Logan Tabernacle: Interior

This tabernacle has intricate details in the woodwork and on the ceiling. The pipe organ dominates the front of the chapel, although it wasn't added until the beginning of the twentieth century. It is one of the largest pipe organs in the state, after the ones in the Conference Center, the Salt Lake Tabernacle, and the new one in the Ogden Tabernacle.

During a renovation in the 1950s, the detailed ceiling was covered with a drop ceiling, and the tabernacle's floor was covered with tiles. A more sensitive renovation in the 1980s reversed those changes and sought to make the tabernacle look more like it originally did.

Logan Tabernacle

The Logan Tabernacle, constructed between 1864 and 1891 (with various delays in those years), is one of the oldest and most well-preserved tabernacles of the LDS Church.

As you can see in this photo, the tabernacle originally had grand staircases at the entrance, and members entered into the chapel.

(Image Source: Church History Library)

In later years, these stairs were removed. Members now enter on the ground floor and immediately proceed up some stairs to get to the main level. Stained glass was also added on this west side.

(Image Source: Church History Library)

I will be posting pictures of the interior in upcoming posts.

Mantua Ward

The Mantua ward building was constructed around 1905. It was originally made of stone, but since then it has received siding. The steeple and addition were added in the 1952.

(Image Source: Church History Library) 

It was sold in 1973 and is now a private residence. It looks like it's going under some remodeling.

The man-made reservoir is right across the street, providing some pretty views from the old chapel.

Millcreek Ward: Interior

Note: I have since added another post with pictures of the stained glass lit from behind. That post can be viewed here.

When the Millcreek Ward was demolished in 2002, the stained glass windows were moved to this chapel, also in Millcreek, on Jeannine Drive.

The windows aren't in the chapel, though.

They're in the lobby. You'll remember from the last post--there are two windows. So each lobby (on either side of the chapel) has a window.

North Lobby Window

South Lobby Window

Which is the original, and which was the newer addition? The original is actually the one in the South Lobby (the second one.) You'll notice there are some differences between the two windows--the colors of Christ's robe, the angle of his staff, etc.

I was originally concerned that these windows were unlighted; however, they do have lights behind them now. Originally, the only place I could find pictures of the lighted glass was from an Ensign article from January, 1981:

The other, funnily enough, came from a seminary video. In the video, the man tells us he is going to the "Holladay Third Ward"; in the next shot, he is outside the Bonneville Ward chapel, and later in the video, we see that he is inside the Millcreek chapel, giving us a beautiful shot of the stained glass, albeit brief:

Finally, I was able to find a photography collection of the meetinghouse that was taken while it was in the process of being demolished. I requested that it be digitized, and they graciously complied! You can enjoy the pictures at this link. There are interior and exterior shots, including quite a few of an old mural that was uncovered while the building was being razed. It provides a neat view of what the chapel looked like with the window, though.

Also, on another note, you'll notice that the exterior window was originally wider.

(Image Source: Church History Library)

The sides--which just add to the beautiful nature scene--were cut off. And, from what I could see, the original stained glass on the sides of the old chapel aren't anywhere, either. They're probably in storage.

The north lobby of the new chapel also had a display with some old sacrament items, the scriptures that were used at the dedication of this newer chapel, and an adobe brick from the original chapel.

These windows are beautiful. I'm glad they were saved. I'm glad they're still enjoyed by Latter-day Saints in this chapel. The windows make me think of Jane Gardner Miller, and how the words to the psalm must have struck her so powerfully when she first saw (and subsequently donated) this window:

The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.

Millcreek Ward

In southern Salt Lake City used to stand one of the oldest chapels built in the valley--the adobe chapel belonging to the Millcreek Ward.

(Image Source: Church History Library)

Ground was broken for this chapel in 1866, and I believe that it wasn't fully completed (the original portion, anyway) until 1875. A recreation hall was added in 1915.

