Draper Utah Temple
The Draper Utah Temple is the 129th announced temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
On October 2, 2004, the First Presidency of the Mormon Church announced plans to build a temple in Draper, Utah. The Draper temple is the third Mormon temple in the Salt Lake Valley and the twelfth temple in Utah. Another temple, the Oquirrh (pronounced 'O-ker') Mountain Utah Temple, is also about to be constructed in the Salt Lake Valley overlooking Bangerter Highway in the Daybreak development. The site for the Draper temple is 2000 East 14000 South and is 12 acres. Construction is underway, and the temple is expected to be completed in 2008. The temple site will also include a meetinghouse.
The Draper planning commission approved the plans for the temple on May 18, 2006. The new temple will be 57,000 square feet and 166 feet tall. The design is similar to the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple, with white walls, a central spire and a stair step design. Included in the construction will be a parking lot that can hold 492 cars. Like many Mormon temples the temple site is on a hill.
On August 5, 2006, President of the Mormon Church, Gordon B. Hinckley, presided over a groundbreaking ceremony and site dedication. At the ceremony President Hinckley commented that it was the faithfulness of the members in attending the temple that made the need for another temple in the Utah area. In 2004 the Church recorded more than 32 million temple ceremonies performed by Church members, and temple attendance has been increasing, especially since many members now have access to temples that are much closer. This is due to the current President's zeal to build temples throughout the world. In the eleven years that President Gordon B. Hinckley has presided over the Church, more than 70 temples have been built. At the groundbreaking ceremony President Hinckley stated, "We must build temples where people can get to them, the church is now worldwide which means that temples must be built all over the world. Fortunately, because of the faithful, tithe-paying Saints, we have the means to do so."
The First Presidency has announced the open house and dedication dates for the Draper Utah Temple.
PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE Thursday, January 15 to Saturday, March 14, 2009 (excluding Sundays)
DEDICATION Friday, March 20 to Sunday, March 22, 2009 (in 12 sessions)
TEMPLE OPENS Monday, March 23, 2009
Open house tours are free but require reservations, which will be taken toward the end of the year.
External links
Temples in Utah
- Bountiful Utah Temple
- Brigham City Utah Temple
- Cedar City Utah Temple
- Deseret Peak Utah Temple
- Draper Utah Temple
- Ephraim Utah Temple
- Heber Valley Utah Temple
- Jordan River Utah Temple
- Layton Utah Temple
- Lehi Utah Temple
- Lindon Utah Temple
- Logan Utah Temple
- Manti Utah Temple
- Monticello Utah Temple
- Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple
- Ogden Utah Temple
- Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple
- Orem Utah Temple
- Payson Utah Temple
- Price Utah Temple
- Provo City Center Temple
- Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple
- Red Cliffs Utah Temple
- Salt Lake Temple
- Saratoga Springs Utah Temple
- Smithfield Utah Temple
- St. George Utah Temple
- Syracuse Utah Temple
- Taylorsville Utah Temple
- Vernal Utah Temple
- West Jordan Utah Temple