A6 • www.heraldextra.com Saturday, December 18, 2010 1898-2010

Photos courtesy provotabernacle.org This picture was taken in 1925 of the on the corner of 100 South and University Avenue, during the celebrations of University’s semi-centennial. Birth and life of a community icon

Genelle Pugmire DAILY HERALD

or more than a century, the corner of 100 South and Univer- sity Avenue in Provo has been a place for religious meetings, political gatherings, pa- triotic celebrations, graduations, concerts,F weddings and funerals. Thursday morning residents of Provo flocked again to that corner to stand in reverence and shock as their historic Provo Tabernacle burned. It’s impossible to tabulate the numbers of people who have gone through the Provo Tabernacle’s doors. However, it is testimony by virtue of the thousands of tweets, texts, e-mails, phone calls and public broadcasts, this building has touched people and leaves in its ashes numerous memories and stories. “I’ve lived in that ,” said lifelong resident Carma de Jong Anderson, 80. “I remember as a 4-year-old girl sitting on the benches watching my parents perform.” Clutching her camera in the freezing cold of Thursday’s early dawn, de Jong Ander- son slowly made her way to the tabernacle one more time. “I walked around this morning sobbing to see the windows fallen in because of heat. To see the smoke billowing, it tore my heart out,” de Jong Anderson said. “I’ve buried many friends and relations this past year. To have the tabernacle die is too much for me to bear. To see those skeleton windows where religion and art fused in beauty, it tears my heart. It’s a landmark of my high- est aspirations.” A picture of the completed Provo Tabernacle before the original tabernacle, whose spire is visible at the left of the picture, was demolished. “The tabernacle is the only building where Where that building stood, there is now a lush park today cornering on Center Street and University Avenue. The stack of the heating plant general conference of the church was held is visible also on the left. outside of , during polygamy raid days during the 1880s — the plaster wasn’t even done. Outside of the Salt Lake ist; Paul Robson, singer; pianist Bela Bartok; list,” Lund said. wonderful memories of people who built this Tabernacle, that was our last real landmark French organist Marcel DuPre; and Tasha The organ has gone through several re- beautiful structure.” from pioneer days,” noted historian Brent Tudor, children’s book writer. births as well. In the beginning it was just The last hours of the tabernacle were per- Ashworth said. Local stars including Robert Peterson, a reed organ. In the early 1900s they added haps some of its most glorious moments as “It’s not only on the National Historical George Dyer, Michael Ballam, Kurt Bestor pipes and did so multiple times, Lund said. it was decorated for the Christmas concert Registry but is also on the church’s land- and Michael McClain have all performed “Every historical building has its own “Gloria,” to be performed by Lex de Azeve- marks list. That means it is very significantly there, according to Kathryn Allen, executive significance,” said Cory Jensen, State do’s Millennium Choral Society. historical and as one of 20 tabernacles the director of the Downtown Business Alliance Historical Society. “This one had a broad ap- Tom Ashby, a member of the choir, left church works very hard at preserving it,” of Provo. peal to the overall population in Provo and rehearsal Wednesday evening around 10:30 said Jenny Lund, manager of church historic Religious and political leaders graced the the region. Because of its size there was an p.m. “I have been with the choir for two sites for the LDS Church History department. tabernacle pulpit as well. Nearly every LDS impact on the community. It was a promi- years and have performed in other churches president since Lorenzo Snow has spoken nent religious edifice.” and venues. The decorations and layout of 15 years in the making there as well as leaders from other faiths, Jensen said the tabernacle was listed in the tabernacle was phenomenal.” including Robert Schuller from the famous the National Register of Historic Places on Ashby describes how the tabernacle Construction of the tabernacle began in Crystal Cathedral in California. Two April Sept. 9, 1975. It was found to be significant looked in its final hours. He said as you December 1882 , and the building was dedi- General Conferences of the LDS Church both under the