March 26 is the 166th anniversary of the dedication of the Kirtland Temple.

Joseph Smith, the first president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, announced plans to build the temple in December 1832.

About three years later, Smith dedicated it on March 27, 1836. At the time, it was one of the largest buildings in northern Ohio.

"The Kirtland Temple is a fulfillment of a promise the Lord made to the saints that if they were faithful, they would be endowed with power from on high," said Robert Millet, professor of religious education.

Joseph Smith was also the architect of the Kirtland Temple. It was originally about 15,000 square feet, and was 79 feet long and 59 feet wide. The original temple contained 15 rooms with a tower 110 feet high.

The exterior of the temple was plaster made of the Saints' broken glass and dishes, which made the temple glisten.

In the late 1830s, mobs forced members of the church to leave Kirtland.

Copyright Brigham Young University 26 Mar 2002