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51st temple dedicated
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Dedication of the Vernal Utah Temple
When President Joseph F. Smith — sixth President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — dedicated the Uintah Tabernacle in August 1907, he said he wouldn’t “be surprised if a temple were built here some day.” Almost 100 years later, the tabernacle was converted into a temple and marked the fulfillment of that prophecy.During the dedication, held from Nov. 2 to Nov. 4, 1997, attendees considered the house of the Lord to be a “unique temple.” Approximately 20,000 people attended the 11 dedicatory sessions, with 3,528 attending the first session.
The Vernal temple was dedicated in 11 sessions by President Gordon B. Hinckley, 15th President of the Church. Other leaders in attendance included President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency; President James E. Faust, second counselor in the First Presidency; and Elder Neal A. Maxwell and Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “We are grateful for this beautiful new structure which utilizes the historic tabernacle built by Thy people nearly a century ago. The original tabernacle came of a great spirit of faith and sacrifice on the part of those Saints who settled in this area. It was built as an offering unto Thee, and was held in the affections of the people long after it was used as a house of worship.”
Read the dedicatory prayer of the Vernal Utah Temple here.
Timeline of the Vernal Utah Temple
February
13
1994
Announced
On Feb. 13, 1994, local Church leaders in the Utah cities of Vernal and Roosevelt read a letter in Sunday meetings announcing that the historic Uintah Tabernacle would become a house of the Lord. The First Presidency, who sent the letter, consisted of Presidents Ezra Taft Benson, Gordon B. Hinckley and Thomas S. Monson.
May
13
1995
Groundbreaking
The Vernal Utah Temple groundbreaking ceremony was held on May 13, 1995. The ceremony was presided over by President Hinckley, who was called as 15th President of the Church two months prior.
October
11
1997
Open house
The Vernal temple open house was held from Oct. 11 to Oct. 25, 1997.
November
02
1997
Dedication
The Vernal Utah Temple was dedicated during 11 sessions from Nov. 2 to Nov. 4, 1997, by President Gordon B. Hinckley. His counselors, President Thomas S. Monson and President James E. Faust; as well as Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin and Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles also participated in the dedication sessions.
The Vernal Utah Temple was announced Feb. 13, 1994, in a letter from the First Presidency. Ground was broken for the temple on May 13, 1995, with Church President Gordon B. Hinckley presiding.
After an open house from Oct. 11 to Oct. 25, 1997, the temple was dedicated during 11 sessions from Nov. 2 to Nov 4, 1997, by President Hinckley.
The landscape has various trees and flowers and a wrought-iron fence with brick pilasters.
Inside the temple, the walls are hand-painted and feature sego lilies and wheat stocks — vegetation common to the area. The furniture was made to replicate the style of the early 1900s to honor the temple’s heritage. Pieces of furniture in the celestial room were crafted from horsehair and are replicas of the original armchairs the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles use in the Salt Lake Temple.
During the construction of the temple, additional brick was needed. Architects were able to manufacture some of the brick to look like the original brick, but they also had donations from a local resident who owned a house dating back to the same time the Uintah Tabernacle was built. The donated home, made from the same brick, provided the necessary additions to completing the temple. An architect stated, “From samples, it was determined fairly accurately that the brick in this house came from the same kiln as the brick used to build the tabernacle.”
The brick of the tabernacle was made from local red clay. When the tabernacle was first built, it took three days to bake the clay into bricks. An estimated 1,128 people volunteered over 5,000 hours to dismantle the donated house and salvage 16,000 bricks to use for the new temple.
After an open house from Oct. 11 to Oct. 25, 1997, the temple was dedicated during 11 sessions from Nov. 2 to Nov 4, 1997, by President Hinckley.
Architecture and Design of the Vernal Utah Temple
The Vernal Utah Temple is made with clay brick, making it one of few temples without a light exterior. The house of the Lord has two domed towers on the west and east sides of the building, the east tower holding a statue of the angel Moroni. In the wall of the east side of the temple is a stained-glass window depicting the Savior holding a lamb.The landscape has various trees and flowers and a wrought-iron fence with brick pilasters.
Inside the temple, the walls are hand-painted and feature sego lilies and wheat stocks — vegetation common to the area. The furniture was made to replicate the style of the early 1900s to honor the temple’s heritage. Pieces of furniture in the celestial room were crafted from horsehair and are replicas of the original armchairs the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles use in the Salt Lake Temple.
