The first LDS building for all of northern Arizona was built in Chino Valley. The LDS church was organized in the area in 1918 and the work on this building commenced in 1919. A man by the name of Artimus Millett donated the land and Oscar Despain was the rock mason for the building. (Oscar Despain's ancestors still live in the Prescott area.)
The members living in and around the Prescott area would travel to Chino for their church meetings. They continued to travel to Chino until the first building was built in Prescott in October 1928.
The building was built by the members in the area and the native blue granite stone that was used to build the building was quarried from the Granite Mountain area. The stone was brought to the building site by truck. However, the tires on the truck were not able to support the heavy weight of the stones. The members removed the inner tube from the inside of the tires and then wrapped rope around and in the tires to better support the wheels.
The building is 2 stories tall with the baptism font being in the lower level of the building. It was dedicated on June 15, 1924. The building still stands today but was sold by the church when the new chapel was built at the other end of Chino Valley in 1972. In fact, the last meeting was held in this building on September 24, 1972.
Wesley Scott and Dick Allen helped construct the building as young men. Warren Hoopes Allen was the 1st branch president in this area. Warren Allen was the son of Charles Hopkins Allen & Elizabeth Adelaide Hoopes. He and Elijah Allen were brothers which would make Warren Hoopes the uncle of Gerald Mecham Allen.
It's a small world.
No comments:
Post a Comment