Pocatello Idaho Temple
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Photo: Rick Satterfield
2021: The Most Temple Announcements Made in One Year
The most temple announcements made in a single year was achieved in 2021. President Russell M. Nelson announced plans to construct temples in 34 locations throughout the world. Announcements were made at the April and October general conferences and at a special press conference for the Manti Utah Temple. The beginning of construction was marked by groundbreaking events for 12 temples. And dedications were held for the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple and the Pocatello Idaho Temple. The renovated Mesa Arizona Temple was also rededicated.
Photo: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
President Ballard Dedicates the Pocatello Idaho Temple
President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, dedicated the Pocatello Idaho Temple today in three sessions, making it the 170th dedicated temple in operation. He was accompanied by Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve who grew up in the area. "I had a beautiful childhood here from the time I was just about 4 or 5 until the time I left on my mission and came back, so it has great memories for me," said Elder Andersen. "I'm so happy to see it is a magnificent temple on the hill. It's no small temple. And you can see it from almost everywhere in the valley." The 71,000-square-foot temple stands in a beautiful location in the eastern foothills that is visible for miles.
Photo: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Open House Gets Underway for the Pocatello Idaho Temple
Interior photographs of the newly completed Pocatello Idaho Temple have been released ahead of the public open house that begins this Saturday, September 18. "This is an opportunity for all of the Saints here to be great neighbors in normal and natural ways to just reach out and love those around them and invite them to help them understand what the temple is all about," said Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, who is serving as the president of the North America Central Area. He and Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will help host invited guest tours over the next few days. Free tours will continue through Saturday, October 23, 2021.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Preparing for the Pocatello Idaho Temple Open House
Tents are going up on the grounds of the Pocatello Idaho Temple ahead of the public open house to be held Saturday, September 18 through Saturday, October 23, 2021. In response to the rising number of COVID cases nationwide, adjustments are being made to the open house experience. The pre-tour video will be offered online rather than being shown in meetinghouses; tour groups will be limited in size; and guests will wear face coverings. The interior finish work of the temple is exquisite, featuring dark wood paneling and carved wood moldings; smooth travertine floors with natural stone baseboards; vibrant patterned rugs and sculpted carpets; hand-painted ceilings with deep pink, dark green, and gold-leaf accents; and stunning artwork, framed mirrors, and stained glass throughout. Make a free reservation to take an in-person tour of this beautiful House of the Lord.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Construction Trailers Removed from the Pocatello Idaho Temple Site
The construction trailers and information center for the Pocatello Idaho Temple that have occupied the upper tier of the Highland stake center parking lot for the past two-and-a-half years have now been removed, along with the last remaining sections of construction fence. The missionary couple that has overseen the project are managing the final details remotely. The parking lots have been striped including numerous handicap spaces, and a final overseas shipment is en route to finish furnishing the temple. Open house tickets are available for all five weeks.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Pocatello Idaho Temple Open House Tickets
Free tickets for the first week of the open house of the Pocatello Idaho Temple are now available. Tickets will be released for the other four weeks shortly. Artwork has been hung in the temple, and the rooms are being furnished. The major landscaping has been completed, which will be finalized just a few weeks before the open house begins with the planting of tens of thousands of flowers.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Grass Appearing at the Pocatello Idaho Temple Grounds
Over the past two weeks, sod has been laid across the grounds of the Pocatello Idaho Temple including the front lawn, the north lawn, and the park strip around the perimeter of the property. Flowers will be planted in the garden space around the monument sign just a few weeks before the public open house begins. Work on the north plaza is progressing with the installation of sprinklers and bollard lights and the planting of shrubs and flowers. Most of the contractor vehicles have left the parking lot as construction nears completion.
