of all the spires. Brick and mortar from the original is used throughout.
H. This is the entrance from the underground parking.Exit from bridal room area into gardens for photos.
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t was a picture-perfect
day in Utah County, according
to Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. Most
of the 6,000 spectators who
joined him at the Provo City
Center Temple groundbreaking
would agree.
“What an absolutely stunning
sight,” Holland said that
Saturday morning. “This will be
the largest group to ever again
assemble on this land. It is a
moment of history. I am deeply
touched.”
t’s been called the temple on stilts. This optical illusion
makes the shell of the Provo City Center Temple look like it’s
floating above ground. However, posts holding the shell of the
building keep the building in place as construction crews dig
underneath. The building is at ground level. Crews have dug 40
feet below the building to put in the two underground floors.
To protect existing brick and mortar, crews have placed concrete
and rebar throughout the inside of the remaining brick walls.
High-tech laser equipment and other restoration techniques have
been used to keep the seismic condition of the temple shell steady.
Every two minutes computers receive updates from sensors noting
any movement in the building.
I
I
Construction is expected to be
complete in the Spring of 2015.
An open house & dedication
will follow.
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A panoramic view of the Provo City Center Temple construction site looking
south. Cranes, backhoes and dump trucks continue to work on the
underground parking to be provided for temple patrons.
“The announcement of the new temple
has pushed forward economic development
in the downtown area by nearly a decade. “
-Gary McGinn, Provo’s community development director
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Curiosity surrounding the Provo City Center Temple construction
site continues to entice the youngest and oldest residents and
visitors to Provo. What is evident from a first glance into the 800
pages of descriptions, elevations, floor plans and landscaping
of the temple is that the LDS Church is going to great lengths to
preserve the historic nature of the old Provo Tabernacle.
MemoriesThe summer I turned 25, I served a stake calling to conduct tours at the
Tabernacle. We had a script we worked with that prepared us to answer
almost any question posed by visitors.
During the tours, I was able to draw on my own experiences having
attended stake conferences in the Tabernacle as a child — running up
and down the spiral staircase because my steps at home weren’t ever big
enough or claiming one of the curved benches in the southeast corner of
the balcony as our family’s own.
But what brought the building to life for me was knowing that my
seven times great-grandfather, Andrew Hunter Scott Jr., oversaw the
construction of the “first” Tabernacle while serving as Provo’s fifth mayor
(1861-63), and that several other ancestors shared their skills as masons,
carpenters and artisans in building the “second” Tabernacle. Those
personal connections gave authenticity to those tours and helped me add
a chapter to my own story.
-Michelle Bridges, former member of the Pioneer Ward, Provo North Central Stake
When our graduate students flew to Provo from all around the United
States to participate in our commencement ceremony, they marveled at
the beauty of the venue, the pioneer craftsmanship and the moving organ
performances. They felt special, and there was nothing greater we could
do than to honor them in that way.
This building has brought joy and reverence to so many people. While I
cried the day it burned, I’m thankful for its restoration and will forever
have fond memories of looking over the beaming faces of our students.
-JessicaDalby Egbert
I have loved attending stake conferences in this building my whole life.
It made them feel special. One funny memory is when my husband was
sitting on the stand and me and my older three children were singing in
the choir, our youngest son — sitting by himself, found a funny seat that
was a bench for one! He loved it — we called it the throne.
-Judy Naylor Shaw
Coming from a non-Mormon perspective, I’m excited to see this building
done. Not because it’s a Mormon temple, but because it’s on the National
Register of Historic Places — one of the few in Provo. I’m glad they are
re-doing the outside to match what it originally looked like — with the
center spire at least. -Adan Riverstone
My husband proposed to me on the north lawn of the Tabernacle 40
years ago next month! I also loved the Relief Society bazaars held there
as part of the July celebrations of the 4th and 24th!
-Bonnie Wischmeier
Even though the benches were hard, I loved attending stake conferences
and musical performances. Knowing it was a piece of LDS history made
it feel almost sacred to be there.-Kendra Wright
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The first meeting held in the
Tabernacle was a memorial
service for President Ulysses
S. Grant on August 8, 1885.
President Grant died July 23.
About 2,000 people attended
the service.
hanks to modern
technology, including the
use of lasers, computerized
censors, rebar and other
devices, construction crews
can bring the building up to
seismic code and still keep its
historic nature. City planner
Josh Yost said that while no one
will see some of the timbers
and material being used, “it is
a testament to the length the
Church is going for historical
preservation.”
Residents and tourists now
flock to the new Provo City
Center Temple site to see the
meticulous rebirth of that grand
old building.
T ha
Did You Know?The Tabernacle was completed
and paid off in 1898, 15 years
after it began.
At the time of its initial
construction and for a number
of years afterward, the Provo
Tabernacle was called the Utah
Stake Tabernacle.
Many interior features
survived the fire, including
wood moldings, newel posts &
balustrades, which will allow
for reproduction of the beautiful
woodwork found in the pioneer
Tabernacle.
The temple will be approximately
85,084 square feet.
From ground level to the top of
the center spire will be 127 feet.
There will be underground
parking for almost 300 vehicles.
A 17-foot bronze four-tiered
Victorian fountain with
ornamental nozzles will grace
the grounds at about 100 South.
