Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple Facts for Kids

The Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple is a special building for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was the 104th temple built by the church. You can find it in Florence, which is now part of Omaha, Nebraska, in the USA.

Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple

Number

104

Dedicated

Quick facts for kids

22 April 2001 by
Gordon B. Hinckley

Site

1.92 acres (0.8 hectares)

Floor area

16,000 sq ft (1,500 m²)

Height

86 ft (26 m)

Preceded by

Montevideo Uruguay Temple

Followed by

Guadalajara Mexico Temple

Official website: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/temples/details/winter-quarters-nebraska-temple • News & images

Additional information
Announced	14 June 1999
Groundbreaking	28 November 1999 by Hugh W. Pinnock
Open House	30 March – 14 April 2001
Designed by	Dan Reinhardt
Location	8283 North 34th Street Omaha, Nebraska United States
Exterior finish	Bethel white granite
Temple design	Classic modern, single-spire design
Ordinance rooms	2 (Movie, two-stage progressive sessions)
Sealing rooms	2
Clothing rental	No
Cafeteria	No
Visitors' center	Yes, Mormon Trail Center https://www.lds.org/locations/mormon-trail-center-at-historic-winter-quarters?lang=eng&_r=1

History of the Temple
See also

History of the Temple

A Special Place for Pioneers

The area known as Winter Quarters is very important to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was a place where early church members lived after they had to leave their homes in Nauvoo, Illinois.

Many church members, including those who came from Europe, also camped here. They stayed at Winter Quarters before they continued their long journey across the plains to the Salt Lake Valley.

Hardships Faced by Pioneers

This area holds the graves of many Mormon pioneers who died during their difficult journey. More than 2,000 church members passed away at Winter Quarters. They faced tough challenges like severe storms, illnesses such as scurvy and malaria, and not enough food or shelter.

Building a Sacred Place

The new temple was built right next to the Mormon Pioneer Cemetery and the Mormon Trail Center. On November 28, 1999, Truman F. Clawson led the groundbreaking ceremony. He said that day, "Now today on this end of the hill, we will take shovels in our hands to dig not a grave but the foundation of a special building, a temple."

Open House and Dedication

Before the temple was officially opened, many people helped get it ready. Church members and people from the Florence community worked together. They made handcrafted flowers for shops and decorated historic sites with balloons.

Over 61,000 visitors came to tour the Winter Quarters Temple during its open house. This was a chance for everyone to see inside the beautiful building.

On April 22, 2001, Gordon B. Hinckley, who was the president of the LDS Church at the time, dedicated the temple. People across the United States and Canada watched the ceremony on television. During his prayer, President Hinckley spoke about the great sacrifices the pioneers made. He also talked about how important it was to have a temple in Winter Quarters.

Temple Details

The Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple is about 16,000 square feet (1,500 m²) in size. Inside, it has two rooms for special ceremonies and two rooms for sealing families together.

In 2020, like all other temples of the church, the Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple was temporarily closed. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple facts for kids

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