Steeple Has Gone Up on Mormon Temple

Drive by Farmington Ave. (Rte. 4) and Melrose Dr. in Farmington for a glimpse of the steeple recently placed upon the temple under construction for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The steeple with its graceful spire may remind you of the First Church of Christ Congregational. That’s intentional. The 1771 Farmington landmark was designed by master builder Judah Woodruff, who also designed other period architecture in Farmington. Architects of the Mormon temple now being built in Farmington intend the similarity. Judah Woodruff was the great-uncle of Wilford Woodruff, who was born in Farmington (now Avon) in 1807, converted to the Mormon faith, and trekked west with other Mormons. Eventually he became the fourth President of the Church. Famous for his many successful missions in the States and abroad, for his love and advancement of education, for establishing the Church Genealogical Society (now the world’s largest), and for dedicating in 1893 the Salt Lake Temple after 40 years of construction, Wilford Woodruff is the beloved President from Connecticut.

Between the time that the temple is completed and the time that it is dedicated, there will be a couple of weeks when anyone can tour inside the finished edifice. Keep an eye on “hartfordconnecticuttemple” on Facebook and Instagram (same hashtag) to watch for this rare opportunity and to monitor construction in general.