Kirtland Temple facts for kids
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Quick facts for kids Historical site |
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| Dedicated | March 27, 1836 by Joseph Smith |
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| Floor area | 15,000 sq ft (1,400 m2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Followed by | Nauvoo Temple | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Official website: http://www.kirtlandtemple.org/• News & images | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Kirtland Temple
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | Kirtland, Ohio |
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| Built | 1833 |
| Architect | Smith, Joseph; Et al. |
| Architectural style | Gothic, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000145 |
| Added to NRHP | June 4, 1969 |
The Kirtland Temple is the very first temple built by followers of the Latter Day Saint movement. It stands in Kirtland, Ohio, United States. This special building was finished and dedicated in March 1836. Joseph Smith, who started the movement, designed it. The temple mixes different styles like Federal, Greek Revival, and Gothic Revival.
The Kirtland Temple was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. It was also named a National Historic Landmark in 1977. For over a century, the Community of Christ church owned and managed it. But on March 5, 2024, ownership changed. Now, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) owns and operates it. It is a historic site open all year for tours, meetings, and other events.
Contents
Building the Kirtland Temple
How the Idea for the Temple Started
In 1831, members of the Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints) began gathering in Kirtland. Their leader, Joseph Smith, guided them. In December 1832, Smith said he received a message. This message called for building a special house for worship, learning, and order. On December 27, 1832, Smith announced that the temple would be built.
On May 6, 1833, Smith stated he received another message from God. It told church members to build "a house... wholly dedicated unto the Lord." This house was for the church's leaders. The First Presidency, including Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G. Williams, oversaw the start. They laid the first cornerstone on July 23, 1833. Construction began right after that.
Materials and Design of the Temple
Building started soon after the cornerstone was laid. Workers got Berea sandstone from Gildersleeve Mountain. They also gathered wood from nearby areas. The first plans called for a large room on the first floor. This room would be for worship services. A second large hall on the second floor was for a school for church leaders.
The temple's inside had special features. Its outside looked like New England Protestant buildings. For example, there were two sets of four-tiered pulpits. These were at each end of the worship rooms. They were for the leaders of the church. Church members gave their time and materials. They even ground up glass and pottery to mix into the stucco for the outside.
Community Effort in Construction
Building the Kirtland Temple was a team effort. To build faster, the Saints built a sawmill in Kirtland in 1833. An ashery, built earlier, was also used. Both helped supply materials for the temple. At the sawmill, workers made the inside support beams and fancy woodwork. The church bought 16 acres of old-growth forest for wood. Logs of walnut, cedar, cherry, and white oak were floated on the Chagrin River. They went to the sawmill to be cut and used.
Women in Kirtland also helped a lot. Joseph Smith's wife, Emma Smith, supervised them. They sewed clothes for the workers. They also made carpets and curtains from white canvas for the temple. These curtains divided the large first and second floors into smaller, private areas. They also offered privacy above the pulpits. Men worked on the temple during the day. At night, they guarded it from mobs and vandals.
Original Appearance and Purpose
The Kirtland Temple was not always white on the outside. It was originally a bluish-gray color. The roof was likely red, and the front doors were olive green. Today, only the doors are still their original color.
This was the first building of its kind for early Latter Day Saints. Its purpose was different from later temples. The lower main room was for worship services. It had two sets of pulpits, one at each end. The seats could turn to face either end. The second floor was for education. It housed a school for church leaders. The third floor was used for classes, church meetings, and offices. At this time, certain temple ceremonies practiced later were not yet part of the church.
According to a diary, Joseph Smith and other leaders had a shared vision. They believed God showed them how to build the temple. The building cost about $40,000 to construct. Other temples were planned in Missouri but were never built. This was because of conflicts that forced members to leave the state. Many church members were important to the temple's construction. Artemus Millet helped with the outside walls and the stucco mix. He also supervised part of the building work.
Temple Dedication and Special Experiences
The Dedication Ceremony
The temple was dedicated in a seven-hour service on March 27, 1836. About one thousand people attended. They performed traditional dedication rites. These included the Hosanna Shout and singing the hymn "The Spirit of God Like a Fire Is Burning." Church leader Sidney Rigdon gave a long sermon. Then Joseph Smith offered a dedicatory prayer. He said this prayer was given to him by revelation. Two other church leaders, Brigham Young and David W. Patten, reportedly spoke in tongues after the prayer.
A person named Truman O. Angell wrote about the dedication in his journal. He said that during the prayer, a wonderful feeling filled the building. At the end of the prayer, a church leader said an angel appeared. Joseph Smith later said this angel was Peter. He came to accept the temple's dedication.
