The LDS temple was completed in 1877 and it was the third one completed under the newly formed Chruch.
Location:
It is located here
History:
It was announced on November 9, 1871, by Bingham Young and dedicated on April 6, 1877. It was the first built in Utah and the third overall. President Young chose a 6-acre lot. The lot was found to have a number of underground streams and was swampy. He was encouraged to move the site, but he stood firm in where the temple should be at.
They created drains and brought in lava rock for the foundation but trying to crush it was a different story. They used a cannon to do this by dropping it as a pile driver. A cool way to do this.
When the temple was finished and dedicated, the church held the 1877 General conference in the city of St. George. The St. George temple was the only temple that completed during President Young’s time as president of the Church. He passed away on August 29, 1877, at the age of 76.
Timeline:
- Announced on November 9, 1871
- Dedicated on April 6, 1877 in a special General Conference in St. George.
Facts:
They opened up quarries, cut and hauled and planed the timber. Some of the members donated half their wages to the temple. They worked for 5 years to complete the temple.
When it was completed it used 1,000,000 board feet of lumber which has been hand-chopped and hauled between 40 and 80 miles. 17,000 tons of volcanic rock and sandstone hand-cut and hauled by mule teams.
As mentioned before, the semi-annual general conference was held in St. George and not Salt Lake City.