The Tabernacle and the Conference Center
General Conference Research Guide
The Tabernacle and the Conference Center were built as gathering places for the Saints. While these buildings are used for many purposes, their primary function was and is to host the annual and semiannual conferences of the Church. Construction on the Tabernacle was completed in 1867 under the direction of Brigham Young. It was designed with acoustics in mind, enabling those in attendance to easily hear the speaker from anywhere in the building. The Tabernacle organ has 11,623 pipes. While general conference is no longer held in the building, it is still home to The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. The Conference Center was completed in 2000 under the direction of President Gordon B. Hinckley to meet the needs of the growing Church. It is the current location of general conferences. The building’s auditorium seats 21,000 people and has a 7,708-pipe organ.
The collections in this section are currently not available digitally (unless indicated). They are available upon request at the Church History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Written by Tabernacle historian Stewart L. Grow, this volume is a modified version of Grow’s important 1947 thesis “A Historical Study of the Construction of the Salt Lake Tabernacle.” It contains a brief history of the construction of the Tabernacle, with photographs and well-documented sources.
The Tabernacle: “An Old and Wonderful Friend”
Using Grow’s thesis as a starting point, Scott C. Esplin’s volume expands on the construction and architecture of the building to include information on preservation and restoration efforts. It also provides a time line of significant early Church construction, including the Tabernacle; a list of historical events held in the building; and a discussion on the social and economic effects of the building on the community. This book is available online through the Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center.
Conference Center documentation, 1997 July–2000 October
This collection contains color photographs, newspaper and magazine clippings, and information provided by Legacy Constructors concerning site preparation and construction of the Conference Center.
Building The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Conference Center
This magazine-style publication created by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership (project architects) describes the various aspects of the project. It includes full-page color spreads of the building and architectural drawings.
Building History—History Building: The LDS Conference Center and Its History
This book is a collection of oral histories compiled by W. Dee Halverson and commissioned by Legacy Constructors (the Conference Center construction conglomerate). Halverson includes stories, many of which are miraculous and faith building, and interviews of individuals involved with design, construction, and other aspects of the building process.
This volume, published by Legacy Constructors, contains essays, interviews, commentaries, and stories of the construction of the Conference Center. It also includes photos and a list of all Legacy Constructors employees from 1997 to 2000.
A history of the complex construction and installation of the organ in the Conference Center, written by John Longhurst, Tabernacle Choir organist. The history contains color photographs, architectural drawings, research documentation, and a time line.
The Conference Center at twilight.