After an extensive renovation project, the St. George LDS Tabernacle opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
ST. GEORGE — The newly renovated St. George Tabernacle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints opened its doors for public tours Monday.
Dozens of community leaders and elected officials, along with members of the St. George Interfaith Council and their families, toured the nearly 150-year-old historic structure, built by Mormon settlers starting in 1863 and completed more than a decade later.
From the hardwood floors and benches to the distinctive spiral staircases and chandeliers, the iconic landmark has been given a fresh look inside and out, all while retaining its historic character.
The three main chandeliers, which once held flame-lit oil lamps, were once controlled by hand-cranked pulleys. Now, electronic winches raise and lower the chandeliers, making them accessible so light bulbs can be changed.
Restorers even strived to make the finishing coats of paint faithful to the original colors used by the early pioneers.
On the building’s east end, a small entryway houses a new exhibit of historic artifacts associated with the tabernacle, including a sandstone box, called a record stone, that was hidden inside a wall near the southeast corner when the building was first dedicated. The capsule and its water-damaged contents – a set of LDS scriptures, a newspaper and a bottle of wine – were rediscovered when restoration work began in 2016. The box’s badly deteriorated contents have been left as-is, under a display case.
Another item of interest tour visitors will see is a historic photo taken in 1950 of St. George LDS 5th Ward’s Primary children and their teachers. The number-coded picture includes the names of nearly all of the 95 people in the photo, representing various notable individuals in the St. George community.
Public tours, which include a guided walk-through of the building’s basement and main floors, continue Tuesday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The building will be closed to the public Friday as workers clean and prepare it for its official rededication Saturday at 10 a.m. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles – one of the Primary kids pictured in the 1950 group photo – will be one of the speakers during the hourlong program, after which he will formally dedicate the building.
Seating inside the tabernacle for the rededication event is by invitation only and requires a special ticket for entrance. About 1,000 tickets were distributed, church officials said.
Those without tickets, including members of the general public, are invited to attend the live closed-circuit broadcast of the event at two LDS chapels in St. George: the chapel located at 166 S. Main St. and the chapel located at 550 E. 700 South. Seating is available on first-come basis. Participants are requested to be in their seats by 9:30 a.m. Sunday dress is preferred.
During his tour of the building Monday, The Rev. Jimi Kestin, pastor of Solomon’s Porch Foursquare Fellowship, said he was impressed by the attention to detail, particularly in the woodwork.
“We look forward to having Prayer Over The City return to this special place on New Years Day,” Kestin wrote in a post on Facebook shortly after he and other Interfaith Council members completed their tour.
“A place like this really is the heart of the community,” Emily Utt, curator of LDS Church historic sites, said as she led St. George News on a tour of the building’s attic.
Near the ceiling of the attic, near the steeple on the building’s east side, a single charred wooden beam is the only visible remnant of a lightning-caused fire that occurred last September. Workers in the building saw and heard the lightning strike, and firefighters responded quickly to help minimize the damage, Utt said.
“Nobody was injured and damage was minimal,” she said. “It didn’t delay the restoration project at all.”
The building, whose official address is 18 S. Main St., is at the literal center of town, Utt said, adding that the building’s rich history as a community event center is expected to continue as before.
Starting next week, the tabernacle will be open to the public for regular tours and community events.
For more information about the St. George Tabernacle and its renovation, including historic photos, visit the church’s website about the building and its history.
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After an extensive renovation project, the St. George LDS Tabernacle opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
After an extensive renovation project, the St. George LDS Tabernacle opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Basement area of St. George Tabernacle. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Wooden benches in main chapel area of St. George Tabernacle. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Wooden benches in main chapel area of St. George Tabernacle. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Pulpit area of St. George Tabernacle. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Visitors take a guided tour of St. George Tabernacle. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
View from the pulpit of St. George Tabernacle. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Visitors take a guided tour of St. George Tabernacle. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Organ pipes of the St. George Tabernacle. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Visitors take a guided tour of St. George Tabernacle. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Chandeliers of the St. George Tabernacle. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
One of two spiral staircases in the St. George Tabernacle. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Main chapel area of St. George Tabernacle, as seen from second-floor balcony. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Wooden seats in the St. George Tabernacle. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Main chapel area of St. George Tabernacle, as seen from second-floor balcony. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
LDS Church historic sites curator Emily Utt leads St. George News on a tour of the St. George Tabernacle's attic. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Attic area of St. George Tabernacle. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Old pulley wheel in attic area of St. George Tabernacle. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Attic area of St. George Tabernacle. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Blackened beam charred by a lightning-caused fire in 2017, seen in attic area of St. George Tabernacle. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Attic area of St. George Tabernacle. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Main chapel area of St. George Tabernacle, as seen from second-floor balcony. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Old photo of St. George Tabernacle is on display in exhibit area. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Main chapel area of St. George Tabernacle, as seen from pulpit. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Visitors tour main chapel area of St. George Tabernacle. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Visitors listen to tour guide in St. George Tabernacle. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Historic artifacts associated with St. George Tabernacle are on display in exhibit area. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Sandstone "record box" formerly hidden in walls of St. George Tabernacle, is on display in exhibit area. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Badly deteriorated books and a bottle of wine are housed in a sandstone "record box" formerly hidden in walls of St. George Tabernacle, now on display in exhibit area. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Visitors take tour of St. George Tabernacle. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Tour visitors check names on a 1950 photo of Primary children taken inside the St. George Tabernacle. After an extensive renovation project, the building opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
After an extensive renovation project, the St. George LDS Tabernacle opened its doors for public tours, St. George, Utah, July 23, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeff Richards, a native of Salt Lake City with family roots in Panguitch, lived in Moab for 20 years before joining St. George News in 2017. Jeff is a longtime journalist and secondary school teacher. He and his wife Penny are the parents of five daughters. They also have two young grandsons. Jeff and his family enjoy swimming, camping, sightseeing, reading, and taking pictures.
Nice all-seeing eye up there, a little not-so-subtle reminder that Jesus watches when you masturbate to Satan’s filthy internet porn videos.
Well we are the number 1 state for porn searches… And suicides. Hmmmm