While the building was originally built without a mural, a group of women in the ward, in 1952, asked permission to commission a painting to decorate the meetinghouse. Permission was granted for them to commission a mural by LeConte Stewart (who has painted murals in Laie, Mesa, and Cardston) to be placed in the chapel. Stewart painted it at his studio in Utah and brought it to Denver in 1956.
The mural depicts Christ teaching the 12 apostles outside the walls of Jerusalem.
Apparently some suggestion was made that the mural should be painted over in the 1980s. A local ward member went to Salt Lake and talked with Church History Museum and Physical Facilities Department officials, and it was decided that the mural would stay. The ward had offered to pay to preserve the aging mural, but the Church paid for an official restorer to come and restore the mural. It still stands in the chapel.
Those of us who attended church in this building call it the 740 Hudson building. I went there until the Denver 4th ward was divided and a new building was built on Alameda Avenue in Aurora for the 18th ward.
ReplyDeleteI have a brief video of the groundbreaking where my father played the clarinet with a small group. I have many memories of that building! My father was bishop there when I was young. Just last week I was looking for a photo of the painting that you have shown here. My brother was in the stake presidency and was there when they opened a time capsule!
That's pretty cool! I believe the building has a courtyard?
Deleteyes it does. There was an addition on the east side that added more classrooms and a new baptismal font and large room. This made the courtyard very enclosed with only one outside entrance. All my siblings held their receptions in the cultural hall and I went to many stake dances in that building. There was a bit of renovation a number of years ago and the cultural hall windows look very nice. 740 Hudson was such a huge part of my life for all my growing up years.
DeleteA few weeks ago you posted on the building being leased to the a private school. Looks like some of the wards are moving to a highrise. https://www.ksl.com/article/50384288/new-downtown-skyscraper-is-now-home-for-6-latter-day-saint-wards. The school and old building are briefly mentioned in the article above.
ReplyDeleteI saw that. They moved over the painting of David O. McKay to the new building. I kind of wish they had moved the stained glass over, too. I'm worried about the future of that window.
DeleteWith the building being leased instead of sold, I hope there is more preservation. The school has a history and faith based curriculum, so I hope they keep much of the historical aspects of the architecture.
ReplyDeleteI served as a missionary in Colorado Denver Mission from 1977-1979, there was only one mission in Colorado at that time. I was assigned to serve in the area of this building for just a few weeks while transfers were being worked out. I had forgotten all about this building and mural. I came to your site looking for another historical church building in Denver. It was a very old brown brick building. When I was there (77-79) it served as the meeting house for a single adult ward. It was on a street that runs North and South and maybe north and east of downtown Denver. I know this is a long shot. Any idea what building I’m referring to? Is it still standing and in use? Thanks.
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