#11 Box Elder Tabernacle

Brigham Young personally selected the sight for this building at the highest point on main street, even after one had already been chosen. The cornerstones were laid on May 9, 1865, but because of the strong focus on completing the Transcontinental Railroad the work was delayed. The first meeting was held in 1879 and the building was officially dedicated in 1890. On February 9,1896 a fire started in the furnace room leaving only the stone walls behind. It took 13 months to rebuild but it was then that the iconic gothic-revival tower along with the 16 pinnacles along the sides were added.

This building was actually one of the first buildings in Utah to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Photos copyrighted by me.