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Rain was pouring the day the Louisville Kentucky Temple was dedicated on March 19, 2000. Despite the poor weather, though, both a choir and attendees of the dedication stood outside the temple — sometimes for hours — in order to enter the building and participate in the dedicatory ceremonies.
One member said of the experience, “If someone had asked me two years ago if I would be willing to stand in the rain all day to get a temple, I would have gladly said, ‘Yes!’”
Another attendee at the event had a similar positive sentiment, saying that although her body was freezing, her spirit was singing. “I can’t imagine being able to attend sacrament meeting every Sunday literally in the shadow of a temple.”
President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency, dedicated the Louisville Kentucky Temple on March 19, 2000.
Accompanying President Monson were Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Elder Loren C. Dunn, president of the North America East Area.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “May this house stand as an expression of Thy love for Thy children. May the peace of the Lord be here. May there be quiet and reverence. May this be a house of worship wherein Thy holy name and that of Thy Son is spoken in praise unto Thee and unto Him.”
Read the dedicatory prayer of the Louisville Kentucky Temple here.
A temple for Louisville, Kentucky, was announced March 17, 1999, by the First Presidency in a letter to local priesthood leaders.
On May 29, 1999, Elder John K. Carmack — a General Authority Seventy and president of the North America East Area — presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the temple. Approximately 800 people were in attendance at the event.
A public open house was held from March 4 to March 11, 2000, where 21,000 attended. A tour for area dignitaries was also held on March 3, 2000, with leaders such as Kentucky Gov. Paul E. Patton and state Sen. Dan Kelly led through the building.
The Louisville Kentucky Temple was dedicated in four sessions on March 19, 2000, by President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency. A total of 8,012 attended a dedicatory session.
The Louisville Kentucky Temple was announced March 17, 1999. A groundbreaking ceremony was held two months later, on May 29, 1999, presided over by Elder John K. Carmack, president of the North America East Area.
Just a year later, after an open house from March 4 to March 11, 2000, President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency, dedicated the temple in four sessions.
The Louisville Kentucky Temple stands on a base of 10,700 square feet and features a similar design of the smaller temples built in its time. The exterior is made with Danby Vermont marble, and the structure is surrounded with a white fence. A single spire atop the edifice holds a statue of the angel Moroni. The grounds are covered with green grass, trees and various shrubs.
The interior of the temple holds a baptistry, two ordinance rooms and two sealing rooms.
17 March 1999
19 March 2000
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This was the first Latter-day Saint temple in Kentucky.
While the Louisville temple was being built, there was an unusual winter drought that made it ideal for workers to continue building the structure until it was enclosed.
The temple is physically located in the Pewee Valley, a suburb of Louisville, in Kentucky.
The Louisville Kentucky Temple’s groundbreaking ceremony was held on the same day that ground was broken for the Adelaide Australia Temple and the Veracruz Mexico Temple.
This was the first Latter-day Saint temple in Kentucky.
While the Louisville temple was being built, there was an unusual winter drought that made it ideal for workers to continue building the structure until it was enclosed.
The temple is physically located in the Pewee Valley, a suburb of Louisville, in Kentucky.
The Louisville Kentucky Temple’s groundbreaking ceremony was held on the same day that ground was broken for the Adelaide Australia Temple and the Veracruz Mexico Temple.