Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple

Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple
Number	104
Dedication	April 22, 2001, by Gordon B. Hinckley
Site	1.92 acres (0.78 ha)
Floor area	16,000 sq ft (1,500 m2)
Height	86 ft (26 m)
Official website • News & images
Church chronology
← Montevideo Uruguay Temple Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple → Guadalajara Mexico Temple
Additional information
Announced	June 14, 1999, by Gordon B. Hinckley
Groundbreaking	November 28, 1999, by Hugh W. Pinnock
Open house	March 30 – April 14, 2001
Current president	David Garth Pincock
Designed by	Dan Reinhardt
Location	Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Geographic coordinates	41°20′2.7″N95°57′58.3″W / 41.334083°N 95.966194°W / 41.334083; -95.966194
Exterior finish	Bethel white granite
Temple design	Classic modern, single-spire design
Baptistries	1
Ordinance rooms	2 (two-stage progressive)
Sealing rooms	2
Visitors' center	Yes
( edit )

The Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple is the 104th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It is located in Florence, a neighborhood of Omaha, Nebraska, USA, and formerly an independent city. ^[1] The intent to build the temple was announced on June 14, 1999, by the church's First Presidency. The temple is the first in Nebraska. ^[2]

The temple has a single attached spire with a statue of the angel Moroni. ^[3] The temple was designed by Dan Reinhardt of Reinhardt & Associates, using a traditional design. ^[4] A groundbreaking ceremony, to signify the beginning of construction, was held on November 28, 1999, with Hugh W. Pinnock presiding. ^[5]

History

Winter Quarters is considered hallowed ground for LDS Church members. ^[6] It was the site where early church members settled after they were driven out of Nauvoo, Illinois. It was also where many Latter-day Saints, including many who came from Europe, camped before crossing the plains to the Salt Lake Valley. The area has many graves of Mormon pioneers who died on their journey. More than 2,000 church members died at Winter Quarters because of heavy storms, scurvy, malaria, and inadequate food and shelter. ^[7]

Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple

The temple was built next to the Mormon Pioneer Cemetery and Mormon Trail Center. During the groundbreaking ceremony on November 28, 1999, Truman Clawson, director of the local visitors' center, said, "Now today on this end of the hill, we will take shovels in our hands to dig not a grave but the foundation of a special building, a temple." ^[8]

In preparation for the open house, church members and the community of Florence worked together creating handcrafted flowers for storefronts and decorating historic sites and markers with balloons. Over 61,000 visitors toured the temple during the open house, which was held from March 30 to April 14, 2001. ^[9]

Members all over the United States and Canada watched via satellite broadcast as LDS Church president Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple on April 22, 2001. During the dedicatory prayer, Hinckley recognized the sacrifice of the Saints and the great spiritual and historical significance of having a temple at Winter Quarters. ^[10]

At one time, the church intended to name the temple Winter Quarters Temple, rather than using the standard naming convention for church temples. ^[11]

In 2020, like all the church's others, the Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple was closed for a time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ^[12]

Design and architecture

The building has a traditional architectural style. Designed by Dan Reinhardt of Reinhardt & Associates, its architecture reflects the history and significance of the early Mormon pioneers. ^[4] The temple is on a 1.92-acre plot, with surrounding landscaping of trees, shrubbery, and grass fields. ^[2]

The structure is 86 feet tall, and constructed with Bethel white granite. ^[4] The exterior has stained-glass windows. ^[5] There are six panels below its angel Moroni statue and described in the church’s magazine Ensign : “The top three panels depict the heavens…Each panel contains a mariner’s compass. In the center of each compass are stars and the moon, representing the telestial and terrestrial kingdoms. The glowing rays of the sun make up the outer ring of each compass, representing the celestial kingdom. The bottom three panels depict a river, rolling hills, and wildflowers.” ^[6]

The temple’s total floor area is 10,700 square feet. ^[4] The interior “evokes a pioneer ambiance.” ^[13] The furniture was made in 1850s style, with windows and carpets having a floral motif which reflects the state flowers of those the pioneers traveled through: Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Utah. ^[2] Like the exterior, the interior has stained-glass windows designed by Tom Holdman. The temple’s 18 windows “tell the story of the epic gathering of Zion by way of Winter Quarters.” ^[5]

The temple has two ordinance rooms, two sealing rooms, and a baptistry, ^[4] , each designed for ceremonial use.

