Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Temple History

The Redlands California Temple was the fifth temple built in California, the third built in Southern California, and the first built in the Inland Empire.

The Redlands California Temple was announced the same day as the Newport Beach California Temple and the Sacramento California Temple.

A 13½-foot statue of the angel Moroni was placed atop the Redlands California Temple by crane on March 13, 2003, to hundreds of onlookers who watched from the adjacent stake center or around the construction barrier.¹

Temple Background

The Redlands California Temple sits on the Church's original landholdings in San Bernardino colony, established in 1851 under the direction of Brigham Young. The ethnically diverse settlement provided colony life to pioneer settlers, African-American families, Jewish merchants, Spanish rancho families, former Mexican government officials, and local Cahuilla and Serrano Indians.²

In planning for a future city at the settlement, a center block was designated as the site for a temple. However, no record exists of any efforts to erect this temple as the Saints stay in San Bernardino was relatively short.³

Today, the Redlands California Temple stands in an East Redlands residential area once occupied by orange groves. As a special treat, guests attending the groundbreaking ceremony were served orange juice, made from the trees removed from the site.⁴

Behind the reception desk is a beautiful art glass panel once part of a San Bernardino meetinghouse built in 1930. Members kept the window after sale of the property and used it in a Pacific Avenue chapel until it was brought to the attention of interior designer Greg Hill, who chose the piece as a lobby showpiece.⁵

Over 15,000 people donated rocks needed for the temple's construction. Deliveries arrived from local members and out-of-state donators. Some were gathered from the campsite of the 1851 pioneers, now the Glen Helen Regional Park in Devore.⁶

Primary children joined the rock project, painting pictures and writing messages on many. The sustained ethnic diversity of the area is evident in the numerous languages represented. The children also donated pennies to help fund the palm trees that circle the temple.⁷

Many descendants of the early San Bernardino Valley settlers were invited to attend the open house, few of which were members of the Church. It proved to be an emotionally charged experience for many. Serrano Indian descendant Goldie Walker entered the ordinance room and spoke with tears in her eyes, "I think I can feel a bit of heaven here." Native Americans families showed particular interest in the Christ-in-the-Americas painting, wanting to know more.⁸