St. George Temple
About this property
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, United States. After the death of Joseph Smith, whom they considered to be a prophet, Mormon pioneers migrated west. They were later directed by his successor, Brigham Young, to settle in southwestern Utah and where this temple was completed in March 1877. It was the church's first completed in Utah, to meet an immediate need to conduct temple ceremonies. The temple was built over swampy land. Workers created a dry foundation by using a cannon (with a debated origin), which they lifted thirty feet to use as a pile driver for compacting the foundation. For more than six years, members willingly contributed to the temple, which included daily travel to the work site, and dedicating one day out of ten as a form of tithing labor. Brigham Young, the church president, considered the completed cupola too short. Two years after he died, a lightning strike razed the tower, and the reconstructed height of the tower was doubled to his desired height. It is the oldest temple in active use by the church and the only one completed during Young's tenure. In August 1877, Wilford Woodruff, then the temple president, recorded that the spirits of "eminent" historical figures manifested themselves to him in the temple and requested that ordinances be performed on their behalf. These were recorded by Woodruff over the span of two days and nights, which lead to proxy baptisms and endowment ceremonies being performed for 100 historical men and women. Truman O. Angell designed the temple with interior structural similarities to the Kirtland and Nauvoo temples. It has exterior elements that give it the appearance of a fortified castle. It has three ordinance rooms and 18 sealing rooms, covering a total floor area of 143,969 square feet (13,400 m2). Its architectural style combines Neo-Gothic and French Norman Revival design. Dedicated in April 1877, the St. George Temple was the first where members could complete all temple ordinances for the dead. The temple has gone through ten major renovations throughout its history. Only church members with a current temple recommend may enter, while the nearby visitors' center is open to the public.
Location
Categories
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.
Everything a full report reveals about St. George Temple
This page lists St. George Temple. 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:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was St. George Temple listed on the National Register?
St. George Temple was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 7, 1977.
What type of historic resource is St. George Temple?
St. George Temple is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for St. George Temple?
The period of significance for St. George Temple is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near St. George Temple?
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 St. George Temple will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Washington County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Washington County.
Explore WashingtonCounty ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near St. George Temple will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.