Vernal Utah Temple

In October 2008 I visited all thirteen Utah temples. It was then that almost all of the photographs were taken that appear in this series of posts. To download a photograph click on the image to obtain the full resolution of 3264 x 2448 pixels with a file size of 3 to 4Mb.

Vernal was the first temple built from an existing building—the Uintah Stake Tabernacle

There are stones labeled 1907 and 1997, indicating the two years when the building was dedicated—first as a tabernacle and then as a temple

The tabernacle becoming a temple in 1995. I am in the foreground with my sons Daniel and Jake

1901, 1907, and 1997

In the photograph above notice there is only one year above the entrance instead of two years currently. If the dedication of the original tabernacle was in 1907 and the new temple was in 1997, what is the meaning of the year 1901? According to a Deseret News article on June 5, 1984, the year 1901 corresponds to the walls and roof being constructed:

The lot for building the Uintah Stake Tabernacle was purchased for $400, and quarrying operations for the foundation stone to be used in constructing the building began in 1899. Ground was broken in April 1900. The walls were erected and the roof put on in 1901. Work continued for five years, with the finish work — plastering, doors, windows, heating, fencing, painting — being done from August 1906 to August 1907.

Vernal Utah Temple Facts

Announced: 13 February 1994
Site: 1.6 acres.
Exterior finish: Face brick.
Temple design: Adaptation of Uintah Stake Tabernacle.
Rooms: Baptistry, celestial room, two endowment rooms, three sealing rooms.
Total floor area: 33,400 square feet.
Dimensions: 175 feet by 210 feet.
Groundbreaking, site dedication: 13 May 1995, by President Gordon B. Hinckley.
Dedication: 2-4 November 1997, by President Gordon B. Hinckley.

Due to the narrowness of the building, a two-stage endowment room was used—a concept which has been used in many temples ever since

Vernal Utah Temple Impressions

Like the Logan temple we moved to a terrestrial room half way through the session. The celestial room was beautiful. It was quite large, bigger than Ogden. It had a high ceiling and a large painting of Jesus Christ — what one would expect in a celestial room. There was a comfortable feeling about the temple. Beautiful brown woods communicated warmth and added to the “You’re at home” feeling.

Originally, the building served as the Uintah Stake Tabernacle for eastern Utah. The building was built with donated labor and was dedicated on August 24, 1907 by LDS Church President Joseph F. Smith. Smith reportedly said he would not be surprised if a temple was built there some day.

The statue Moroni had originally been painted gold. After four months it was decided that the statue should be given the traditional finish of gold leaf

The Reader Home, a turn-of-the-century residence in Vernal, became the source of 16,000 needed replacement bricks

The 1995 one tower tabernacle metamorphosing into a two tower temple.

Other Utah Temples

Bountiful Utah Temple
Draper Utah Temple
Jordan River Utah Temple
Logan Utah Temple
Manti Utah Temple
Monticello Utah Temple
Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple
Ogden Utah Temple
Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple
Provo Utah Temple
Saint George Utah Temple
Salt Lake Utah Temple