Photo: Scott Keller
Lighting the Exterior of the Pocatello Idaho Temple
Exterior lighting tests and adjustments continue periodically for the Pocatello Idaho Temple. The holy structure was all aglow last night, drawing hundreds of visitors to the grounds with cell phones in hand to snap pictures and text their friends. A 45-second aerial video of the site shows not only the beauty of the temple at night, but also the progress on the landscaping. No grass sod has been laid, but plenty of path lights are operating among the nearly 500 trees and numerous shrubs that have been planted.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Public Open House and Dedication Announced for the Pocatello Idaho Temple
The general public is invited to an open house for the newly constructed Pocatello Idaho Temple beginning Saturday, September 18, and continuing through Saturday, October 23, 2021. The temple will be dedicated in three sessions on Sunday, November 7, 2021, by President M. Russell Ballard, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Just prior to the dedication, a youth devotional will be held on Saturday evening, November 6. The youth devotional and the dedicatory sessions will be broadcast to all of the congregations in the temple district.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Progress on the North Plaza at the Pocatello Idaho Temple
The trees that have been planted over the past year at the Pocatello Idaho Temple are putting on their spring leaves, bringing a feeling of life and vitality to the grounds. Handrails have been installed along the front staircases, and the recently poured concrete slab in the north plaza has been stained to create bands that connect the granite-clad planters at each corner. The four planters are wired for path lighting, sit next to newly installed park-style lamp posts, and each hold a tree.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Spring Sunset at the Pocatello Idaho Temple
Springtime in Idaho brings pink blossoms and pink clouds as seen at the Pocatello Idaho Temple last night. The backlit art glass and setting sun produce a heavenlike combination of light and color. Landscaping efforts are progressing at the temple. On the south side, some trees have been planted and the path lights are operating along the staircases and walkways. A slab has been poured between the planter boxes for the north plaza where some trees have been planted and many more trees and shrubs sit in buckets, awaiting to be dropped in the ground. The lower tier of the east retaining wall has been covered in fresh mulch and evenly spaced trees.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Majority of Art Glass Installed in the Pocatello Idaho Temple
The lights inside the Pocatello Idaho Temple glow each night, illuminating the art glass that has been installed in most of the window openings. Trees and soil conditioner have been delivered to the north plaza to advance the landscaping efforts as winter weather gives way to spring. Drip lines are delivering water to the freshly mulched garden spaces around the perimeter of the property.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Scaffolding Removed from the Pocatello Idaho Temple
Stack after stack of scaffolding sits in staging areas around the Pocatello Idaho Temple, having just been removed from the fully clad building. Mounds of compost are being delivered to the grounds for conditioning and preparation of the soil for soft landscaping that will be planted over the next few months. A few more art glass windows have been installed, but work is largely focused on the interior. Today marks the 191st anniversary of the organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Angel Moroni Takes His Place Atop the Pocatello Idaho Temple
On March 10, 2021, just six days before the two-year anniversary of groundbreaking, a gold-leafed fiberglass figure of the angel Moroni was installed at the top of the Pocatello Idaho Temple with his trumpet pointing northwest over the Portneuf Valley. To members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the angel Moroni is a symbol of the restoration of Christ's church in the latter days. The newly clad entrance to the temple, which has been obscured by tenting for months, has also been revealed with its beautiful corner scrolls and Holiness to the Lord inscription stones.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Art Glass Installation Begins at the Pocatello Idaho Temple
The first panes of art glass have been delivered and installed in the upper east wall of the Pocatello Idaho Temple. The floral shapes in the glass represent the bitterroot and syringa flowers that are common and significant to the region. The top of the spire has been wrapped in plastic sheeting to allow cladding to progress, and scaffolding remains in place on the front (west side) of the temple. Inside, there is millwork, network cabling, locker installation, and other activities underway.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
The Mountain of the Lord's House in Pocatello, Idaho
With millwork underway inside the Pocatello Idaho Temple and cladding of the spire progressing on the exterior, members are hoping to see the temple completed later this year and to oversee its opening events. "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths" (Isaiah 2:2–3).
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Sheathing Reaches Top of Pocatello Idaho Temple Spire
The final segment of exposed steel has been covered in gypsum board sheathing at the top of the spire of the Pocatello Idaho Temple, giving added form to the heaven-pointing structure. The upper portions of the spire have yet to be clad in stone, and cladding continues on the covered entrance to the building. The temple is well positioned to be seen from far across the Snake River Plain. The American Falls Reservoir is seen in the background of the accompanying photograph.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Pocatello Idaho Temple Monument Sign Completed
The monument sign at the entrance to the Pocatello Idaho Temple has been clad in beautiful granite pieces, including inscribed stones that designate the name of the Church, the temple, and the street address. Scaffolding has been removed from the majority of the north side of the temple, joining the east and south sides, while cladding nears completion on the west side. Cladding also continues on the spire and the landscape structures on the south.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Windows Installed in the Pocatello Idaho Temple Spire
Crew members at the Pocatello Idaho Temple have gone home for the holidays, bringing a hush to the normally busy construction site. Window frames, medallions, and glass have been installed in the temple steeple, which has been partially sheathed and clad in granite. The upper walls have all been clad except for a portion of the west wall above the entrance. New houses are being constructed all around the temple, as housing demands remain high in the community.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
South Side Granite Revealed at the Pocatello Idaho Temple
