The Logan Tabernacle is set to be rededicated at 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug.
25 by Logan native Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. According to Logan South Stake President Allen Cooley, tickets to attend the dedication in-person are limited and have already been distributed because seating inside the tabernacle is limited.
The rededication will be broadcast to Latter-day Saint stake centers throughout the Cache Valley, including Preston. Anyone is welcome to watch the broadcast. According to the Church newsroom, the purpose of a dedication is to set aside a building for the work of God.
A Latter-day Saint dedication ceremony includes a special prayer designating the building for Church use and asking God to bless the structure and grounds. A dedication ceremony generally also includes music and talks from Church leaders. The Church announced it planned to close the tabernacle for renovations and seismic upgrades in 2019.
The original plan had been to close the tabernacle in 2021, but it was closed during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Cooley said they started some work inside the building toward the end of 2020 when COVID-19 restrictions started to relax slightly. The majority of the work, including external renovations, began in 2021.
In 2019, a Church representative told the Herald Journal they anticipated the work to take 12-18 months to complete. After the pandemic, supply chain issues slowed the project’s progress. According to Cooley, some of the renovations and upgrades included stabilizing the bell tower by anchoring the roof and bell tower to the internal structure of the building and removing a large section of the balcony seating to put in a sheer wall to stabilize the building.
The baptismal font and the family history center were removed, so the basement now has rooms for meetings and training. They also replaced and redid the heating and air conditioning systems. “Before it was always too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter,” Cooley said.
“The comfort level should be a lot better now.” Cooley said he is excited to have the building open again. “It is such a beautiful edifice,” Cooley said.
“The work they have done is amazing. Using what historical information they could find, they have taken it back to match some of the earlier pioneer design.” Before its closure, the tabernacle was used for Church worship services and hosted many interfaith and community activities throughout the year.
During the renovation, many of those events, including the Logan Tabernacle Interfaith Summer Noon Concert Series and the two-week Christmas Music Series, were moved to the Logan First Ward chapel at 89 S 200 W. Cooley said they plan to hold the summer concert series in the tabernacle again starting next year. The Logan Tabernacle was finished and dedicated in 1891.
Cook is a Logan native and received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Utah State University. Cook also presided at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Smithfield Temple in 2022..
