---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - James Duckworth
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 24
number: 6
published: 1921-04
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'James Duckworth, "Blackfoot Stake Tabernacle," *Improvement Era* 24, no. 6 (April 1921): 546–547.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2406unse
  transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers.
  identifier: improvementera2406unse
start_page: 546
end_page: 547
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1921-04)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2406unse
  publication_year: 1921
  note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1921, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# Blackfoot Stake Tabernacle

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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-

<!-- page:547 -->

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.