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Cardston Alberta Temple. Photo by: Matthias Süßen- Wikimedia

Top 10 Amazing Facts about Mormon Temple, Cardston, Alberta

The Cardston Alberta Temple (formerly the Alberta Temple) is the eighth temple built and the sixth still in use by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It is the oldest LDS Church temple outside of the United States, and it is located in Cardston, Alberta.

It is one of eight temples that lack an angel Moroni statue and one of six that lack spires, like Solomon’s Temple. It is also one of only two LDS Church temples constructed in the form of a cross, the other being the Laie Hawaii Temple.

1. Existing mural: Main temple entrance Alberta’s Cardston

The Alberta Temple, a striking advanced structure that dominates Canada’s first Mormon settlement, is a national architectural and historical landmark. It was designed in 1912 by Pope and Burton of Salt Lake City, and its geometric composition of white granite blends ancient and modern themes, most notably Mayan-Aztec and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie School architecture.

Special rooms for sacred ceremonies are lavishly decorated with woodwork, murals, and furnishings. This building, meticulously restored in 1991, highlights the temple’s pre-eminence in Mormon religion.

2. Historic site description of Mormon Temple

Cardston Alberta Temple. Photo by: Kim Siever- Wikimedia

The Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints National Historic Site of Canada in Cardston, Alberta, is a massive granite structure set on a rise in the middle of a large, landscaped site, with a dramatic backdrop of Chief Mountain.

The severe, interlocking geometric shapes of the building ascend in a pyramidal shape reminiscent of Pre-Columbian architecture. The temple, which is both geographically and spiritually located in the heart of town, continues to serve its religious function. The building on its landscaped site is the subject of the public recognition.

3. Church in Southern Alberta in the 1920s and 1930s

Trials and tribulations were a part of life in southern Alberta during the early years of colonization and throughout the 1920s and 1930s. At the same time, it is worth remembering that the Church’s history in southern Alberta is intertwined with that of the larger population, as Latter-day Saints have long been integral representatives of several southern Alberta communities.

4. Border Crossing Tribute

Plaque. Photo by: RobertNN- Wikimedia

Today, a stone monument marks the spot where the pioneers crossed the border into Canada.

Jane Eliza Woolf, thirteen years old, was among the first Mormon families to arrive in Canada. She described the crossing as follows: “It was June 1st, at 10 A.M., when Brother Card stopped his team and helped Aunt Zina alight over the wagon wheel.” They were standing near a pile of stones.

He waved his hat and yelled something that no one could hear but everyone understood. Wagons were drawn up, and smiling occupants climbed out over the wagon wheels, shouting, ‘Hurrah for Canada!’ ‘It’s Canada or bust!’ ‘Canada, three cheers!’

Everywhere there was laughter and joy, and snippets of songs were sung. Each then chose a stone to add to the rapidly growing hill that marked the boundary line.

In honour of the fiftieth anniversary of the arrival of pioneers in Canada, the Alberta Stake constructed a stone cairn using the original rocks placed by the pioneers at the border. That monument was rebuilt in 1967 with the same stones and is now located on the side of a public road a few hundred meters away from its original location.

5. Brief history of the Mormon Temple

Cardston, the site of one of the Church’s oldest temples, has long had a steady Latter-day Saint concentration of about 80% of its 3,500-person population. Many of them can trace their ancestors back to the town’s founding 125 years ago.

Cardston, located about 15 miles (or 25 kilometres) north of the US border, is a neighbour to the Blood Indian Reserve, which is home to approximately 9,000 people. “They are also an important part of our community,” Brother Sommerfeldt said.

6. The Raymond agreement about Mormon Temple, Cardston, Alberta

Cardston Alberta Temple. Photo by: Matthias Süßen- Wikimedia.

The story of Raymond’s agreement is one that captivates the imagination. It is linked to Jesse Knight’s interesting backstory, John W. Taylor’s vibrant personality, the expansion of southern Alberta irrigation, and the push for land development by Charles A. Magrath and Elliott Galt and their Alberta Irrigation Company.

The plot revolves around the promise of a sugar beet industry in southern Alberta. Raymond was not founded with the direct involvement of the Church’s First Presidency, as Cardston, Magrath, and Stirling were.

However, Apostle John W. Taylor, as well as Jesse Knight’s response to Church President Lorenzo Snow’s speech, were crucial in Raymond’s agreement.

7. Where Taylor Stake was invented

With fertile land in the American Intermountain West still rare, the opportunities in Raymond, Alberta, were very enticing. Colonists flocked to the area, and within four years, Raymond had a population of 1500, surpassing Cardston’s eighteen-year-old settlement. 

By 1903, there were 5,500 Mormons in Alberta, enough to split the Alberta Stake and form the Taylor Stake, named after their beloved “resident Apostle,” John W. Taylor. 

Heber S. Allen, formerly of Cardston, was elected president of the Taylor Stake in August 1903, and Theodore Brandley and J. William Knight served as counsellors.

Allen would be the spiritual and temporal leader of his stake for the next thirty-three years The investment, which was centred in Raymond, soon expanded to include wards in Welling, Taber, Barnwell, and Burdett.

By the end of 1903, the stake had 3,243 members. Church President Joseph F. Smith presided over the conference at which the Taylor Stake was structured as the Church’s fifty-first stake.

8. After 1901, there was a period of geographic expansion and population growth

“Laying of last stone on Mormon Temple at Cardston, Alberta.” Photo by: Walter Herman Best- Wikimedia

One of the difficult tasks for Church leaders was to locate these dispersed members of the Church throughout southern Alberta and beyond, arrange them into Church units, and assist them in establishing as much of the Church program as they could under their varying circumstances.

It was difficult to gather for Church meetings and run Church initiatives in some cases where members were dispersed. Automobile transportation was in its infancy, and roads were either in poor condition or non-existent.

Thereby also, a few miles apart from other Church members or the meetinghouse can make full participation in the Church stressful.

Nonetheless, wards or branches were established in Del Bonita, Woolford, Orton, Welling, Taber, Barnwell, Orion/Manyberries, Frankburg, Stavely/Pine Coulee, Claresholm, Starline, Gleichen, Champion, Rosemary, Burdett (Grassy Lake), and Purple Springs between 1904 and 1923.

9. Outmigration and returnees to the United States

The cutworm miracle story is about settlers who were discouraged and considered returning to the United States, as well as those who came to Canada to make money with the intention of returning to Utah later.

While the population of Mormons in southern Alberta steadily increased during the time period covered in this chapter, there are incidents and anecdotes, as well as individual / family histories, that recommend that many did return to the United States, while others required encouragement to stay.

It is unknown what percentage of settlers remained in Canada.

10. Public Open House

Cardston Alberta Temple. Photo by: Matthias Süßen- Wikimedia

From June 6 to 15, 1991, an open house was held. Over 100,000 people attended the open house over the course of nine days, an average of 11,111 per day. It is estimated that more than half of those present were not Church members.