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LDS Visitors Center, Independence, Missouri

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501:...The 7,000-seat auditorium built by the R.L.D.S., which that church expects to finish at a cost of about 1 million dollars, faces the temple lot from the south...But just east of the Auditorium lot, across River boulevard, comes up the corner the Utah-owned temple tract on which the Utah Mormons say they will build a temple. In fact when the Independence school board offered to buy the tract for a new high school building and grounds, the Utah church president refused, but countered with an offer to give $ 60,000, to apply on the purchase of some other tract by the school board. Recently the Mormons sent the check. So a temple, understood by all Latter-Day Saints factions to be a strictly religious rites building, may spring up to complicate further an already complicated situation. 174: 1409: 533:...he membership on occasion has been known to speculate whether the Visitors' Center could easily be converted into a temple, after all it is a multilevel structure with grounds decorated in templelike manner. One member expressed to me that the Visitor's Centers twelve columns were like those...twelve gates of the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God (Rev. 21:11-12)...In reality, the Visitor's Center has thirty-eight slender pillars covering all four sides of the building, so quite a bit of millennial imagination was employed in converting a museum into a temple... 1397: 61: 1371: 191:
published a rumor (but corrected itself the next day) that the so-called "Utah Mormons" had secretly purchased the entire Greater Temple Lot, including that portion owned by the Church of Christ (Temple Lot), which had been the subject of a
200:(RLDS Church). The portion owned by the Temple Lot church was the highest-altitude 2.5 acres (10,000 m) portion of the 63.5 acres (257,000 m) originally purchased by Partridge in December 1831, and had been repurchased by 158:, acting on behalf of Smith. It was repurchased by the LDS Church, which had become the largest of several different Latter Day Saint denominations, on April 14, 1904. The purchase was completed by James G. Duffin, who was 208:
the 2.5-acre (10,000 m) area and the larger 63.5-acre (257,000 m) area have been described in newspaper and other media reports as the "Mormon Temple Lot." A January 2009 online article by
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yesterday morning that several thousand acres of land had been purchased in Independence, Mo., for the use of the Mormon colonists was denied yesterday afternoon by James G. Duffin..."
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constructed on the Greater Temple Lot dedicated and purchased by Smith and his associates for that purpose in 1831. An October 1952
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Church chronology: a record of important events pertaining to the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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author Craig S. Campbell examines the rumor, but is skeptical that the building may be "converted someday" into a temple.
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in 1979 and reproduced online today includes a photograph of the LDS visitors center in Independence, Center, and the
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The visitors' center opened in 1971, the same year as another particularly notable LDS visitors' center in
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The property upon which the visitors' center stands was first purchased on December 19, 1831, by
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Images of the New Jerusalem: Latter Day Saint faction interpretations of Independence, Missouri
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RLDS "Church Letter on Succession Authority" ref. Heman C. Smith, 1919 at Shields-Research.com
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entitled "The Temple Lot: Visions and Realities" helps clear up the confusion.
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Visitors Center in central
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Independence to be ‘City of God’: Three Churches Await Christ in Missouri
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Independence to be ‘City of God’: Three Churches Await Christ in Missouri
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Historic sites of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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The visitors' center is alleged to have been designed after the
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essay written by a friend and admirer of RLDS Church Historian
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Properties of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Missouri
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has an Independence address but is outside the city limits.
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on the site today occupied by the center. In his 2004 book
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Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
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and his associates in 1831, only a few yards from the
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Religious buildings and structures completed in 1971
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mentions the Visitors' Center in a report headlined
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Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints building
