San Bernardino (CA) Ward & Stained Glass

I've mentioned on a few of my past posts the stained glass window in the Redlands California Temple, which depicts the first vision:

This piece was originally in a depression-era Latter-day Saint Chapel in San Bernardino, CA. Located at the corner of 9th and F streets, it was built in 1930. 

You can clearly see where the First Vision window was (above the main entrance). The members commissioned this window along with about a dozen smaller windows that showed various Church symbols, which lined the sides of the chapel:

A close-up look shows that the top halves of the windows all had colored panes and a shield, while the bottom halves had the circular icon in the center of colored panes. (The one below is the seagull monument, which we'll show further below in this post.)

 Pres. Heber J. Grant dedicated the chapel in 1935 (and criticized the First Vision window, since the Father and the Son did not look exactly alike, as recorded in the Pearl of Great Price).

In 1960 the Chapel was sold, stained glass and all. Church members in the area tried to buy the stained glass back later. In 1978 the new Church housed in the building agreed to sell the First Vision window. A local member, Charles Eastwood, bought the window and took care of it. It was moved to the Church's new building in San Bernardino in 1979. Meanwhile, other members eventually asked the new church to sell the smaller stained glass icons, and was successful. She kept them in storage. In exchange for both purchases, Church members replaced the stained glass with clear glass. Here's how it looks today:

On the side windows, only the bottom halves of the windows, with icons, were removed. The top halves, with their colored panes and shields, remain in the building.

When the Church announced the Redlands CA temple in 2002, they moved the First Vision window to the temple foyer, and the member brought the smaller icons to be restored and displayed at the open house. Most of my images of the smaller icons are not very good:

The Bible and Book of Mormon, under banners labelling them the "Stick of Judah" and "Stick of Joseph":

The moon, sun, and stars:

The beehive, sitting atop a stone with the word "Deseret":

A Native American:

The MIA (mutual improvement association; forerunner of the YM/YW organizations) logo, including the words "The Glory of God is Intelligence":

A pioneer woman crossing the plains:

A wheat field, with the words D&C 11 in a banner, referring to the section that speaks of "the field is white already to harvest":

Christ with the children:

A cactus and a rose, with the words "The Deseret [not desert] shall bloom as the rose":

A lyre, with the words of D&C, "The song of the righteous is a prayer unto me":

The top of the seagull monument in Temple Square:

The Angel Moroni:

The Salt Lake Temple along with the reference to Isaiah 2:3-4 ("Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord..."): 

I believe all but 2 of the icons are in private possession, and 2 of the icons remain in the chapel in Highland, CA, but can't confirm that quite yet. Either way, the first vision one is in display in the Redlands Temple, but all are unique and give a snapshot of what the saints in San Bernardino valued and cherished.

Eighth Ward (Salt Lake): Stained Glass Details

The windows lining the chapel are classic examples of the prairie style: architectural patterns with mostly horizontal and vertical lines.

The windows lining the chapel are identical.

As shown previously, the windows above the north entrance are all identical...

...except for one.

Second Ward (Salt Lake): Stained Glass Details

July 2022: I originally posted photos of the Salt Lake Second Ward in 2015, but am now updating this post with more recent pictures.

 

My guess is that the corner tower used to be open, but now it has a drop ceiling covering it up. It also looks like it has beams that are strengthening the tower, likely for seismic measures.

 

 There are some small windows in the tower:

 

But the largest one is at the back of the chapel. This is the second reproduction of the First Vision window that is located in the Salt Lake Temple's Holy of Holies. The first was the window in the Seventeenth Ward (now leased to the American Heritage School), and that window was taller, allowing the Father and Son figures to expand more vertically. This window is shorter, and uses more warm colors (reds and golds) than the 17th window's purples and greens.

 

Like the 17th Ward, the words of James 1:5 run across the bottom of the window.

Unique to this window, a seagull (instead of the traditional religious symbol of a dove) is depicted at the top.

Columbus (OH) Branch

Image Source: Google Maps

This lovely building still stands in downtown Columbus, OH. It was built in 1930, and until the 1950s, it was the only LDS building in the state (besides historic buildings related to the Church located in Kirtland).

At some point, there was a lovely stained glass window of the Angel Moroni in the circular window near the top of the building.

The building was sold around 1960, and now is owned by Orthodox Catholic Church congregation. The window (not being suitable for a new congregation) was saved, and nearly 30 years later, when a meetinghouse was built in nearby Dublin (on the outskirts of town), the window was moved there.

Image Source: Google Maps

The new meetinghouse is not unique at all, but they still installed the original window above one of the entrances.

(Image Source)

It's a lovely little window, and I wish I knew more about the history of the building and when the window was made. Until then, I'm glad it's still enjoyed by members.

Coalville Tabernacle: Stained Glass Detail & Preservation

I have already done posts on the former Coalville Tabernacle and the chapel that replaced it and houses its paintings and stained glass. After my first visit I learned that the window at the front of the chapel has backlighting, and so I made another visit to properly photograph it.

This window is lovely, with cool green colors that contrast with the other windows.

A dove with an olive leaf is at the top of the window.

While there, I checked on the other windows and talked with some local members. The Church is taking good care of these historic artifacts--the paintings of the prophets were removed a couple of years ago for some cleaning and preservation efforts and then replaced. Now, the Church is working on the stained glass windows, taking them down one at a time to do repair and preservation efforts before replacing them. The south window was gone when I visited.

Finally, last time I visited, there were curtains on the sides of the stained glass windows; now, they have a bar at the top and a shade that comes down. The only issue is the bar blocks the top of the windows from being viewed properly, but it's a minor quibble. These stained glass windows are among the oldest in the Church, and I'm very happy to see that the Church is taking good care of them and keeping them in this chapel for local saints to enjoy.

Wilshire Ward (CA): Stained Glass Details

Six pairs of windows line the left side of the chapel. Each one has a different image relating to Christianity and LDS theology.

Wreath & Beehive

Olive Branch and Dove

Anchor and Lily

Star and Scripture

Chalice & Wheat

Grapes and Torch

At the front of the chapel is a beautiful window of Christ knocking at the door.

This window was actually based off of William Holman Hunt's painting, The Light of the World, and you can see the resemblance.

(Image Source)

I'm so happy that this building continues to be used regularly.