Comments on: Wrecking Ball Blues

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 15:58:08 +0000

That’s the home at 31 North State, JulieT, pictured in the main post as “1. The Mission Home.”

By: JulieT

JulieT — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 15:50:57 +0000

Does anyone have particulars as to the Salt Lake Missionary Home location that would have been used in Sept of 1949?

By: Doug N.

Doug N. — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:33:55 +0000

The old Ute Hotel was the Mission Home in 1968 and on into the early 70′s. It was on the west side of North Main Street at about the middle of the block. It was replaced by what was at one time the Lafayette School on the northwest corner of State and North Temple where the the new Church History Library now stands. The MTC in Provo finally took over the job by the 80′s.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 00:01:46 +0000

Thanks, Maxine, that addresses several points in the post and comments.

By: Maxine C

Maxine C — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 21:47:24 +0000

In the interest of historical accuracy, I’d like to add some comments and a correction about Wrecking Ball Blues posted on July 21. The first pictures show the old Sixth Ward building. It was built starting in 1872 and dedicated in 1876 and served the Sixth Ward until that ward was combined with the Seventh to become the Sixth-Seventh in 1922. It was not used by the Sixth-Seventh Ward. It was used by the Mexican Branch until 1942, then was sold to the Gallagher Transfer Company who was using it at least until 1955.

When the Sixth and Seventh Wards were combined on November 12, 1922, they used the old Seventh Ward building. Construction on that building began in 1862, it was first used in about 1877 and was dedicated in 1885. On the Sunday Morning they were combined, the Sixth Ward members met at their ward building, and led by their Bishop and accompanied by a small band, they all walked up to the Seventh Ward chapel and were met by the Seventh Ward Bishop and congregation who welcomed them in. We don’t do boundary changes that way now!

The Sixth-Seventh Ward was the ward that President Monson was Bishop of from 1950-1955. I was a member of that ward at that time. My information comes from a published history of the ward which was printed in 1955 under Bishop Monson’s direction as well as talks he has given at Sixth-Seventh Ward reunions since then. The Sixth-Seventh Ward used the building until the ward was dissolved in 1964. At that time this was the oldest chapel still being used in the Salt Lake Valley. This building was located on Fifth South and has been replaced by the Sheraton Hotel. Yes when it was torn down the podium was saved and restored and placed in the old Church History Museum. President Monson was an Apostle by then and may have had some influence in its being saved. It was used at the recent dedication of the new Church History Museum.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:26:50 +0000

The pain of acknowledging a faulty memory must be lessened somewhat by the excuse it gave you to use that wonderful word, Left Field.

By: Left Field

Left Field — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:17:57 +0000

Justin’s DN link indicates that I was either mistaken or misremembering being in the penultimate group of missionaries at the Salt Lake Missionary Home. Evidently, I was in the antepenultimate group.

By: Bruce Crow

Bruce Crow — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:35:35 +0000

If I recall correctly President Monson spoke at the CHL dedication over the podium that was saved from the demolition of the old sixth seventh ward chapel. Someone thought it was important enough to save at the time.

By: Justin

Justin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:42:02 +0000

Hey now. Infallibility is a ways off for all of us, and that certainly includes me. :) I noticed that the latest post (Improvement Era article by L. Snow) indicates that the missionary home was dedicated in February 1925 and the first missionaries arrived in March, so my date of January 1925 needs adjustment. My sources: "Missionary Home; Training School Will Open Jan. 23," Deseret News, Jan. 17, 1925. "Luncheon opens new missionary home," Deseret News, Apr. 28, 1962. "In This Issue," Deseret News, Sept. 25, 1971. "Salt Lake Missionary Home closes doors," Deseret News, Oct. 28, 1978.

By: Steve C.

Steve C. — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 01:35:10 +0000

I don’t have very many ties to “old” Salt Lake City; however, I’d just like to add a comment. My sister lives in Riverton, UT. Her ward met in a chapel built during the 1930s. In many ways it reminded us of the chapel in Kansas where we grew up although our chapel was smaller and newer (built in the early 1950s). Recently, my sister’s chapel was demolished and a new run-of-the-mill chapel built in its place. Even though this wasn’t my own chapel, I felt sad that is was bulldozed unceremoniously. I felt this was not only because it reminded me of my old chapel, BUT because there was a little history there that has been forgotten. During the 1930s, because of the Great Depression, the Church built very few chapel. (The Church announced two temples–Idaho Falls and Los Angeles–and could only build one because of the shortage of finances.) As a result, this chapel in Riverton was one of the few chapels built and really reminds us of the struggles the Church had at the time.