The Paris Tabernacle

This morning we went to the caves. Lots and lots of stairs and cold in there! I was carrying Ezra the entire time so I never took any pictures but it was very cool! 

Dad and Mom went with us to Paris, about 15 minutes from our cabin, to go on a tour through the Paris tabernacle. I love to see the buildings the early church members built. They put in so much intricate details all by hand. Beautiful workmanship for sure. 

Here's some facts about the tabernacle from the pamphlet I was given. 

Faithful members of the Church settled the Bear Lake valley in 1863. Six year later they were organized in to the Bear Lake Stake, the first Stake outside the territory of Utah. Members began organizing and seeking permission to build the Tabernacle.

Native timbers came from nearby forests and the red sandstone was quarried 18 miles away at Indian Creek, hauled by teams of oxen and horses, and stockpiled for nearly twenty years before actual construction began.

Construction began in 1884 using the architectural designs of Joseph Don Carlos Young, a son of Brigham Young. The Tabernacle represents the architecture and distinctiveness of buildings constructed in the late 1880s. The building is 127' 6" long, 73' 4" wide and 110' to the tallest spire. Construction costs totaled $50,000 paid through voluntary donations of money and time. 

Church President Wilford Woodruff and George Q. Cannon dedicated the Tabernacle on September 15, 1889.

The Paris Idaho Stake Tabernacle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints represents a period of exceptional and commanding architecture, strong local influence and dedicated members. During a century of service, the Tabernacle, with a capacity of 1,500, served as headquarters or local church leadership and an assembly place for members. Very little has changed since dedication for use in September 1889.

Grandpa and Grandma and the grandkids.

Doors and the top pinnacle were made by John G. Grimmett. Original shingles were cut to exact 4 inch widths. The tower shingles were finally replaced in 1984. 

It is so beautiful inside!

Sloping floors, a common practice in the late 1800s, provided clear line of sight to the podium. Hardwood floors are nailed in place with handmade square nails. Benches are are all original. James Collings Sr., a shipbuilder, using a construction style commonly found in sailing ships, built the distinctive ceiling. 

Olivia up at the podium...barely peaking over. I like the white woodwork. 

James Nye constructed the ceiling above the organ and did the decorative spindle work. 

I didn't take a picture of the inside doors but there's a fun fact about them. Hardwoods were expensive and difficult to obtain so doors were painted in a 'graining' style which uses a technique of varnishing over white paint and white wet, finishing with a particular hardwood grain effect. This technique was popular in the West because of the lack of natural hardwoods. 

Mom was allowed to play the organ. It was so pretty and such a rich sound ringing through the entire tabernacle. 

The first organ with hand-pumped bellows and two-manual reed was used from 1893 through 1928. An Austin two-manual pipe organ, built in Hartford Connecticut, installed in 1928, is still used today.

The upper balconies

I liked the turret in the back of the building. It's right behind the organ. There was barely enough room for me to squeeze back behind the pipes. I walked behind the organ pipes and saw the curved wall. When I was outside and saw the turret I knew exactly what was in the turret. On the lower level is a room for meetings. We sat in the room listening to the senior missionary talk to us. 

I learned something new. The mortar was made to squeeze out from between the sandstone bricks to make the walls stronger. I learned that the Logan Temple is like that as well. Thomas G. Lowe, a contractor from Logan, oversaw construction. Swiss stonemasons, Jacob, Jacob Jr., John and Christian Tueller, after completing the Logan Temple, relocated to the valley to do the stonework on the Paris Tabernacle.  

side view

I'm so glad we were able to get a tour though the tabernacle. The times of the restoration and the building up of the church truly are amazing to me. I love learning about it...I just have a hard time remembering stuff I learn. 

We learned that Paris was named after a man with the name Perris. It was just spelled incorrectly.

The boys each were given a Spanish Book of Mormon. They were thrilled! Aidan went to reading it immediately. He truly has a love for the scriptures. I think as Tyler learns to read more he will like to read his el Libro de Mormon as well.