areas of Architecture and Re- looked from the ground to the pipe organ cated in April 1898. Cost was $100,000. The were held there in 1886 and 1887. ligion. Its architectural style was common in on either end of the pipes there were three architect was William Harrison Folsom, who In 1909, U.S. President William Howard the mid-to-late 19th century, particularly for levels of lighted Christmas trees. There were had designed the Manti Temple and the Salt Taft spoke at the tabernacle as a guest of religious structures throughout the country. garlands strung along the bottom of the Lake Tabernacle. “He was a significant ear- Sen. Reed Smoot. “It’s clearly a building connected to every- pipes at the base of the organ. ly architect and the son-in-law of Brigham Through its life the tabernacle faced a one in the community, by the text messages There were numerous lights rigged in the Young,” Lund said. number of close calls. According to Lund, it I’ve been receiving. Even emotion from ceiling that projected red and green splash The tabernacle was dedicated by George was partially condemned in 1913 because the kids that have texted me,” said Lewis Bill- along the walls, as well as a smoke machine Q. Cannon, who filled in when LDS Church roof’s truss system didn’t support the cen- ings, former mayor of Provo. “There was a poised to set the ambiance. The choir had President Wilford Woodruff fell ill. ter tower. It was renovated in 1917 and the historic feel when you were in there. It’s the been preparing since October for this week- Over its 112 years, the Provo Tabernacle tower was removed. real deal, a history tapestry.” end’s concerts. has hosted world-class entertainers, sympho- It was condemned again in 1949 because Barbara Lewis has many memories of the nies, ensembles, soloists and other artists. It of the roof system. “Fred Markham, a local Multipurpose building, and echoed the sentiment of many is thanks to people like de Jong Anderson’s LDS stake president, was an architect and residents. father, Gerrit de Jong Jr., and Herald R. he figured out a way to support the roof,” While used extensively by the community “My family and I have many memories Clark that the Provo Tabernacle was graced Lund said. At the time there was a serious for a variety of events, the LDS Church still associated with the Provo Tabernacle. I can by such talent. Clark was the dean of BYU’s move to tear down the tabernacle. held meetings in the tabernacle and was remember the building even when I was a College of Commerce and scheduled lyce- In the 1980s it was remodeled again and scheduled for a stake conference in two young girl many years ago,” Lewis said. ums in the Provo Tabernacle for both stu- brought back to its historic character and weeks. “When my husband, Ben Lewis, served as a dents and residents. was rededicated by now LDS Church Presi- Carl Bacon, a longtime resident of Provo, stake president, our stake conferences were According to historian D. Robert Carter in dent Thomas S. Monson. has attended many meetings at the taber- held in this beautiful building. I recall one his book “Tales from ,” “Late in The Provo Tabernacle featured Gothic- nacle over the years as a member and leader time when President Joseph Fielding Smith, 1938, Clark achieved Provo’s cultural coup style stained glass windows and a steep roof in the LDS Church and made arrangements who was an apostle at the time, visited this of the century. He arranged for a concert and corner turrets that gave the exterior for meetings there. historic building with his wife, and I can still from world-famous pianist and composer a distinctive look. A pipe organ provided a “It was a beautiful structure, similar in hear her wonderful singing voice. It is still Sergei Rachmoninoff.” Prior to his concert stunning backdrop to the elaborate, hand- some ways to the tabernacle in Salt Lake a very fond memory. When I woke up this in Provo he had performed at New York’s carved rostrum. with balcony, columns, beautiful organ morning, I was devastated by the news of Carnegie Hall. “The woodwork was absolutely spectacu- structure, and a mural in back of the taber- the fire. It is my hope and prayer that this Other notables on the list include opera lar. It is the best woodwork outside a nacle,” Bacon said. “It was just a place that Provo landmark can be restored to its origi- singer Helen Traubel; Jascha Heifetz, violin- — the Provo Tabernacle is at the top of the people loved to come because it had so many nal beauty.”