Ogden Utah Temple facts for kids

The temple when it was first built

The Ogden Utah Temple is a special building belonging to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is located in Ogden, Utah. This temple was the sixteenth one built and the fourteenth one still being used by the Church. When it was first built, it had a modern design with one tall spire, much like the Provo Utah Temple. In 2014, the temple went through a big renovation, changing both its outside look and its inside rooms.

History of the Ogden Temple

Temples in Ogden and Provo were planned because the Salt Lake, Manti, and Logan temples were getting too crowded. The Ogden Temple now serves over 135,000 members of the Church. The Church announced plans to build a temple in Ogden on August 24, 1967. A special ceremony to lay the cornerstone happened on September 7, 1970.

The land for the temple is about 10-acre (40,000 m²). It is called Tabernacle Square. The Church had owned this land since the area was first settled. In 1921, Church president Heber J. Grant looked at the site. He thought it might be a good place for a temple, but decided it was not the right time to build.

When it was built, the Ogden Temple was different from earlier temples. Its original design was very modern. Also, it was built right in downtown Ogden, surrounded by businesses. This temple was the first one built in Utah since the Salt Lake Temple was dedicated in 1893. Utah became a state in 1896.

The original Ogden Temple had 115,000 square feet (10,700 m²) of space and four floors, with one underground. It included six ordinance rooms and eleven sealing rooms. The outside stone was carved, and decorative metal was added. Gold-colored windows also made the temple look beautiful.

Church president Joseph Fielding Smith dedicated the Ogden Temple on January 18, 1972. This was a few weeks before the Provo Temple was dedicated. In 2020, the Ogden Utah Temple closed temporarily because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Temple Renovations and Updates

From 2001 to 2002, the temple's outside and the surrounding area were changed. Workers fixed weather damage on the temple's exterior. The spire, which was originally yellowish-gold, was painted bright white. A fiberglass statue of the Angel Moroni was added to the spire. This happened almost 30 years after the temple was first dedicated. New walkways were added around the temple. These paths helped visitors walk around and reach the temple from the main street.

On February 17, 2010, the Church announced big changes for the Ogden Temple. These renovations would greatly change how the building looked, both inside and out. Old electrical, heating, and plumbing systems were replaced with new, energy-saving ones. Other improvements included building a new underground parking garage. The temple block was also completely relandscaped. The nearby Ogden Tabernacle was also renovated, and its spire was removed. The temple's inside space was reduced from 131,000 to 115,000 square feet. However, a better design meant there was more usable space after the changes.

On April 25, 2014, the Church announced that the renovations were almost done. A public open house was held from August 1 to September 6, 2014. After the open house, Church president Thomas S. Monson rededicated the temple. This happened in three special meetings on September 21, 2014.

Other Buildings on the Temple Block

Several other important buildings are located on the same block as the temple. The first building built there was the Weber Stake Tabernacle in 1855. It was on the southeast corner of the block. This building was taken down in 1971 when the temple was being built.

Buildings (past and current) located on the Ogden Utah temple block

The Weber Stake Relief Society Building was finished in 1902. It was on the western part of the block. In 1926, it was given to the Weber County Daughters of Utah Pioneers. They used it as a museum about pioneers. In January 2012, the building was moved about one block west. The City of Ogden donated the new land for it. This move made space for a new parking garage, which was part of the temple's renovation.

The Miles Goodyear Cabin was next to the Weber Stake Relief Society Building. It was part of the pioneer museum from 1928 until late 2011. Then, it was also moved to the new pioneer museum location.

The largest of the other buildings on the block is the Ogden Tabernacle, built in 1956. The tall tower on the north side of this building was removed during the 2010–14 renovation.

Ogden Stake Tabernacle before its tower was removed.

See also

In Spanish: Templo de Ogden (Utah) para niños