Old Tooele Ward Church (2) Markers

Every prophet of the Mormon church for nearly a century spoke from this pulpit. Tooele's first church, a rock building raised in 1869 under Bishop John Rowberry from stone quarried at Settlement Canyon, was dedicated in 1870 in the presence of Brigham Young and three of the men who would follow him as church president. In the ninety years it stood, that line held: from Young down to Joseph Fielding Smith, every leader of the faith addressed the congregation here at one time or another. The building was torn down in 1968, its roll of famous voices gone silent.

What the plaque says

The first Tooele church was erected in 1869 by the early pioneers who settled in Tooele. Bishop John Rowberry was in charge of construction; George Atkin was superintendent of work; and Richard and William Kennington, Dave Adamson, John Pickett, James Hammond and Edward Broad worked in construction. Rock used was taken from the mouth of Settlement Canyon. The Tooele church was dedicated by Daniel H. Wells on April 29, 1870. President Brigham Young, John Taylor, Orson Pratt and Wilford Woodruff were present. The building was remodeled in 1918 and served the community for 90 years. Up until its demolition in 1968, every prophet of the Church from Brigham Young to Joseph Fielding Smith had spoken from its pulpit. Marker Originally Placed on Church Building April 29, 1940 Replacement Plaque 2021

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Bingham Canyon Mine — 7.8 mi
  The largest man-made excavation on Earth
• Great Salt Lake — 18 mi
  The largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere
• Saltair — 19 mi
  A haunting lakeside resort with a storied past
• International Peace Gardens — 24 mi
  A hidden garden where 28 countries are represented in miniature

More markers nearby

• Pioneer Log Cabin — steps away
• Pioneer City Hall — steps away
• Old Tooele County Courthouse — steps away
• Tooele's Mud Wall — steps away