Dome Church Foundation Stones

Dome Church Foundation Stones
Granite Benches

The large granite stone benches located on either side of the entrance to this building were made from the original foundation stones of Riverton’s Dome Church, which stood on this very location from 1908 to 1939. The stones were hauled by wagon from the Salt Lake Temple Quarry at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon. It is estimated that each bench weighs approximately 2,500 pounds.

In 1898, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began construction on a new meetinghouse in Riverton. The meetinghouse, which took nearly 10 years to build, was completed in September of 1908. The iconic Romanesque-style building was designed by Utah architect Richard Kletting, who later designed the Utah State Capitol.

Built from red brick and stone, the Dome Church faced east and was about the height of a six-story building. The curved exterior cement stairs provided a grand entrance to the chapel level. Stained glass windows decorated the edifice, which had a seating capacity of 1,000 people.

The building and surrounding property served as a church and community center for three decades. The exterior stairs proved to be steep and awkward, particularly for funerals, and the structure was difficult to heat and maintain. As a result, the building was torn down in 1939. The Old Dome Meeting Hall at Riverton City Park was fashioned after the original Dome Church. It houses several artifacts from the original church.

Riverton City would like to thank Jim Sifantonakis and his family for preserving the foundation stones from the original Dome Church.