Blackfoot Stake Tabernacle

Blackfoot Stake Tabernacle

By James Duckworth, President of the Blackfoot Stake

The Blackfoot stake tabernacle is located in Blackfoot, Bingham county, Idaho, just across the road from the county courthouse, on Shilling Avenue. The contract for the building was let on June 7, 1919, and the building was completed in November, 1920. Including the site and the furnishings the total cost will be practically $100,000. The structure is of concrete, wood, steel and brick, with no elaborations, is noted for its simplicity, and impresses one as being erected for utility and service. The site upon which the building stands is 125 feet deep east and west and 160 feet wide north and south. The building is semi-circular in design, and in this respect follows the design of the Montpelier stake tabernacle. The building comprises two stories, the upper story being for stake conferences and other religious gatherings and the lower story being for social and other purposes. The upper story consists of a large auditorium, including a balcony, and has a seating capacity of 1,750 souls. The pulpit is at the center of a radius of 61 feet from the walls that form the semi-circle that gives the building its somewhat unique appearance from the outside. Immediately in front of the pulpit are the pews for the choir upon a succession of elevations, the lower pew running down to the main floor level, and these choir pews will accomodate about 80 persons. With the exception of the stand, the pews, in this upper floor, are arranged in a semi-circle, nearly all of them resting upon an inclined floor or upon a succession of ele-

BLACKFOOT STAKE TABERNACLE 547

vations. The stand is large, having a seating capacity of 100, and includes a recess or alcove intended for a pipe organ which it is hoped will be installed later. The pews throughout this story are of oak, medium in color, and are roomy and comfortable. The floors throughout the building are of maple and, with the exception of the window frames, all the wood-work is of light colored oak. The main part of the lower floor conissts of a social hall for theatricals, concerts, dances, etc., the dance floor being 88 feet long and 44 feet wide at the widest points. The dance floor is semi-circular and, running around the semi-circular part, is a corridor 54 inches wide, and open on the side next to the dance floor. The floor of the corridor is 28 inches above the dance floor level, and this corridor and dance floor together have a seating capacity of over 500 people, for concerts, etc. In connection with the social hall is a stage that is 18 feet deep and 36 feet long, with a proscenium opening 26 feet wide, and at each end of the stage is a dressing room for performers. Immediately under the stage and dressing rooms are the boiler and coal rooms, the latter room having storage capacity for a car load of coal. On the closed side of the corridor mentioned above are doors opening to the following rooms; office of the stake presidency, high council room, cloak or rest room for the brethren, clak or rest room for the sisters, kitchen and a store room connected therewith. The windows in the semi-circular part of the building, as well as those in the rear of the upper story, are of opalescent, cathedral glass, of amber shade; while in the rear of the social hall, the stage and dressing rooms, the windows are of Florentine glass. The building throughout is heated by steam, the boiler being of the Kewanee, tubular type. Leaving out the entrance approaches, the tabernacle is 82 feet deep, east and west, and 126 feet wide north and south.

Spring-a-Ling-a-Ling

The bells of spring ring ting-a-ling-a-ling, For you and also me; The red-breast robins sing-a-ling-a-ling From every orchard tree. From vale and hill comes spring-a-ling-a-ling, "We're off a-hiking, see? For the bells of spring ring ting-a-ling-a-ling, For you and also me.