The design uses elements representing Latter-day Saint history and Biblical symbolism, to provide deeper spiritual meaning to the temple's appearance and function. Symbolism is important to church members and are largely found in the temple’s stained-glass windows. For example, those in the baptistry feature quilt like patterns “to represent the pioneers who had to wrap the bodies of their loved ones in quilts before they buried them.” ^[14] The baptistry’s windows also depict a river, in reference to the river of life in Revelation 22:1-2; the river was formed with pulverized crystal, which is both a reference to the scriptural passage and an homage to “the early Church members who crushed their china and silver to mix with mortar in the walls of the Kirtland Temple to make it shimmer.” ^[14] The temple is both a place of worship and an architectural landmark in Florence, Nebraska. ^[15]

Temple presidents

The church's temples are directed by a temple president and matron, each serving for a term of three years. The president and matron oversee the administration of temple operations and provide guidance and training for both temple patrons and staff.

Serving from 2001 to 2004, Evan L. Butler was the president, with Doris J. Butler as matron. ^[15] Notable presidents of the temple include Theodore H. Okiishi (2013-2016) and Donald D. Deshler (2016-2019). As of 2024, David G. Pincock is the president, with FaDene B. Pincock serving as matron. ^[16]

Admittance

Following completion of the temple, the church held a public open house from March 30 to April 14, 2001 (excluding Sundays). ^[17] During the open house, 61,038 people visited the temple. ^[18] The temple was dedicated by Gordon B. Hinckley on April 22, 2001, in four sessions. ^[10]

Like all the church's temples, it is not used for Sunday worship services. To members of the church, temples are regarded as sacred houses of the Lord. Once dedicated, only church members with a current temple recommend can enter for worship. ^[19]

See also

• LDS Church portal

Nauvoo

Chicago

Indianapolis

Wichita

Louisville

Detroit

Grand Rapids

St. Paul

Kansas City

St. Louis

Springfield

Winter Quarters

Bismarck

Cincinnati

Cleveland

Columbus

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Temples in the United States Midwest ( edit )

• = Operating
• = Under construction
• = Announced
• = Closed for renovation

• Theodore H. Okiishi, temple president (2013–2016)
• Comparison of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by geographic region
• Temple architecture
• List of churches in Omaha, Nebraska
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Nebraska

References

1. "Florence, Nebraska". Nebraska State Historical Society. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
2. "Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple". Church News. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
3. "Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple | ChurchofJesusChristTemples.org". Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
4. "Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple". Church News. March 16, 2010. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
5. "Windows that teach truth". Church News. March 17, 2001. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
6. "Pieces of History, Pieces of Light". www.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
7. "Winter Quarters". www.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
8. Lloyd, R. Scott (December 4, 1999), "New temple to stand on sanctified soil", Church News
9. Reeves, Bob (March 23, 2001). "Temple open house scheduled". The Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
10. "Winter Quarters, Guadalajara Temples Dedicated". www.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
11. "Temples renamed to uniform guidelines". Church News . Salt Lake City. October 16, 1999. Archived from the original on August 6, 2022.
12. Stack, Peggy Fletcher. "All Latter-day Saint temples to close due to coronavirus", The Salt Lake Tribune , 26 March 2020. Retrieved on 28 March 2020.
13. "Pioneer resting place in shadow of new Winter Quarters temple". Church News. April 21, 2001. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
14. "Winter Quarters Temple Windows - fheontheroad.com" . Retrieved January 31, 2025.
15. "Presidents and Matrons of the Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple | ChurchofJesusChristTemples.org". Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
16. "New temple presidents and matrons called to serve in Bolivia, Peru, Mexico, and more". Church News. March 3, 2022. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
17. "Winter Quarters Temples to be dedicated April 22". BYU Daily Universe. March 22, 2001. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
18. "Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple". Church News. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
19. "Inside Temples". www.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved January 31, 2025.

External links

• Official Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple page
• Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple at ChurchofJesusChristTemples.org