Perspective on a Saturday Morning

I saw lots of progress at the site this morning.

First, some of the scaffolding has come off the steeple.

This clip from Thursday's construction cam gives some perspective as to how big the base actually is.

Visitors to the original tabernacle were able to climb into the steeple base through a series of ladders and then look out over Provo.  One student at that time said he could see as far as Africa.

This picture of Center Street was taken from the steeple base before the original tabernacle was taken down in 1919.

While some visitors will have access to the steeple base, likely most of us won't.

This photo came from the camera of Yuki Dorff and shows the new planter under construction as seen from her excellent vantage point, the Nu Skin building.  The temple's mechanical shop is on the right.  University Avenue runs across the top of the picture.

I hope you don't get tired of one of my favorite lookout spots, the Nu Skin parking garage.  In this picture, the mechanical shop is on the left.

The planter forms are easy to see from University Avenue.  Remember that ground level is still about four feet up from here.

From Center Street, I could see brick rising on the north gable.

This window on the south side is the mirror-image of the one on the north.

This keystone is just below the upper window on the north face.  It's easy to see how nice the brick looks.

The twin-keystone on the south face is shown in this picture, above what will be the main entrance.

This 1970s-era photo shows the south entrance.  The temple will have a similar entrance, although the area where the stained glass is above the doors will be filled with high quality sandstone called quartzite.  It will act as a lintel, I suppose, and bear the words all temples have.

The original tabernacle had a lintel.  This painting by pioneer Samuel Jepperson shows the lintel plastered in the center of the gable.

That lintel still survives, currently on display outside the Daughters of the Utah Pioneer Museum on 5th West.  I looked up what the words say, since many of you were curious, and learned it reads, "Erected 1861, Praise ye the Lord."  The pioneers hoped to complete this building that year, but it wasn't dedicated until 1867.

This is another view of the lintel above the entrance.  Plans are underway to move the lintel to the temple grounds.

Spring is bringing more green rebar to the south lot.

The forms keep moving south.

My camera noticed silver clips and zoomed in.

The clips definitely form a pattern.  You might notice me reaching over the construction-wire fence to capture this picture.  Please take a look at my steely eyes.  Also notice that the forms stop at the east edge of the anterior room of the pavilion.  Supports are lining up on the west side of the pavilion and almost reach the new concrete wall on the west side.

Forms will start moving south on this side, too.

The last wall of the pavilion was poured recently.  These forms will come down next week.

From the cam we can see the forms for the pavilion's elevator shaft.

Concrete has been poured over much of the floor of the anterior room.

There is so much going on in this area that the ladders are feeling a little crowded.

My camera spied these steel stairs.  They will go inside the lower level of the pavilion and lead to ground level.

When I saw the white steel, I remembered this picture, taken after the woodwork in the interior was painted white in the 1960s.  However, white is not in line with Victorian decor  None of the white steel on any of the stairs will be visible in the new temple.  Provo's Rotary Club learned about the new temple this past week, and their members were told to expect to see rich colors.

Until the temple is completed, we'll have to be satisfied with seeing the rich gold of Moroni.

And we can admire the progress on the two north tower roofs.

The northwest tower roof now has slate.

Some of us enjoyed admiring the slate in this morning's sun.

Yuki took a second photo yesterday. Notice the new opening in the west wall of the temple.

I am excited about this!

By the time I arrived this morning, the two side windows had been opened.

Opening these windows takes on a entirely new meaning.

A jackhammer always works with a stuck window.

There is now a new opening to see at night.

I love to see the Temple.

I'm going there someday.