The American Fork Third Ward's chapel was originally built in 1903-1905. It had additions in the 1930s and 1950s that added a recreation hall and classrooms.
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| (Image Source: Church History Library) |
Changes to the building over time were not always sensitive to the building's original design--for example, in the 1970s, the stained glass window and tower entrance were bricked in. The wood doors were all replaced. Finally, when the Church sold the building in 1994, they removed the steeple first--probably so the building would no longer appear as a place of worship. This is a confusing policy, and the only other place I've seen it implemented was for the
Smithfield Tabernacle. In both cases, the building's appearance is definitely lacking because of the change. Many other buildings were sold with their steeple, so why was this one removed?
The building was a preschool from 1994 to 2000; after that, it became the
Northampton House, a reception center. At this point, many of the building's original features were restored, including a stained glass window (not the original) and the tower's entry doors (but not the steeple).
