Location
2720 Temple Road
Palmyra, New York 14522
United States
Contact
Telephone: (315) 597-6001
Facsimile: (315) 597-6057
Details
Announcement: 21 February 1999
Groundbreaking and Site Dedication: 25 May 1999 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Public Open House: 25 March–1 April 2000
Dedication: 6 April 2000 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Site: 5 acres.
Exterior Finish: Bethel White granite.
Ordinance Rooms: Two ordinance rooms (two-stage progressive) and two sealing.
Total Floor Area: 10,900 square feet.
Temple Locale:
Situated on an elevated ridge just beyond the Sacred Grove where God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith in the spring of 1820, the Palmyra New York Temple—a House of the Lord—stands as a testimony to that singular event. Rich in Church history, the Palmyra landscape is dotted with historic sites including the Hill Cumorah Visitors' Center where Joseph Smith retrieved the ancient gold plates, which were translated into the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. In the summer, Palmyra hosts the popular Hill Cumorah Pageant: America's Witness for Christ. The pageant is free and open to the public.
Temple Facts:
The Palmyra New York Temple was the first temple built in New York.
The Palmyra New York Temple was the 100th announced temple of the Church.
The site of the Palmyra New York Temple is on the east end of the original 100-acre Smith Family Farm—owned by the Church.
The Palmyra New York Temple is one of three temples built in locations of historic significance for the early Church. (The other two temples are the Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple and the Nauvoo Illinois Temple.)
Church leaders commissioned Utah artist Tom Holdman to create the Sacred-Grove-themed stained glass windows throughout the Palmyra New York Temple including a stained glass mural of the First Vision, which hangs in the hallway.
The windows in the waiting area of the Palmyra New York Temple were etched with a tree design but left transparent at the request of President Gordon B. Hinckley to provide a view of the Sacred Grove. An administration office was relocated during construction to fulfill this request.
The Palmyra New York Temple was dedicated on April 6, 2000, exactly 170 years after The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was formally organized in Fayette, New York, (about 30 miles from Palmyra) on April 6, 1830.
The dedicatory services of the Palmyra New York Temple were broadcast over the Church's encrypted satellite system to stake centers and Church facilities throughout North America.