The finial on the roof is
replicated from a stair newel
post from the Tabernacle’s
interior banister that led to the
old pulpit and stand.
Scalloped shingles matching the
original 1800s design will be
used on the roof.
The top of the fence posts will
feature beehives.
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18001861 First Tabernacle built.
Known as the Old Meeting
House.
1875 First Baptistry in Utah
County was built next to the Old
Meeting House.
1882 In December,
construction begins on the new
Provo Tabernacle.
1885 August 5. A memorial
was held for President Ulysses
S. Grant, who died July 23.
Chairs had to be brought in as
the Tabernacle was still under
construction.
1886 & 1887 LDS Church
April General Conferences were
held in Provo inside the nearly
completed Tabernacle. Pressure
was on General Authorities and
others for practicing polygamy.
Provo seemed a safer place to
hold the conference sessions.
1891 The Tabernacle was
almost lost to fire before it was
finished. Electricians,
Following the December 17, 2010, fire that completely destroyed
the Provo Tabernacle, Provo Fire Marshal Lynn Schofield
described the fire as a unifying moment in Provo history.
“It’s kind of like an old friend,” Schofield said. “It challenged me
more than any other event in my emergency services career.”
That “old friend” has been an icon of Provo and has welcomed
people of all faiths and no faith within her doors. Nearly every
LDS prophet since Lorenzo Snow has spoken at her pulpit.
This timeline tells her intriguing story.
TimelineTimeline
supervised by T.E. Daniels, who
was acting electrician for the
Provo Woolen Mills, installed
wires for lights. Daniels and
Walter Taylor used a gasoline
blowpipe, which exploded
within seconds of being thrown
out of the structure.
Tabernacle
1890s
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1898 Elder George Q.
Cannon dedicates the Taberna-
cle. Construction took 15 years
and $100,000. Cannon filled
in when LDS Church President
Wilford Woodruff fell ill.
19001909 U.S. President William
Howard Taft spoke at the
Tabernacle as a guest of Sen.
Reed Smoot.
1912 The Tabernacle dodged
destruction by fire yet again
when an overzealous health
official set the outhouse behind
the building on fire. He wanted
to eliminate a public health
hazard. The fire burned out of
control putting the Tabernacle
in jeopardy; the Baptistry was
also razed that year after
several years of non-use.
1913 The Tabernacle was
partially condemned in 1913
because the roof’s truss system
didn’t support the center tower.
1917 The Tabernacle was
renovated and the center tower
was removed. Stained glass
windows were added to the
building at the same time.
1918 &1919 The Old
Meeting House was ordered
to be torn down over several
months encompassing late 1918
and early 1919.
1938 Herald R. Clark
achieved Provo’s cultural coup
of the century. He arranged for
a concert from world-famous
pianist and composer Sergei
Rachmoninoff.
1949 The Tabernacle was
condemned again because of
the roof system. At the time
there was a serious move to tear
down the Tabernacle.
1951 The Tabernacle was ren-
ovated, including landscaping,
painting, plumbing, flooring,
roofing, electrical and heating
work, at the cost of $43,000.
1965 Another major renova-
tion project was launched.
1975 On September 9, the
Tabernacle was listed in the
National Register of Historic
Places. It was found to be
significant both under the areas
of Achitecture and Religion.
1980s The Tabernacle was
remodeled again and brought back
to its historic character and was
rededicated by now LDS Church
President Thomas S. Monson.
20002010 On December 17, at
2:45 a.m. the Provo Tabernacle
catches on fire in the attic and
burns or smolders for the next
two days.
On December 19, hundreds of
area residents came to a special
memorial service Sunday with
stories on their lips and memo-
ries in their hearts to pay tribute
to one of the great icons of Utah
County, the Provo Tabernacle.
The building burned to just the
outer brick, leaving in its rubble
numerous unanswered questions
and many hopes to rebuild.
2011 On March 31, fire
officials determined that an
incandescent light placed on a
wooden box ignited the fire that
destroyed the Provo Tabernacle.
On October 1, Pres. Thomas S.
Monson announces the Taber-
nacle will become Utah’s 16th
Temple and will be called the
Provo City Center Temple.
2012 On May 12, Elder Jef-
frey R. Holland officiates at the
ground-breaking ceremonies for
the Provo City Center Temple.
2015 Construction on the
Provo City Center Temple is
anticipated to be completed in
the Spring. An open house and
dedication will follow.
1910s
1909
2010
2011
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T
Mayor John Curtis said, “The
City Center Temple in downtown
Provo is a great example of what
two committed organizations can
accomplish in a public-private
partnership. This has been the
model on how to bring everyone
to the table for a unified outcome.
We’re all dedicated to having the
best temple/downtown experience.”
he new temple plans featuring a public walking path and grounds with an 1880s gazebo for waiting guests, and a place for
wedding pictures. Gardens will adorn all sides of the temple with a park open to the public on the north side of the building.
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Each of the new
stained glass
windows created
for the Provo
City Center Temple
will look out
over the heart
of a thriving city.
They will stand as
a representation
of a cherished
historic past while
looking out onto
our community
that is embracing
its heritage and
future.
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Provo is proud to be home to the much-anticipated Provo City Center Temple. Just one more way the city of Provo is a great place to call home.
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