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By Mark Wright
Kirtland Temple Open House Seeks to Acquaint Neighbors to Building
KIRTLAND, OHIO -- The historic Kirtland Temple, located in Kirtland, Ohio,
is listed on the Registry of National Historic Landmarks and draws tens of
thousands of visitors every year. Many of these out-of-state visitors are
members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who want to
examine the historical roots of their religion. Even though the temple is
currently owned by the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints (soon to be renamed the "Community of Christ"), there is a strong
draw for faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ since the temple is
one of the most important sites in early Church history.
While an increasing number of out-of-town visitors flock to the visit the
historic Temple site every year, local interest has traditionally been
somewhat limited. Although the Temple is located in very close proximity to
downtown Kirtland and is easily accessible from the freeway, many area
residents have never been inside the National Historic Site.
The Lake County Historical Society, in conjunction with the Kirtland Temple
Historic Center, hope that they have started to change all that. The two
groups teamed up to sponsor a free open house and tour of the temple last
week, geared especially for the local population. Part of the program
included a hymn sung from an 1835 hymnal by a choir dressed in costumes from
the 1830's. In addition, several experts on the construction of the Temple
discussed the Church's tradition in Kirtland and the challenges faced by the
Temple's pioneer builders.
The organizers of the program hoped to generate some interest about an
important local historical site for the residents of the surrounding
community. The program was specifically "designed to introduce ... the
temple to the folks who have driven by every day for 30 years but never
stopped," said Lachlan Mackay, site coordinator for the Kirtland Temple
Historic Center.
The historic significance of the building is well-known, but many actual
details about the use of the building by the early members of the Church are
less well-known. For example, at the time the Temple was constructed,
between 1833 and 1836, it was one of the largest buildings in northern Ohio
and could accommodate more than 1,000 people. The Temple served as a place
of worship but also did double duty as a grammar school and a place of
general religious instruction.
Source:
Groups try to localize a piece of history
Cleveland OH Plain Dealer 17Mar01 D1
By Lila J. Mills: Plain Dealer Reporter
Commuters invited to Kirtland Temple
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