Local History | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Historical Background of the Jordan River Utah Temple

In the middle of the Salt Lake Valley, there unbelievable, and this temple is an answer is a river that runs from south to north. After to prayer and a dream come true.” Mormon pioneers entered the valley in 1847, The Jordan River Temple became the 20th they named the river the Jordan River. The operating temple in the Church, the sev- land near this river in the southern part of enth built in Utah, and the second temple the valley passed through several pioneer in the Salt Lake Valley. It was the fourth- families throughout three decades. In 1880, largest temple in the Church following the a 19-year-old English immigrant named Salt Lake, Los Angeles and Washington William Holt bought 15 acres of land from D.C. Temples. More than 34 years after the his uncle Jesse Vincent for $2.00 an acre. It original dedication, the Jordan River Utah remained in the Holt family and was passed Temple was closed in February of 2016 for to Holt’s son, Alma, in 1948. extensive renovation. In the autumn of 1977, Alma Holt and his At the time of the Jordan River Temple’s ear- family felt inspired to donate the 15-acre ly construction in June 1979, the population parcel of land in South Jordan to the Church. of South Jordan had grown to approximately On February 3, 1978, President Spencer W. 7,492, and the temple served approximate- Kimball announced plans to construct a ly 267,000 people in 72 stakes (a stake is temple on that prominent site overlooking similar to a diocese) in South Jordan and its the valley below. The name he chose for the surrounding cities. Due to extensive growth temple was the Jordan River Temple, named in the southern part of the Salt Lake Valley, after the river flowing through the area. the Draper Utah Temple was built in 2009. On June 9, 1979, President Kimball presided Later that year, the Oquirrh Mountain Utah at the groundbreaking for the temple. After Temple was completed, making South Jor- giving an address and dedicating the site, dan the first place in the world to have two President Kimball donned a hard hat, climbed Mormon temples within one city. onto a large front-end loader and scooped As of January 2018, the South Jordan popu- up the first shovelful of earth. Approximately lation had grown to 72,602 people. Church 10,000 people attended the groundbreaking. membership has also continued to grow dur- On November 16–20, 1981, the Jordan River ing this time. The Jordan River Utah Temple Temple was dedicated by President Marion will serve approximately 200,000 members G. Romney of the First Presidency in 15 from 66 stakes in the following cities: Herri- sessions. Sister Barbara Holt Jack, a daugh- man, Kearns, Magna, Midvale, Murray, River- ter of Alma, was able to attend one of the ton, Salt Lake, Sandy, South Jordan, Taylors- dedicatory sessions and said, “The Spirit was ville, West Jordan and West Valley.

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