Portland Stake Tabernacle Explained

Building Name:Portland Stake Tabernacle
Religious Affiliation:The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Coordinates:45.5088°N -122.6354°W
Location:2975 Southeast Harrison St., Portland, Oregon
United States
Architecture Style:Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking:August 25, 1928
Year Completed:1929
Architecture:yes

The Portland Stake Tabernacle, (also known as the Portland First Ward Meetinghouse and the Colonial Heights Building), is a historic church building for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located in the Richmond neighborhood of Portland, Oregon.[1] [2] [3]

The 26,222 square foot meetinghouse seats over 2,000. The adjoining parking lot combined make the entire property 43,082 square feet.[4] As of 2022, the property has a market value of $11.4 million.[5]

George Wesley Bowers, one of the builders of the Tabernacle, is notable for his nearby house.

History

By 1928, Latter-day Saints in Portland outgrew their 1915 meetinghouse on the corner of SE 25th Avenue and SE Madison Street. The plot for the Portland Stake Tabernacle was purchased and the cornerstone was laid on August 25, 1928. The tabernacle was designed by architect Charles E. Kaufman.[6]

The tabernacle was first used on the same day the old meetinghouse was sold to the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (now the Community of Christ) in early February of 1929. The tabernacle was dedicated on February 18, 1929 with Anthony W. Ivins and Charles W. Nibley of the Church's First Presidency in attendance.

The building was used as a meetinghouse until 2019 and as a Family History Center, providing Genealogy resources to the public, until 2022.[7] [8] The building is currently used only for Church events and occasional tours.

See also

Notes and References

  1. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Gdg0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=j4ADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6411%2C5403129 50 Gatherings in Nine States April 2
  2. News: August 27, 1952. Genealogical Conventions Set, August 31. Deseret News. 2014-06-03.
  3. News: October 3, 1946. Well Known Utah Artist Dies in Oregon. Deseret News. 2014-06-03.
  4. Web site: 2022-08-29 . Readers Respond to Mormons Leaving Oregon for Idaho and Utah . 2023-11-08 . Willamette Week . en.
  5. Web site: 2022-08-17 . A Southeast Portland Church Is Left Behind as Mormons Leave Oregon . 2023-11-08 . Willamette Week . en.
  6. Book: Jackson, Richard W. . Places of worship : 150 years of Latter-day Saint architecture . Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University . 2003 . 1591563909 . 193.
  7. [Preston Nibley|Nibley, Preston]
  8. Web site: Portland Oregon Family History Center. 2020-07-07. FamilySearch Wiki. en.