Forty Years: The Saga of Building the Salt Lake Temple

From the moment the prophet Brigham Young chose the site for the Salt Lake Temple in 1847 to its dedication in 1893, the Saints faced injuries, war, and opposition from a government that promised freedom of religion to all. Some of the nineteenth century’s greatest events affected this monumental project, including the Gold Rush, the Civil War, and the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. The Saints tangled with five US presidents, Congress, the Supreme Court, Johnston’s Army, and hostile governors and judges as the federal government tried to impose its will on the Utah Territory. Despite these challenges and hardships, the Saints moved forward with faith to complete the temple that would become a symbol of their determination to serve the Lord.

This enthralling book, written by master storyteller Mark Henshaw, tells the narrative of the building of that iconic temple—a place of worship and refuge forty years in the making.