Scaffolding is coming down from the south side of the Pocatello Idaho Temple where the granite cladding has been completed, joining the completed east side. On the north, the cladding has reached the top of the building and is being grouted while the landscape structures in the north plaza are also being clad. Stonework on the west side continues. Hard landscaping continues to be installed on the south including garden spaces and staircases leading from the parking lot.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Landscaping and Cladding Progress at the Pocatello Idaho Temple
A walk around the Pocatello Idaho Temple has become more inviting with the majority of the chain-link construction fence removed and the black ornamental fence in place. Three strips of landscaping surround the fence including trees and shrubs between the street curb and sidewalk, grass (not yet laid) between the sidewalk and landscape curb, and bushes between the landscape curb and fence. More trees and plants have been added to the grounds, surrounded by a bark mulch. Cladding of the exterior is making great progress with the east and south sides completed, the north side nearly so, and about a third of the west side done. Cladding of the spire continues under plastic sheeting.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Pocatello Idaho Temple Spire Wrapped
The scaffolding surrounding the spire of the Pocatello Idaho Temple has been wrapped in plastic sheeting to protect workers and materials against the cold of the coming winter months. Most of the ornamental fencing has been installed, and curbing is being poured around the perimeter of the fence to create a strip of soft landscaping. Granite cladding has been attached to the east side of the temple, most of the north and south sides, and part of the west. Much of the base of the tower has also been clad. Dozens of crates of travertine tile sit in a staging area for installation on the main floor. Sitting high on the east bench, the temple site affords a beautiful view of the west bench mountains and the Snake River Plain.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Upper Level Granite Revealed at the Pocatello Idaho Temple
Scaffolding is coming down from the east side of the Pocatello Idaho Temple, uncovering the beautifully detailed Temple White granite cladding affixed to the upper walls of the building. Cladding is nearing completion on the south side with some progress being made on the east and north sides. Plenty of work also remains to clad the steeple. Installation of the ornamental fence is progressing with more posts set into concrete and spindles appearing in the open spaces. Crews are bracing for temperatures to take another dip this week as the region gradually descends into winter weather.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Concrete Base Poured for Pocatello Idaho Temple Monument Sign
The west lawn of the Pocatello Idaho Temple recently saw the addition of a concrete base for the monument sign, which is centered in front of the temple and flanked on either side by symmetrical staircases and rows of trees that ascend the hill to the temple entrance. Granite cladding of the upper walls has also reached the west side with the majority of the east and south sides completed. An additional retaining wall has been poured along the east side of the grounds while installation of the ornamental fence continues.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Staircases Added at the Pocatello Idaho Temple
The sun sets on another day at the Pocatello Idaho Temple where construction continues to move forward at a steady pace. A temporary staircase has been added to the scaffolding around the spire to make travel up and down the structure more safe and efficient over the upcoming months. In addition, concrete staircases are being poured across the front lawn from the driveway to the entrance, and the concrete fence posts at each corner of the property are being clad in beautiful granite. Cladding of the building is also making good progress on the east and south sides of the building and around the base of the spire.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Ornamental Fencing for the Pocatello Idaho Temple
Since the end of July, fence installers have been dropping black posts around the perimeter of the Pocatello Idaho Temple site for the ornamental fencing that will enclose the grounds. Forms have been removed from the planter boxes in the north plaza and stakes have been placed to guide the installation of future elements. Granite cladding continues on the upper walls of the east and south sides of the temple as well as around the base of the tower. Due to its complexity, work on sheathing and cladding the steeple may not wrap up until the winter months. Relive the past 17 months of construction in a 10-minute highlights video.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Scaffolding Added Around the Pocatello Idaho Temple Spire
During the month of July, crews assembled scaffolding around the spire of the Pocatello Idaho Temple to prepare for sheathing, cladding, and installation of the angel Moroni statue. A gap in the sheathing on the front side of the temple has now been completed with installation of granite cladding making its way around the rear side toward the front. Concrete planter boxes have been poured for the patron plaza on the north, and trees continue to be planted across the grounds.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Pocatello Idaho Temple Bridal Plaza
On the north side of the Pocatello Idaho Temple, forms are being set for a gathering plaza that will especially cater to bridal parties. Brides and grooms will exit from the rear side of the building and walk to the north where they can be received by family and friends and take pictures with the granite walls of the temple as backdrop. Exterior work is progressing with granite cladding climbing the second-level walls and sheathing being attached to the base of the tower. Interior work is also underway on the main level.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Landscaping the Pocatello Idaho Temple Grounds
Over the past three weeks, landscape contractors at the Pocatello Idaho Temple have made major improvements to the temple grounds including sidewalks and trees around the perimeter of the property, trees in the garden spaces, new irrigation lines, and landscape structures at each of the four corners of the site. Installers are attaching granite to the front entrance portico and preparing for granite installation on the second level by attaching hanging brackets and backing. Temporary glass has been installed in all of the window openings, allowing interior work to move forward.
Photo: Rick Satterfield
Deliveries to the Pocatello Idaho Temple
Hundreds of crates fill the staging areas around the Pocatello Idaho Temple as deliveries of materials continue to arrive at the construction site like stacks of steel framing studs, window frames, and ductwork; crates full of granite cladding; and dozens of trees awaiting planting. Granite has been installed on most of the main level including all of the north and east sides and much of the south and west. On the second and third floors, interior framing is well underway, ducts are being installed for the HVAC system, and window frames are going in. At the rear corners of the property, concrete footings have been poured and rebar set for landscape structures. Irrigation lines are also being installed.