The LDS Temple here on Main Street is now "closed for renovations" for two years and is one of the oldest temples in the Church, one of the first not designed by a designated Church architect. Like an older temple in Cardston, Alberta Canada, they were built in a style called the “Solomon’s Temple” template.
The idea was to mimic, on the exterior at least, the design of the Temple of Solomon as described in the Old Testament. Since we don’t know precisely what it looked like, there is a lot of room for interpretation.
Interesting factoid: the design for Mesa Arizona Temple was actually put to a competition! Two entries that did not win:
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Blogger Note:
The second one is more in keeping with Mesa's heritage and history >
See the map below
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Here are some excerpts from 2016 published on a blog, reproduced in the italicized inserts below from Obsessive Temple Architecture Syndrome
"I’m not so crazy about this design. It looks like the beehive motif was used for the spire, and as much as I like beehives, it looks a little to me like the architectural equivalent of wearing a novelty hat in the shape of an ice cream cone or a wedge of cheese.
It is interesting to note that an Angel Moroni statue was proposed in that design—it would have been the third LDS temple to feature an angel on the spire, after Nauvoo and Salt Lake. Similar designs, at least from this front view, would later be used in some 21st century temples like, for instance, the San Salvador temple, but without the beehive on top."
" Now, for my part, I must confess that I am slightly sad that the Cannon and Fetzer entry did not win. I like the very Spanish/Pueblo style and the large window, a little reminiscent of Santiago de Compostela. . . "
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Here's an enlargement of the Omar-Turney Hohokan Canals Map that clearly documents and provides evidence of both the Spanish and First Peoples who were here for centuries before 'The Pioneers' arrived on their territory in the mid-!850's. It show Spanish place-names "Pueblo" designated towns or settlements that have names from The Book of Mormon appended to them, like Lehi and Moroni and Nephi
TAKE A LOOK AT THE MAP DETAILS:
You can see
Pueblo Moroni at middle left with many small reservoirs and temples
Pueblo Nephi: that was one of the first names Mormon settlers wanted to call Mesa
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Pueblo Lehi: Locate that . . . you might be surprised to know that Pueblo Lehi became this: What did it take to dig into and re-claim this early heritage and history here in the City of Mesa > a group of citizens who organized and documented archeological evidence of indigenous earlier inhabitants who lived here for centuries before the arrival of Mormon settlers from Utah in the Mid-1850's ....Residents in the neighborhood in the LDS Temple area have said that artifacts have been found.
MESA GRANDE CULTURAL PARK
While there's demolition and digging already in-progress onsite on the Mesa Temple Grounds, it's also a GOOD OPPORTUNITY to have a team of archeologists onsite - the place could be hallowed and sacred ground . . . .
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One account in a 1991 edition of a book called "Our Town" stated there were 300 Mormon settlers and 5,000 Papago Indians already living here.
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HERE'S THE WINNER OF THE DESIGN COMPETITION:
The idea was to mimic, on the exterior at least, the design of the Temple of Solomon as described in the Old Testament
Ultimately, though, the design that won belonged to Don Carlos Young, Jr., and Ramm Hanson.
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