Ten million dollars. That’s how much it cost to build this magnificent structure. The Detroit Michigan Temple. It stands before you a testament to faith and community.
This isn’t just any church. It’s the 63rd operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The first one ever built in Michigan. Imagine the excitement in 1998 when construction began. It was one of several dozen temples planned by President Gordon B Hinckley. The Detroit Michigan Temple was announced that year. Ground was broken on October 10 1998.
The temple’s construction was a year-long endeavor. A highlight was the addition of the Angel Moroni statue to its spire in July 1999. Before its dedication approximately 28000 people toured the building. They marveled at the Imperial Danby White marble. This beautiful marble was quarried in Vermont. The temple’s classic modern design with its single spire is truly breathtaking.
The Detroit Michigan Temple boasts 10700 square feet of floor space. Inside are two ordinance rooms and two sealing rooms. There’s also a baptistry. The temple serves Latter-day Saints in lower Michigan. It also serves members in northwest Ohio and even parts of Ontario Canada.
The temple’s location in Bloomfield Hills is interesting. It sits on the same property as the Bloomfield Hills Michigan Stake center. This stake center built in the 1950s was dedicated by Church President David O McKay in 1957. Think of the history that’s interwoven here.
In 2012 the temple entrance was enclosed. This created more space for groups entering the sacred building. The Detroit Michigan Temple was temporarily closed in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Like all temples of the Church. It reopened later.
Today the Detroit Michigan Temple continues to be a center of faith and worship for the community. It is a place of peace and hope. It’s a powerful symbol of faith and perseverance. A place to connect with the divine. Isn’t it a stunning example of faith in action?