Visions and Miracles at the Temple
Before the temple was finished, Joseph Smith wrote about visions he had there. On January 21, 1836, he saw "the celestial kingdom of God." He also saw "the blazing throne of God, whereon was seated the Father and the Son." Smith also reported seeing Adam, Abraham, and three family members. This experience is now a part of the LDS Church's scriptures.
After the dedication, Smith recorded more visions. On April 3, he and Oliver Cowdery prayed in the temple. Smith wrote that they saw Jesus Christ "standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit." According to Smith, Christ accepted the temple's dedication. He promised blessings if they were obedient. After this vision, Smith and Cowdery then saw Moses, Elias, and Elijah. This account is also part of the LDS Church's scriptures.
Changes in Ownership of the Temple
Early Control and Disputes
Joseph Smith did not stay in Kirtland long after the temple was used. In 1837, he started a bank that failed. This failure caused some members to leave the church. A group led by Warren Parrish took control of the temple. By 1838, Smith had to leave Ohio. He moved to Missouri with many loyal followers. After the Latter Day Saints moved, the temple was used by a teacher's school. Parrish's group broke up. By 1841, the remaining Latter Day Saints in Kirtland rejoined the main church.
After Smith's death in 1844, different groups tried to gain control of the temple. Various Latter Day Saint groups formed and dissolved in Kirtland. Many members eventually joined the Community of Christ. This church was then known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS).
Legal Battles and Modern Ownership
In 1860, a court in Ohio sold the Kirtland Temple. This was to pay off some of Joseph Smith's debts. Joseph Smith III and Mark Hill Forscutt bought a deed to the temple in 1874. In 1880, the RLDS Church started a lawsuit to get clear legal ownership. The court said the RLDS Church was the rightful successor of the original church. However, the case was dismissed. Even so, the Community of Christ gained ownership of the temple by 1901.
The local RLDS congregation used the building for Sunday worship until the 1950s. To protect the old building, a new church was built nearby. The temple then received more direct care and money from the worldwide church. Today, the building hosts many worship services, classes, and special events. It is used mainly by different Latter Day Saint groups.
Unlike the later Nauvoo Temple, the Kirtland Temple was never destroyed. The same stones from its original construction are still there. Even though most church members left Kirtland in 1838, the temple was never fully abandoned. It has always been held by members of the Latter Day Saint movement. It has been a place of worship and a symbol since 1836.
The Community of Christ owned the Kirtland Temple for over 100 years. On March 5, 2024, the LDS Church and Community of Christ announced a change. Ownership of the temple and other historic sites transferred to the LDS Church. This was part of a large purchase.
Visiting the Kirtland Temple Today
What to Expect on a Visit
The Kirtland Temple was used as a meetinghouse until the 1950s. Now, people usually experience the temple through guided tours. It also hosts community services and prearranged meetings. Tens of thousands of people tour the temple each year.
Under the Community of Christ, local residents often guided tours. During busy summer months, college students helped. Volunteers also came to help as guides, maintenance staff, or gardeners. Now, under the LDS Church, tours are guided by missionaries. The temple is part of the larger Historic Kirtland Village sites.
Events and Surroundings
About 50 worship services or educational events are held each year. The temple used to host community services for holidays. It also held an annual hymn festival. Members of different Latter Day Saint groups can hold their own services there by arrangement.
A Spiritual Formation and Visitors' Center opened in March 2007. Its outside looks like the temple. It has classrooms, worship space, a theater, offices, and a small museum. The museum shows items related to the temple and old documents. Until 2024, there was also a gift shop with books on Latter Day Saint history.
Gardens are located outside the temple. North of the temple is the historic Kirtland North Cemetery. It has graves from the 1820s. Just beyond the cemetery is the restored Joseph and Emma Smith home. Other sites of Historic Kirtland Village are also nearby.
Images for kids
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Plans for the Kirtland House of the Lord. On the other side are pasted ancient Egyptian Papyri Fragments, part of the collection Joseph Smith used to translate the Book of Abraham
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Interior view of lower court showing the west pulpits where the dedication was held March 27, 1836
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Far western classroom on the third floor of the temple that served as Joseph Smith's private study. It is where LDS D&C Section 137 was received
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Interior view of the east pulpits in the upper court of the Kirtland Temple
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View of the temple from the historic Kirtland North Cemetery
See also
In Spanish: Templo de Kirtland para niños
