The St. George Utah Temple, formerly known as the St. George Temple, is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in St. George, Utah. Completed in 1877, it was the third temple constructed by the church and the first in Utah, following the westward migration of members from Nauvoo, Illinois, after the death of church founder Joseph Smith.[1]
Situated in the southwestern city of St. George, the temple was designed by Truman O. Angell, displaying greater architectural similarities to the Nauvoo Temple rather than the church's subsequent temples. The St. George Temple is the oldest temple still actively used by the church.[2] It has three ordinance rooms and 18 sealing rooms, covering a total floor area of 143,969 square feet (13,400 m2).[3] The St. George Temple was the first where church members could receive all temple ordinances for their ancestors.[4]
Brigham Young, the church's president, announced the construction of the St. George Temple on November 9, 1871.[5] Young selected St. George due to it being the location of some of his most loyal followers, aiming to bring unification to an area perceived as inhospitable.[6] St. George was founded by 309 families, as announced at the church's general conference, to initiate a cotton mission.[7] At the announcement, some were a "mix of emotions," and others were said to shout "Glory, hallelujah!" The settlement period posed challenges of starvation and economic hardship, and the construction of the temple played a crucial role in providing food and economic stability.[8]
When the St. George Temple was announced, the Salt Lake Temple would not be finished for another 22 years, as it was dedicated in 1893.[9] The St. George Temple was built to satisfy the church's immediate need for an appropriate place for temple ceremonies and ordinances. The temple became the third completed by the church and the first in Utah.[10]
Young chose a 6-acre plot as the temple site, and despite health difficulties, he oversaw construction while maintaining a winter home in the area.[11] [12] As work began, workers discovered the site was swampy. These workers consulted Young on moving the site, but he remained firm that this was the site for the temple.[13] Young reported that the site had been selected as an ancient temple site by the Nephites (people in the Book of Mormon).[14]
To address the issue, workers created drains to eliminate as much water as possible before adding in stone for the foundation. Teams of oxen brought large lava rocks from a nearby quarry to the site to be crushed into gravel to create a dry foundation for the temple. Workmen suggested using an old cannon that the city had acquired to crush the stone. The old cannon was made in France and used by Napoleon during his siege on Moscow. During Napoleon's retreat, the cannon was left behind. It went to Siberia, then Alaska, ending up in California. Members of the Mormon Battalion acquired the cannon, mounted it on wheels, and brought it to Utah. After creating a pulley system using horsepower, the cannon was filled with lead, encased in timbers, lifted thirty feet in the air, and then used as a pile driver to compact the foundation.[15] [16] It was reported that Young told the workmen that "when the cannon was dropped and it bounced three times, then the foundation was solid enough."[17] Following the stabilization of the foundation, construction began on the temple structure. The walls were built using the red sandstone common to the area, with a final plaster finish for a white appearance.[18] The workers donated one day in ten as tithing labor, and historians James Allen and Glen Leonard made note of the pioneer's dedication to building the temple in Southern Utah. Some members donated half their wages to the temple, while others gave food, clothing, and other goods to aid those who were working full-time on the building. Women decorated the interior with handmade carpets, along with fringe made for the altars and pulpits all from Utah-produced silk.[19] It took local church members six years to complete the temple.[20] At its completion, it contained 1,000,000 board feet (2,000 m3) of lumber, which had been hand-chopped and hauled between 40 and 80 miles (60 and 100 km). They also used 17,000 tons of volcanic rock and sandstone, hand-cut, then hauled by oxen.
To commemorate the finished structure, on April 6, 1877, the church's general conference was held there, during which the dedicatory prayer and services took place.[21] It was first dedicated by Daniel H. Wells, Brigham Young's second counselor in the First Presidency.[22] The St. George Temple was the only temple completed during Young's 29 years as church president.
Young was initially displeased with the height of the tower, but because construction had taken so much time, historians speculate that he did not want to delay the project any longer. Two years after his passing, in 1883, the tower was struck by lightning, resulting in a fire that destroyed the tower, while leaving the remainder of the temple unharmed. Local legends vary in interpretation, some narratives suggesting the lightning strike and subsequent fire were perceived as a means to appease Brigham Young, while alternative accounts propose that he may have instigated the event.[23] [24] The reconstructed tower doubled in height as a homage to Young's expressed preference.
