It Stood Where the Old Hotel Utah Stood

Hotel Utah

The Hotel Utah (currently the Joseph Smith Memorial Building) was big, taking in a large portion of the block. This was the hotel where I spent my last evening with my parents the day before entering the old mission home, across the street from the Church Office high rise. We do know that before the Hotel Utah was constructed, that this block was occupied by the tithing yards. However, there was another smaller building that also shared this block. What was the building for?

a.      Utah’s first mint

b.      The original Relief Society Building

c.       The original Deseret News Building

d.      The post office

Yesterday’s answer:

(D)   The Sacrament

Twice during the Brigham Young years, the sacrament was withheld for short periods. Once was for several months, during the Mormon Reformation when the Saints were given time to repent and make restitution prior to renewing their covenants. The other interval came during the Utah War period, 1857-58, when the sacrament was withdrawn while the federal army established itself in Utah. Some of the leaders’ concerns about holding Sunday meetings are indicated by instructions given October 1858; bishops were told that  “if there are any meetings, let them be prayer meetings” and not preaching services where speakers might say something offensive to the occupation army. “Be careful to control all that may be said,” Presiding Bishop Edward Hunter cautioned, “For an enthusiastic Mormon is more dangerous than an Apostate.” Finally, early in August 1859, Brigham Young recommended that local leaders start holding public Sunday meetings again “in all wards once a week at least.” That November, Presiding Bishop Hunter expressed gratitude “for the privilege of again having the sacrament administered in the Tabernacle.”

Nearly Everything Imaginable, Walker, Ronald W., Doris R. Dant ed., (Provo, Utah: BYU Press, 1999), 268.