During the construction of the temple, additional brick was needed. Architects were able to manufacture some of the brick to look like the original brick, but they also had donations from a local resident who owned a house dating back to the same time the Uintah Tabernacle was built. The donated home, made from the same brick, provided the necessary additions to completing the temple. An architect stated, “From samples, it was determined fairly accurately that the brick in this house came from the same kiln as the brick used to build the tabernacle.”
The brick of the tabernacle was made from local red clay. When the tabernacle was first built, it took three days to bake the clay into bricks. An estimated 1,128 people volunteered over 5,000 hours to dismantle the donated house and salvage 16,000 bricks to use for the new temple.
Quick Facts
Announced
13 February 1994
Dedicated
2 November 1997
Dedicated by
Current President and Matron
Location
420 W. 200 S.
Vernal, Utah 84078
United States
Appointments
View schedule and book online
(1) 435-789-3220
Additional Facts
Fact #1
This was the 10th Latter-day Saint temple dedicated in Utah.
Fact #2
This was the 30th temple President Gordon B. Hinckley had dedicated or rededicated at the time of the Vernal Utah Temple dedication.
Fact #3
The Vernal Utah Temple was the first house of the Lord built from an existing tabernacle. It was the only temple of its kind until around 18 years later, when the Provo City Center Temple — also built from an existing tabernacle in Provo, Utah — was dedicated in 2016.
Fact #4
The original Uintah Tabernacle took seven years to build and was dedicated in 1907 by President Joseph F. Smith, the sixth president of the Church.
Fact #5
The temple is not only considered a sacred edifice where ordinances of salvation are performed; it is also recognized as a monument dedicated to Latter-day Saints who built the Uintah Tabernacle in 1907 (what the structure was originally called).
Fact #6
The entire interior of the Uintah Tabernacle was removed in order to make room for temple characteristics and features. The chief architect described this construction process: “We kept the outside and built a new building inside.”
Fact #7
The existing structure was so small that architects had to create an addition to the east side of the tabernacle in order to fit all the areas needed to perform ordinances and make covenants.
Fact #8
The original tower of the Uintah Tabernacle was placed in a nearby park and fashioned to look like a gazebo. The current towers on the temple are replicas of this original tower.
Fact #9
Many of the trees on the property are the original trees planted when the Uintah Tabernacle was built.
Fact #10
The stained-glass window on the east side of the Vernal Utah Temple was originally made in the 1920s for the Mt. Olivet Methodist Episcopal Church of Hollywood, California. The Church had bought this building in 1937 to use as a meetinghouse until the early 1990s.
Additional Facts
Fact #1
This was the 10th Latter-day Saint temple dedicated in Utah.
Fact #2
This was the 30th temple President Gordon B. Hinckley had dedicated or rededicated at the time of the Vernal Utah Temple dedication.
Fact #3
The Vernal Utah Temple was the first house of the Lord built from an existing tabernacle. It was the only temple of its kind until around 18 years later, when the Provo City Center Temple — also built from an existing tabernacle in Provo, Utah — was dedicated in 2016.
Fact #4
The original Uintah Tabernacle took seven years to build and was dedicated in 1907 by President Joseph F. Smith, the sixth president of the Church.
Fact #5
The temple is not only considered a sacred edifice where ordinances of salvation are performed; it is also recognized as a monument dedicated to Latter-day Saints who built the Uintah Tabernacle in 1907 (what the structure was originally called).
Fact #6
The entire interior of the Uintah Tabernacle was removed in order to make room for temple characteristics and features. The chief architect described this construction process: “We kept the outside and built a new building inside.”
Fact #7
The existing structure was so small that architects had to create an addition to the east side of the tabernacle in order to fit all the areas needed to perform ordinances and make covenants.
Fact #8
The original tower of the Uintah Tabernacle was placed in a nearby park and fashioned to look like a gazebo. The current towers on the temple are replicas of this original tower.
Fact #9
Many of the trees on the property are the original trees planted when the Uintah Tabernacle was built.
Fact #10
The stained-glass window on the east side of the Vernal Utah Temple was originally made in the 1920s for the Mt. Olivet Methodist Episcopal Church of Hollywood, California. The Church had bought this building in 1937 to use as a meetinghouse until the early 1990s.