Beaver First Ward (West Ward)

The Beaver First Ward, just west of main street, has undergone a few changes since it was first built.

(Image Source: Church History Library) 

(Image Source: Google Maps)

I really liked the previous entryway, and the current steeple looks a bit awkward on the structure. I will post interior pictures of the chapel shortly.

Brigham City Fifth & Tenth Wards: Chapel Interior

This chapel still retains some good qualities. The stained glass at the front is colorful and adds to the atmosphere (I'll provide closeups of it in my next post). The floor gently slopes down toward the rostrum.

At the back, two doors roll up to provide overflow in the gym. You can see that the door on the left is up a bit off the ground (see below).

One disappointment is that there used to be windows lining the chapel. You can see this in the picture below, where the wall on the sides is a yellow color. Those were once windows.

 Still, it's a nice chapel. And like most older buildings, it has some artifacts tucked away.

Brigham City Fifth & Tenth Wards

This building was built in the early 1920s. Aside from some walled-up windows that went into the chapel, it remains mostly the same, including some beautiful stained glass I'll show in future posts.

 (Image Source: Church History Library)

St. George Fifth Ward: Mural Details

These paintings are beautiful. They definitely add to the sacred spirit of the chapel. In 1953 when the funds were being raised for the chapel, the committee head, Hortense Foremaster, loved the artwork of Lorin Covington, an artist who lived in Hurricane. She chose the two paintings and paid $300 for them ($150 each).

Provo Eleventh Ward

Note: This post is one in a series that focuses on LDS architecture that is not historic, but that departs from standard cookie-cutter plans to become unique and beautiful in a different way. To see all of these posts, click here.

Next in the "Modern Architecture" series is the Provo 11th Ward. The chapel also hosts the Rivergrove 1st Ward. It looks like it was built in the 1950s.

It's actually quite similar to a lot of chapels from that time period, except for the organ in the chapel.

The pipes, and the details built onto their base, add so much to this chapel. You'll also notice that the pale, pink color goes around the perimeter of the chapel ceiling.

To me, this shows how much even tiny details can make a difference.

St. George Fifth Ward: Chapel Interior

There are several little touches in this chapel that make it a beautiful worship space. I like the simple design on the ceiling, and the natural light that shines in from the windows on both sides. Of course, the paintings are also beautiful and add so much to the chapel. The one on the right shows the First Vision; the one on the left depicts Christ with children. Both paintings were done by Lorin Covington of Hurricane; his painting of Christ with the children also hangs in other chapels (including the Blanding Tabernacle).  I'll post large pictures of the paintings in my next post.

One last thing that I liked--the sacrament preparation room (behind the pulpit) is beautifully lit with a two-story window. I liked that touch.

Manti Tabernacle Renovation Complete

Note: Preservation Updates are a regularly occurring series of posts where I round up recent information on historic LDS buildings and their futures. Depending on the age of the post, there may be newer information available. Click here to see all Preservation Updates.

After closing in April 2014 for extensive renovations, the Manti Tabernacle is again open. It will be rededicated today (September 13, 2015) at 12:30 PM by Elder Michael Jensen, an Area Seventy. I visited the tabernacle yesterday during the open house, so get ready for a detailed post!

If you're a regular reader, you'll know I've been visiting the Manti Tabernacle regularly ever since its renovation was announced. If you'd like to see those posts, click here.

Before

April 2014

After

September 12, 2015

 The tabernacle looks beautiful! As we established in this post (with historical pictures), the tabernacle's steeple was originally unpainted, so the current look is more accurate.

Before

After

The exterior has been wonderfully restored. Notice those lines along the sides? Those are nailer strips that the pioneers left on the building in anticipation of one day adding more decorative elements to the walls. Even though that never happened, this restoration uncovered those strips and leaves them available to view.

Before

After

The new doors look great! And, yes, door knobs were added (in a previous post I noticed they weren't there and wondered if the doors would become decorative). Those door knobs look great, too.

Go through those doors and you come into this small lobby. The chapel was originally on the first floor, but in the 1920s, an extensive renovation moved the chapel up a floor and added classrooms on the first. So, to get to the chapel, you go up either of the staircases. But first, check out that light fixture.

As you ascend, the chapel comes into view.

Before

(Image Source)

After

There aren't very many differences between these photos--and that's a good thing! However, we can see some differences. The light fixtures are different, and fit better with the architecture. The chairs on the stand are also different, but they do look better. Also, the speakers above the arches on the sides (for the organ and microphone, I'm assuming) are A LOT better.

In case it isn't obvious, I was taking a lot of pictures.

Before

(Image Source)

After

Again, not many obvious differences to point out here. The posts supporting the balcony were hollowed out and reinforced with steel. Also, the decoration along the top of the chapel was carefully restored.

The beautiful staircase up to the balcony:

The bas-relief, Torlief Knaphus' Woman at the Well, was also carefully restored. For more information on this sculpture, its history, and the many places it appears, see this post.

This preservation project was tremendous, and it was carried out so well. This building is looking better (and more authentic) than ever. 

***

An alert reader of this blog notified me that the historic chapel in Hanksville is currently being restored by the city (thanks!). 

(Image Source: Church History Library)

The Hanksville ward chapel was built around 1890. It was sold by the Church in 1971, when they built a new chapel elsewhere in the city. For more information, check out the Hanksville Facebook page. I'll see if I can get any other information on this project.

I apologize that this was a long post! If you have any questions or comments, let me know by commenting on the post or sending me a note on the contact form on the side of the blog (web version only). Thanks!

St. George Fifth Ward

For how old St. George is as a pioneer settlement, you'd think there'd be more historic chapels around. Of course, there's the tabernacle (which is beautifully preserved) and the temple, but all the regular meetinghouses are new, generic buildings. In fact, the oldest one still standing, the St. George Fifth Ward chapel, was constructed in the early 1950s (but after 1951).

(Image Source: Church History Library) 

The building has 3 floors (which includes a full basement). There are some beautiful paintings in the chapel that I will show in my next post.

A kind ward member showed me around the building and noted that this is the chapel Elder Jeffrey R. Holland attended while growing up. She also mentioned that they expect it to undergo a renovation shortly. I'm glad this building is still standing.

Logan Ninth Ward: Mural Details

The pulpit at the front of the chapel has some nice details. Behind it lies a beautiful mural.

It was painted by Henri Moser at the request of Bishop Tom Perry (father of the late apostle, Elder L. Tom Perry). However, it was not the first one he painted. The first one he painted depicted pioneers and Native Americans on the plains.

(Image Source)

The mural was then replaced, apparently because some members of the congregation complained that a chapel mural depicted men wearing only a loincloth. The new mural depicts three important church history sites: the Susquehanna River (where the Aaronic Priesthood was restored) on the left, the Sacred Grove (site of the First Vision) in the center, and the Hill Cumorah (site of the gold plates) on the right.