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Salt Lake Tabernacle
2007.11.30
Henry Grow, an LDS civil engineer oversaw the initial construction of the Tabernacle, the domed roof being the most innovative portion of the building.
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Henry Grow, an LDS civil engineer oversaw the initial construction of the Tabernacle, the domed roof being the most innovative portion of the building.
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The organ in the Tabernacle has the pipes positioned behind the pulpit, and is a very visible and notable part of the Tabernacle. The original organ was made by Joseph H. Ridges and contained 700 pipes. The number of pipes has since been increased to 11,623, making the Tabernacle organ one of the largest pipe organs in the world. The current organ is largely the work of G. Donald Harrison of the former Aeolian-Skinner organ firm, and was completed in the late 1940s. The organ has undergone a few minor modifications since that time.
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The organ in the Tabernacle has the pipes positioned behind the pulpit, and is a very visible and notable part of the Tabernacle. The original organ was made by Joseph H. Ridges and contained 700 pipes. The number of pipes has since been increased to 11,623, making the Tabernacle organ one of the largest pipe organs in the world. The current organ is largely the work of G. Donald Harrison of the former Aeolian-Skinner organ firm, and was completed in the late 1940s. The organ has undergone a few minor modifications since that time.
2
The domed ceiling with the original candle light fixtures that have been retrofitted with electricity
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The domed ceiling with the original candle light fixtures that have been retrofitted with electricity
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The original benches and columns supporting the balcony were made from the native "white pine" (Engelmann Spruce) that the Latter-day Saint pioneers found in the area
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The original benches and columns supporting the balcony were made from the native "white pine" (Engelmann Spruce) that the Latter-day Saint pioneers found in the area
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Balcony Front
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Balcony Front
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Construction of the Tabernacle began on July 26, 1864, but construction of the roof did not begin until 1865 when all 44 supporting sandstone piers designed by William H. Folsom were in place. Grow rapidly built the roof structure from the center out, but encountered difficulty engineering the semicircular ends of the roof
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Construction of the Tabernacle began on July 26, 1864, but construction of the roof did not begin until 1865 when all 44 supporting sandstone piers designed by William H. Folsom were in place. Grow rapidly built the roof structure from the center out, but encountered difficulty engineering the semicircular ends of the roof
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When Young asked Grow how large a roof he could construct using the style of lattice that he had used on the Remington bridge, Grow replied that it could be "100 feet wide and as long as is wanted." Eventually, Grow engineered the Tabernacle roof to be 150 feet across and 250 feet long.
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When Young asked Grow how large a roof he could construct using the style of lattice that he had used on the Remington bridge, Grow replied that it could be "100 feet wide and as long as is wanted." Eventually, Grow engineered the Tabernacle roof to be 150 feet across and 250 feet long.
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Skeptics insisted that when the interior scaffolding was removed, the whole roof would collapse. The roof structure was nine feet thick, formed by a "Remington lattice truss" of timbers pinned together with wooden pegs.
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Skeptics insisted that when the interior scaffolding was removed, the whole roof would collapse. The roof structure was nine feet thick, formed by a "Remington lattice truss" of timbers pinned together with wooden pegs.
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Green rawhide was wrapped around the timbers so that when the rawhide dried it tightened its grip on the pegs
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Green rawhide was wrapped around the timbers so that when the rawhide dried it tightened its grip on the pegs
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How the truses for the roof was assembled
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How the truses for the roof was assembled
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Built at a time before electronics and audio amplifiers, the Tabernacle was constructed with remarkable acoustic qualities so the entire congregation could hear sermons given there, mainly for General Conference.
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Built at a time before electronics and audio amplifiers, the Tabernacle was constructed with remarkable acoustic qualities so the entire congregation could hear sermons given there, mainly for General Conference.
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Part of the balcony ceiling
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Part of the balcony ceiling
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The Tabernacle was used for a 130 years before 2004. The Tabernacle was closed from January 2005 to March 2007 for seismic retrofitting and extensive renovations. The baptistry, which was located in the lower portion at the rear of the Tabernacle, was removed as part of the renovation. New gold leafing was applied to the visible organ pipes, the ceiling was repaired and repainted, new dressing rooms and a music library for chior members were created, the rostrum was remodeled to accomodate a secondary seating arrangement or a stage for performances, and all plumbing as replaced. The historic building was reopened in March 2007, and rededicated for use on March 31, 2007.
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The Tabernacle was used for a 130 years before 2004. The Tabernacle was closed from January 2005 to March 2007 for seismic retrofitting and extensive renovations. The baptistry, which was located in the lower portion at the rear of the Tabernacle, was removed as part of the renovation. New gold leafing was applied to the visible organ pipes, the ceiling was repaired and repainted, new dressing rooms and a music library for chior members were created, the rostrum was remodeled to accomodate a secondary seating arrangement or a stage for performances, and all plumbing as replaced. The historic building was reopened in March 2007, and rededicated for use on March 31, 2007.
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I found this picture in the Mormon Museum, so I I shot it, thought it was an interesting photo
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I found this picture in the Mormon Museum, so I I shot it, thought it was an interesting photo
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The Tabernacle was built between 1864 and 1867 on the west center-line axis of the Salt Lake Temple. The aluminum-covered roof was constructed in an Ithiel Town lattice-truss arch system that is held together by dowels and wedges. The building has a sandstone foundation, and the dome is supported by forty-four sandstone piers. The overall seating capacity of the building is 8,000, which includes the choir area and gallery (balcony).
