Dedication of the Los Angeles California Temple
In August of 1847, Church President Brigham Young wrote a letter to the early Saints living in California, saying that “in the process of time, the shores of the Pacific may yet be overlooked from the temple of the Lord.” Ninety years later, the first temple for California would be announced for the Los Angeles area on April 17, 1937, when Church President Heber J. Grant announced that he had chosen a site for the temple.
Unfortunately, the temple construction wouldn’t begin until Sept. 22, 1951, as a result of delays caused by the Great Depression and World War II. Once the temple was built, however, nearly 50,000 Church members attended the dedication sessions held from March 11 through March 14, 1956.
Church President David O. McKay dedicated this house of the Lord, and every member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles attended a session and added his testimony to the Prophet’s.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “We have felt Thy presence and in times of doubt and perplexity have hearkened unto Thy voice. Here in Thy holy house, in humility and deep gratitude we acknowledge Thy divine guidance, Thy protection and inspiration. This is truly Thy work — help us to be able representatives, faithful and true.”
Read the dedicatory prayer of the Los Angeles California Temple here.
Timeline of the Los Angeles California Temple
Announced
At a meeting with the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on April 17, 1937, Church President Heber J. Grant announced that he had chosen a 24-acre temple site for Los Angeles, California. Within a month, the Church bought the property. However, construction of this house of the Lord was delayed due to the Great Depression and World War II. On Jan. 17, 1949, Church President George Albert Smith met with stake presidencies and bishoprics in the Los Angeles area, and they voted unanimously that the temple would be built on the ground that President Grant had chosen 12 years prior. Groundbreaking
Church President David O. McKay presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the temple on Sept. 22, 1951. After the groundbreaking, President McKay dedicated the site with 250 invited guests in attendance. Open house
Before the Los Angeles temple was dedicated, the public was invited to tour the building from Dec. 18, 1955, through Feb. 19, 1956. A total of 662,401 visitors attended the event within its two months, making it the open house with the greatest number of visitors at the time. This record wouldn’t be broken until the Washington D.C. Temple’s dedication in 1974. Dedication
Nearly 50,000 Church members attended the Los Angeles California Temple’s eight dedicatory sessions, which were held from March 11 through March 14, 1956, with two sessions each day. Church President David O. McKay dedicated the temple, and all the general authorities of the Church and members of local stake presidencies and bishoprics were in attendance for at least one session. Closed for renovations
The Los Angeles California Temple closed for remodeling and refurbishment in January 1981, which was the year of its 25th anniversary. Renovations included installing new air conditioning systems, acoustical ceilings, audio-visual equipment, seating, carpet and furnishings.
Temple reopened
The Los Angeles temple was reopened in March 1981, 10 weeks after the building was closed for remodeling. Although the building was not formally rededicated, patrons celebrated the temple’s 25th anniversary starting March 21, 1981, with 36 continuous hours of temple endowments. A total of 15,439 endowments were performed over 72 sessions in this time.
Closed for renovations
In November 2005, the temple underwent more renovations, this time for a seismic overhaul and renovation of the baptistry. Electrical systems were also redone, and some new carpet was added. Temple reopened
Construction finished in July 2006, a year marking the 50th anniversary of this house of the Lord.
Although the temple site was announced on April 17, 1937, the Los Angeles California Temple wasn’t publicly announced until Jan. 17, 1949. The groundbreaking ceremony was presided over by Church President David O. McKay nearly three years later on Sept. 22, 1951.
More than 650,000 people toured the edifice during its open house from Dec. 18, 1955, through Feb. 19, 1956. Church President McKay dedicated the temple throughout eight dedicatory sessions from March 11 through March 14, 1956, with two sessions on each day.
The Los Angeles California Temple was refurbished throughout 10 weeks in 1981 and later from November 2005 through July 2006.
Architecture and Design of the Los Angeles California Temple
The temple sits on a 13-acre site located in the Westwood district of Los Angeles. The grounds are filled with several kinds of trees, including Canary Island pine trees, palm trees, bird of paradise trees, olive trees and Chinese ginkgo trees.
The interior of the temple features a baptistry, four ordinance rooms and 10 sealing rooms. The total area of the temple is 190,614 square feet.