You will notice the large stained glass window in the front, but first, let me point out that a few smaller stained glass windows were along the sides of the chapel.

(Image Source: Church History Library)

According to some sources, these windows rolled in on freight wagons in 1866, making them some of the, if not the oldest, stained glass in the church. (In a later conversation with an employee of the Church History Department, I was told that they were added in 1910, but I never got to clarify if we were talking about the windows on the sides of the chapel, or the large window at the front, which was certainly added around 1910. So there's some confusion on that part.)

The large window at the front was donated by Jane Gardner Miller. She was also one of the donors of the stained glass that sits in the Murray First Ward's chapel. Apparently, she had a moving experience upon seeing the stained glass and thinking of the words to the Psalm: "The Lord is my Shepherd."

(Image Source: Church History Library)

There was originally one window that faced outward. A matching window that faced inward, and so could be enjoyed by Latter-day Saints who worshiped in the chapel, was added around 1937.

This chapel was demolished in 2002. It was about 130 years old at that time! I'm sad that it couldn't be preserved--however, the large stained glass window was moved to a nearby building at that time. I'll show pictures of its new location in my next post.

(Image Source: Church History Library)

Architecture Highlights: Tracking Torleif Knaphus (Part 2)

Note: The "Architecture Highlights" series focuses on some aspect of LDS architecture that can be found across many chapels. To see all of the posts in this category, click here.

The last post in this series examined Torleif Knaphus' copies of "The Woman at the Well." This post looks at other carvings he's done that hang in LDS chapels.

Many of his carvings are copies of the ones located at the Hill Cumorah monument. Three of the sides of the monument have different carvings--one of Joseph receiving the plates from Moroni, one of the Three Witnesses, and one of the Eight Witnesses.

(Image Source)

The Springville Fourth Ward chapel has copies of each of these in color.

 Meanwhile, the Belvedere Ward has one carving with each of these images side by side. They are much smaller than the others.

The Yale Ward has its own copy of Joseph receiving the plates, too. I know of a couple of other chapels that have this carving as well.

One unique one is located in the Sugarhouse Ward--one of the wards that Torleif Knaphus himself attended. It shows three scenes: the Hill Cumorah on the left, the Susquehanna River at the right, and the First Vision in the center.

Another unique one is in the Whittier Ward: a carving that shows the First Vision, and even has a light built into it:

These are all beautiful bas-reliefs that really add to the spirit of the chapels where they are located.

Fairview South Ward: Interior

The window at the front of the building looks like it could have been a door, originally. It actually is cut between two classrooms. Here's what it looks like from one of those rooms.

Here's what the chapel looks like. I visited this chapel on a Saturday, which means it was open for cleaning--but also, there were people all over, making it difficult to get a great photo of it. At least in this one, you can see what it looks like.

It does look like it's been remodeled a lot, but it's not too bad. There are still windows on the right side, but they're fake, as there's been offices built on that side. It's a nice little chapel.

Fairview South Ward

The Fairview South Ward chapel as finished in 1931.

(Image Source: Church History Library)

It's mostly the same, excepting the typical steeple that was added in later years.

I took a some interior photos, too. I'll post them next.

Twenty-first Ward: Stained Glass Detail

 I posted about the Twenty-first Ward ages ago. At that time I was able to document the chapel interior, but because classes were going, I couldn't visit some of the other stained glass in the building. Three classrooms on the south side--the Relief Society room, Primary room, and another classroom--each have a stained glass panel from the original building. Here's the Relief Society room:

 An identical panel is found in the other classroom. The Primary room has the stained glass panel that used to be at the front of the old chapel.

You'll notice it's backward: that's because it's meant to face outward.

Of course, we can always flip it...

...or we can just look at it from the outside, like we're supposed to.

These windows have some interesting history. They really had a better relationship to the original building; while this chapel was custom-built to house them, they just don't have the same effect as before. With that being said, I'm glad they're housed here, and they do still have a good relationship with the architecture.