Murray First Ward: Exterior Stained Glass

I have posted on the Murray First Ward chapel--its original building, and the new building where the stained glass was moved--a long time ago. Only recently was I able to visit the chapel at night, when the exterior window is lit from behind.

(Image Source: J. Willard Marriott Library)

It's quite a beautiful sight.

The Sunstone Magazine had small photos of the stained glass, as it was before it was moved to the original building. It leads to some interesting comparisons.

(Image Source: Sunstone Magazine)

Not only has the panel of Christ has been flipped, but so have the landscape panels on the sides. I'm not sure what the reason for this was.

It was common for stained glass to be ordered from the eastern United States; the pieces would be shipped to Utah and assembled by a local company. This explains the depiction of Christ, which has several traits that are unusual for a Mormon chapel (the haloed head, the feminine features).

Delicate fleur-de-lis symbols grace the top windows; the side panels depict a beautiful landscape.

There are some concerns I have. First of all, some of the plexiglass--particularly on the left side--has become clouded over time, making it difficult to see the window. You can see this in the image below: the panels on the left look cloudy.

What's more, the left landscape panel has a square near the bottom that was later replaced with a dark green piece of glass, and a small piece is missing next to one of the flowers at the bottom. This obviously occurred a while ago--you can see those things in the older image, as well. However, the left landscape panel is also beginning to bend outward at the bottom. This is really concerning.

Plexiglass is almost always placed over stained glass to protect it from wind and vandalism; however, it also traps heat in between the stained glass and the exterior plexiglass, which over time can melt the lead that holds the pieces of glass together. I hope this window gets looked at soon, and that the plexiglass can be cleaned.

Along the bottom is a note about the donation--on the left is "In Memory of Reuben Miller"; on the right is "In Memory of James R. Miller." The window was donated by Mary Jane Gardner Miller and Margaret Gardner Miller, in memory of their husbands, James and Reuban, who had passed away. The center panel says "Donated by J.P. Freeze and H.W. Brown." I was unaware of the involvement of these two individuals in the window.

Mary Jane Gardner Miller, incidentally, also donated the window that stood in the Millcreek Ward.

This window is absolutely lovely. I guess it would be nice if it could be seen from the chapel, as well, but it's nice that it's automatically lit at night. I hope this window can continue to be preserved for years to come.

(Image Source: Sunstone Magazine)

Morgan Stake Tabernacle

The tabernacle in Morgan, Utah is old. Well, sort of. The building's had a lot of changes. You can tell that just by looking at the pictures.

(Image Source: Church History Library)

The building was first built in 1878. In 1893, it completely burned down, leaving only the walls standing. They were able to salvage some seats and the organ, though.

It was rebuilt and rededicated in 1901, and has been extensively remodeled many times since then. Most recently, it underwent a huge remodel in 2008. They sensitively added onto the building (except for the steeple...I'm not a fan of the steeple.)

I'll be showing interior pictures in the next post.

Ogden Deaf Branch: Exterior Details

Edgehill 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.

The Edgehill Ward (near Sugarhouse) was built about 1941.

(Image Source: Church History Library) 

The landscaping is done very well--the staircase up to the chapel (there's on on either side) gives it a grand feel.

I did poke around the interior of this building, but there wasn't too much unique inside to document.

(Image Source: Church History Library)

What's more, I actually like the details they added later (even if it replaced the unique writing on the front of the building).

What should be on the front but another copy of Torleif' Knaphus' work? He's found in a lot of places. Now, here's the thing--this used to be in color. And I'm not talking about years ago--even recently I've seen photos of this chapel with the relief in color.

Either the color was removed fairly recently or I unluckily visited during a time when they're refinishing the exterior. Even without color, this is quite nice. I wish we could put more of this type of thing on our buildings.

Ogden Deaf Branch

The Ogden Deaf Branch was constructed around 1916. The building still serves the Ogden Valley Deaf Branch, and has special accommodations (such as a gently sloping chapel floor) to serve them.

The building was closed, but there are some pictures of the chapel on the branch's Facebook page.

(Image Source)

(Image Source)

"Those Who've Gone Before": Bloomington Chapel

This series honors LDS Architecture that is no longer standing. To see all the posts in this series, click here.

The old meetinghouse in Bloomington, Idaho stands out beautifully in this photo from the 1960s. By 1981, the use of this chapel had been discontinued, and it no longer stands today. Bloomington members now attend church in a neighboring town.

Bonneville Ward: Stained Glass & Chapel Details

This window was made by D'Ascenzo Studios of Philadelphia. It was donated by Junius and Margaret Jackson.

The window is based on Heinrich Hoffman's Christ in Gethsemane.

(Image Source)

I also liked some of the molding details in the chapel:

And this was hanging in the lobby. You never know what you'll find in some of these churches.

Bonneville Ward: Chapel Interior

This chapel is mostly set apart by the stained glass window at the front.

A ward member proudly told me that it's the most beautiful stained glass window in the Church. It is magnificent. I'll post a close up in my next post.

Bonneville Ward

Built in the late 1940s, the Bonneville Ward has some really nice architectural features. I liked the design of this steeple and its weather vane.

Interior pictures are coming soon.

Logan Institute: Interior

I had hoped that you would be able to see the stained glass on the exterior of the chapel from inside, but obviously that's not the case. It makes me wonder if it was visible at one point--this chapel has been remodeled extensively. Even so, I like the unique organ pipes, and the chapel retains a nice historic feel. It's still used regularly for worship services, as well as classes.