The Temple Quarry

This is where the rock was quarried for the foundation of the St. George Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Lava, flowing from volcanoes to the North, formed this rock which is impervious to the alkali and water found in the soil where the temple was to be built.

The stone was quarried into slabs averaging ten feet long, forty-two inches wide, thirteen inches thick, and five thousand five hundred pounds in weight. The unique method of loading them for hauling was by placing the stone on six inches of soil, straddling it with the wagon, securing it to the undercarriage, and then removing the dirt from under the rock.

The quarry was active during the early eighteen-seventies.

This is Sons of Utah Pioneers historic marker #81 (see other S.U.P. makers here) located on the Temple Quarry Trail in Saint George, Utah.

Temple Quarry Trail
1871-1874
The Trail (Dugway) was built to access the Quarry on the south west side of the Black Hill. The large lava rock was needed for the foundation and basement walls of the St. George Temple, because the stone was “impervious to the alkali soil.”

Temple Quarry Trailhead
Pioneer workmen transported basalt stone blocks for construction of the Saint George LDS Temple foundation by wagon over this “Temple Quarry Trail.”
Completion of the trailhead, archway, and access to the trail has long been Dr. Mark H. Green’s dream. The city of Saint George dedicates this project in memory of him.