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The Reconstructed Kanesville Tabernacle Photo courtesy of Alexander L. Baugh

The Kanesville Tabernacle was where Brigham Young was sustained as the second President and Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The tabernacle was constructed for the purpose of housing as many people as possible for a conference in December 1847 to reorganize the First Presidency of the Church. The conference was postponed so that a building large enough could be constructed.

The tabernacle, constructed in three weeks with the help of 200 men, was believed to be the largest log structure in the world.¹ After its completion, the First Presidency was reorganized, and on December 27, 1847, with over 1,000 people in attendance, Brigham Young was sustained as President and Prophet of the Church. Also, on October 21,1848, upon his return to the Church, Oliver Cowdery spoke to a large number of people gathered at a conference in the tabernacle; he "bore a strong testimony to the authenticity of the Book of Mormon, and declared that an angel conferred the Priesthood on Joseph Smith and himself."²

The original tabernacle was dismantled in 1849 because of damage by the spring runoffs; the current structure is a replica. President Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the rebuilt Kanesville Tabernacle on July 13, 1996. It now serves as a visitors' center for people to learn about the Saints migration west to the Salt Lake Valley.

SOURCES

¹ "Tabernacle of Log Replicated, Dedicated: 'Herculean Task' of First Building Done in 3 Weeks," LDS Church News, July 20, 1996, Z3.

² Richard E. Bennett, We'll Find the Place: The Mormon Exodus 1846-1848 (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1997), 325.