Temple Site
National Register of Historic Places

Temple Site

Independence, Jackson County, Missouri
Listed
September 21, 1970
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
70000334

About this property

The Temple Lot is a parcel of land located in Independence, Missouri, which is an important site in the history of the Latter Day Saint movement as the first location dedicated to the construction of a temple. The land, about 63-acre (25 ha) in total, was purchased on December 19, 1831, by Edward Partridge to be the center of the New Jerusalem or "City of Zion" after Joseph Smith said he received a revelation stating the site would be the gathering spot of the Latter Day Saints during the last days. Smith dedicated the area on August 3, 1831. Ownership of the property is largely split between two Latter Day Saint denominations: Church of Christ (Temple Lot) and the Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or RLDS) The smaller 2.5-acre (1.0 ha) section of the Temple Lot is an open, grass-covered field occupied in its northeast corner by a few trees and the headquarters of the Church of Christ (Temple Lot), though adherents of this sect do not regard their headquarters as a temple. No other structures exist on this grassy field (with the exception of monuments, markers and signposts). The larger 61-acre (25 ha) portion of the property is owned mainly by the Community of Christ, and many prominent structures are located on this land or nearby, including United Nations Peace Plaza, the Community of Christ Auditorium, the Truman Railroad Depot, the LDS Visitors Center, the Community of Christ Temple, a stake center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and the Six Nations Tree of Peace.

Location

Independence, Jackson County, Missouri
39.09139, -94.42552

Categories

RELIGION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Temple Site

This page lists Temple Site. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Harry S Truman National Historic Site
Listed
0.2 mi
Overfelt-Campbell-Johnston House
Industrial
0.3 mi
Harry S Truman National Historic Site (Boundary Increase)
Civil War
0.3 mi
Minor, Charles, House
Industrial
0.4 mi
Missouri Pacific Depot
Industrial
0.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Independence (October 1864, Price's Raid)
1864Civil War
0.4 mi
Quantrill Attack Independence (Second)
1863Civil War
0.5 mi
Quantrill Capture of Independence
1862Civil War
0.5 mi
Quantrill's Missouri Raids (1862–1863)
1862Civil War
0.5 mi
Independence Missouri 1862
1862Civil War
0.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Temple Site listed on the National Register?

Temple Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 21, 1970.

What type of historic resource is Temple Site?

Temple Site is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Temple Site?

The period of significance for Temple Site is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Temple Site?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Temple Site will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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