According to an account by Wilford Woodruff, then temple president and apostle, in August 1877, the spirits of the founding fathers and other "eminent" historical figures appeared to him in the St. George Temple. They asked why the rite of the endowment had not been performed on their behalf, despite the length the Endowment House was in use.[25] [26] [27] [28] Woodruff documented these occurrences over multiple occasions spanning two days and two nights in his personal journals. Subsequently, baptisms and endowments were performed in the temple by John D. T. McAllister, Woodruff, and other church members in the area, contributing to ordinance work for a total of 100 men and women.[29] [30] Some individuals mentioned in these records include George Washington, Christopher Columbus, John Wesley, and Marie Antoinette.[31] [30] It is said that shortly after the visitations of the founding fathers and other historical figures, 85 Native American Chiefs had baptisms performed on their behalf.[32] [33]
Over its history, the temple has experienced ten renovations, including repairs to the cupola necessitated by the previously mentioned lightning strike.[34] Noteworthy instances include upgrades in 1917, marked by the enlargement of the annex.[35] In 1938, significant modifications were made to the floor plan, involving the relocation of endowment rooms from the basement to the main level, the introduction of murals, and the alignment of the temple with architectural trends of the 20th century. In 1975, the annex was expanded to facilitate the transition from live actors to a film presentation of the endowment.[36]
On November 4, 2019, the temple temporarily closed for renovations.[37] [38] During this refurbishment period, crews systematically removed specific 20th-century additions with the dual purpose of restoring the original architectural style and incorporating seismic upgrades.[39] Renovations throughout the building and on the site included motifs such as a five-point gold star and a quatrefoil. Additional elements were introduced, such as a skylight, a bride's plaza, trees and landscaping improvements, an entrance to the baptistry, steel trusses, murals, a new annex, an updated electrical system, and heating and cooling units.[40]
The temple was designed by Truman O. Angell under Brigham Young's supervision.[41] Angell worked as a carpenter on the Kirtland and Nauvoo temples, from which the design borrows architectural elements. The temple has a rectangular shape made up of two stories, an octagonal spire, and a large assembly hall. The temple is situated on a 6.5-acre plot (2.6 ha) with multiple pedestrian plazas, along with gardens, seating elements, and a tiered water feature.
While the St. George Temple has a similar overall layout to the Kirtland and Nauvoo temples, the exterior designs differ. The St. George Temple has a combination of Neo-Gothic Architecture, combined with a French Norman Revival Style, with parapets and battlements, and inside these towers, Angell introduced hexagonal staircases. Certain elements like the neoclassical pilasters of Nauvoo and Kirtland were replaced with thin buttresses, and in the space between them, he added a porthole motif. Contemporary temples such as the Salt Lake City, Logan, and Manti Temples were designed to have the appearance of a fortified castle.[42]
Historically, the temple was originally designed with two large assembly halls akin to the earlier Kirtland and Nauvoo temples. The lower Assembly Hall was partitioned with curtains to facilitate the ordinance rooms for the endowment ceremony. Currently, the temple's interior comprises a large assembly hall, a baptistry (for performing baptisms for the dead), three rooms designated for ordinances (such as the endowment and initiatory), and eighteen sealing rooms (where sealings are performed to eternally unite a husband and wife or children to their parents).[43] [44]
Following the renovations in 2023, the design focused on evoking the historical pioneer era. According to Andy Kirby, the director of the Church's historic temple renovations, "The interior design matches the historic temple and furnishings that would have been appropriate in the 1870s and 1880s."[45] Lighting fixtures match the time period with wheel-cut glass shades with a gothic/grapevine design.[46] The millwork is period-specific throughout the building. The 2023 updates also introduced new murals for each instruction room, commissioned by three different artists. Each mural was crafted to "capture the rugged natural beauty of the southwest Utah landscape."
Like all temples of the church, the St. George Temple is not used for Sunday worship services.[47] To members of the church, temples are regarded as sacred houses of the Lord. Church members with a current temple recommend can enter for worship. The visitors’ center is available to the public.[48]
Notable presidents of the temple include Wilford Woodruff (1877–84); John D. T. McAllister (1884–93); J. Thomas Fyans (1992–95); and Bruce C. Hafen (2010–13).[49]