Sunday, July 26, 2015

Preservation Update: Manti Tabernacle Nearly 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.
 
The Manti Tabernacle project should be finishing in the next couple of months--probably by the end of the summer. Let's see how it's coming along. I've included a photo of what it looks like right now, and a photo from the week it first closed for renovation.

Current photo:


Pre-renovation:


It looks like, barring a last-minute paint job (which is definitely possible), the towers will retain their wooden look, instead of being painted white. It may look a bit awkward--especially because there are still white areas--but that is technically more historically accurate, from what I've been able to find.



Look at the details on the wood!


Another difference is the entrance on the east side. Before it was a clear glass door (see the 'before' photo above); now it's white.


Notice--no doorknob. Something tells me that doorknobs typically aren't added later to doors. Could it be that these doors will become merely decorative? It's hard to say.


I tried peeking in the windows to see how the chapel's coming along, but had no luck. I guess it'll have to stay a surprise.

At least the carvings are beautifully preserved, though.


I'll keep an eye on this project.

***

Chapels that have been sold off can become a variety of things, and one of those chapels may soon be a haunted house.


The Idaho Falls 3rd Ward building may soon become just that. Or it could become a culinary arts school, depending on what is decided by the city council and if the funds are raised. The LDS Church usually tries to make sure its buildings, if sold, aren't used for purposes they consider inappropriate. I wonder if a haunted house would make that list.

That'll do for today's update. Keep checking back!

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