Portland Oregon Temple Facts for Kids

Portland Oregon Temple

Number

Dedicated

Quick facts for kids

August 19, 1989 by
Gordon B. Hinckley

Site

7.3 acres (3 hectares)

Floor area

80,500 sq ft (7,480 m²)

Height

181 ft (55 m)

Preceded by

Frankfurt Germany Temple

Followed by

Las Vegas Nevada Temple

Official website: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/temples/details/portland-oregon-temple • News & images

Additional information
Announced	April 7, 1984
Groundbreaking	September 20, 1986 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Open House	June 15 July 15 – 8, 1989
Designed by	Leland A. Gray
Location	13600 SW Kruse Oaks Boulevard Lake Oswego, Oregon United States
Exterior finish	White Vermont marble walls with green Vermont slate roof
Temple design	Modern, six-spire design
Ordinance rooms	4 (stationary sessions)
Sealing rooms	14
Clothing rental	Available
Cafeteria	Available
Visitors' center	Available

The Portland Oregon Temple is a special building for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It is located on about 7 acres (2.8 hectares) of land in Lake Oswego, Oregon. This spot is near two main roads, Highway 217 and I-5. The temple has a beautiful design with six tall white spires. Its outside is made of white marble with green marble details. The roof is green slate. The building is about 80,500 square feet (7,480 square meters) in size. Inside, it has four rooms for special ceremonies and fourteen rooms for family sealing ceremonies.

History of the Portland Temple
- Visitor's Center and Community Use
Images for kids
See also

History of the Portland Temple

The Portland Oregon Temple was the first temple built by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Oregon. It was officially opened in 1989 by Gordon B. Hinckley. Later, another temple, the Medford Oregon Temple, was finished in 2000.

Before the Portland Temple was dedicated, over 314,000 people visited it during a public open house. This allowed many people to see inside the temple before it was used for sacred purposes.

A historian named Ferenc Morton Szasz has said that temples like the Portland Temple, built after World War II in the western United States, are some of the most impressive religious buildings of that time.

The Portland Temple was the 42nd temple the Church had in operation around the world. It serves members of the Church from the Portland area, other parts of Oregon, and two cities in Washington.

Visitor's Center and Community Use

In 2012, a visitor's center was added next to the temple. This center is open to everyone every day from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Both the visitor's center and the temple grounds are popular places for people in the community to visit and enjoy. Gary E. Stevenson officially opened the visitor's center in June 2013.

In 2014, the Portland Oregon Temple celebrated its 25th year of being open and serving its purpose.

Like many places around the world, the Portland Oregon Temple was temporarily closed in 2020. This was done because of the coronavirus pandemic.