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Truman National Historic Site 379:, p. 18, Saturday, March 29, 1975, at 862: 557: 484:Moore, Edward D. (October 30, 1952). 483: 424: 179:Stone Church (Independence, Missouri) 77:, which is just visible to the right. 1475:Mormon museums in the United States 1465:Museums in Jackson County, Missouri 1359:New Zealand Temple Visitors' Center 1354:Mexico City Temple Visitors' Center 1294:Laie Hawaii Temple Visitors' Center 259:, one of the world's most renowned 13: 1324:St. George Temple Visitors' Center 14: 1486: 1460:Latter Day Saint church buildings 541: 1407: 1395: 1376:Latter Day Saint movement Portal 1369: 1258:Mormon Pioneer Memorial Monument 982:Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial 350:"...The report published in the 130:. The center is situated on the 59: 663:Center Place Restoration School 506: 477: 162:of the church's Central States 1304:Mormon Battalion Historic Site 1253:Granite Mountain Records Vault 1213:Church Administration Building 1208:Joseph Smith Memorial Building 1074:Independence (Zion) Temple Lot 684:Metropolitan Community College 466: 455: 440: 418: 385: 358: 328: 313: 292: 75:Community of Christ Auditorium 1: 1470:Religious museums in Missouri 1314:Pipe Spring National Monument 1079:Independence Visitors' Center 798:Second Battle of Independence 519:University of Tennessee Press 286: 235:format was the brainchild of 140:Church of Christ (Temple Lot) 120:Independence Visitors' Center 793:First Battle of Independence 694:Mid-Continent Public Library 7: 972:Priesthood Restoration Site 513:Campbell, Craig S. (2004). 134:dedicated and purchased by 10: 1491: 1319:Polynesian Cultural Center 1263:This is the Place Monument 1021:Joseph Smith Mansion House 699:Kansas City Public Library 245:1964 New York World's Fair 166:, acting on behalf of the 149: 144:Community of Christ temple 1367: 1336: 1276: 1153: 1146: 1121: 1092: 1049: 1011: 1004: 964: 946:Historic Kirtland Village 936: 903: 896: 843: 831: 813: 805:Westward Expansion Trails 775: 733: 712: 676: 607: 600: 591: 325:Deseret Publishing, 1914 106: 91: 86: 82: 58: 53: 1036:Nauvoo Historic District 704:Midwest Genealogy Center 668:Family Christian Academy 608:Primary & Secondary 594:Jackson County, Missouri 185:A few months later, the 142:'s headquarters and the 1218:Relief Society Building 1107:Mormon Pioneer Cemetery 1026:Nauvoo Visitors' Center 281:Images of New Jerusalem 37:39.089802°N 94.426747°W 1289:Farmington Rock Chapel 1268:Brigham Young Monument 1248:Church History Library 1238:Family History Library 1203:Church Office Building 987:Peter Whitmer log home 950:Newel K. Whitney Store 849:Fort Osage High School 743:(Harry S. Truman Home) 585:Independence, Missouri 375:By Charles Hillinger, 364:A 1975 edition of the 251:Theories on future use 182: 128:Independence, Missouri 95:May 31, 1971 67:Independence, Missouri 1243:Church History Museum 1223:Brigham Young Complex 1134:Kanesville Tabernacle 346:Salt Lake City Herald 299:Joseph Fielding Smith 176: 42:39.089802; -94.426747 1059:Far West Temple Site 521:. pp. 169–172. 310:, August 1971, p. 5. 237:Bernard P. Brockbank 1344:Gadfield Elm Chapel 1102:Mormon Trail Center 622:William Chrisman HS 452:, February 29, 1964 210:Community of Christ 87:General information 71:Independence Temple 54:LDS Visitors Center 33: /  720:Kansas City, MO SD 183: 132:Greater Temple Lot 1383: 1382: 1332: 1331: 1193:Conference Center 1142: 1141: 1000: 999: 977:John Johnson Farm 923:Smith Family Farm 856: 855: 729: 728: 490:Kansas City Times 434:By Common Consent 377:Los Angeles Times 366:Los Angeles Times 341:Kansas City Times 269:Kansas City Times 241:general authority 202:Granville Hedrick 188:Kansas City Times 116: 115: 1482: 1412: 1411: 1410: 1400: 1399: 1398: 1391: 1373: 1349:Jerusalem Center 1177:Tabernacle Organ 1167:Salt Lake Temple 1151: 1150: 1009: 1008: 901: 900: 883: 876: 869: 860: 859: 713:Former education 605: 604: 578: 571: 564: 555: 554: 536: 535: 510: 504: 503: 498: 496: 481: 475: 470: 464: 459: 453: 444: 438: 437: 422: 416: 389: 383: 362: 356: 332: 326: 317: 311: 296: 221:Nauvoo, Illinois 168:First Presidency 156:Edward Partridge 126:(LDS Church) in 102: 100: 63: 51: 50: 48: 47: 45: 44: 43: 38: 34: 31: 30: 29: 26: 1490: 1489: 1485: 1484: 1483: 1481: 1480: 1479: 1420: 1419: 1418: 1408: 1406: 1396: 1394: 1386: 1384: 1379: 1363: 1328: 1309:Mormon Corridor 1272: 1138: 1117: 1094:Winter Quarters 1088: 1064:Adam-ondi-Ahman 1045: 1041:Red Brick Store 996: 960: 956:Kirtland Temple 932: 892: 887: 857: 852: 839: 827: 809: 771: 755:Visitors Center 725: 722:(prior to 2008) 708: 677:Other education 672: 653:Blue Springs SD 617:Independence SD 609: 596: 587: 582: 544: 539: 529: 511: 507: 494: 492: 482: 478: 471: 467: 460: 456: 445: 441: 423: 419: 390: 386: 363: 359: 333: 329: 318: 314: 297: 293: 289: 253: 152: 98: 96: 78: 41: 39: 35: 32: 27: 24: 22: 20: 19: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1488: 1478: 1477: 1472: 1467: 1462: 1457: 1452: 1447: 1442: 1437: 1432: 1417: 1416: 1404: 1381: 1380: 1368: 1365: 1364: 1362: 1361: 1356: 1351: 1346: 1340: 1338: 1334: 1333: 1330: 1329: 1327: 1326: 1321: 1316: 1311: 1306: 1301: 1296: 1291: 1286: 1280: 1278: 1274: 1273: 1271: 1270: 1265: 1260: 1255: 1250: 1245: 1240: 1235: 1229: 1220: 1215: 1210: 1205: 1200: 1190: 1184: 1179: 1174: 1169: 1159: 1157: 1155:Salt Lake City 1148: 1144: 1143: 1140: 1139: 1137: 1136: 1131: 1125: 1123: 1119: 1118: 1116: 1115: 1110: 1104: 1098: 1096: 1090: 1089: 1087: 1086: 1081: 1076: 1071: 1066: 1061: 1055: 1053: 1047: 1046: 1044: 1043: 1038: 1033: 1028: 1023: 1017: 1015: 1006: 1002: 1001: 998: 997: 995: 994: 989: 984: 979: 974: 968: 966: 962: 961: 959: 958: 953: 942: 940: 934: 933: 931: 930: 920: 915: 909: 907: 898: 894: 893: 886: 885: 878: 871: 863: 854: 853: 844: 841: 840: 835: 833: 832:Transportation 829: 828: 826: 825: 817: 815: 811: 810: 808: 807: 802: 801: 800: 795: 790: 779: 777: 773: 772: 770: 769: 764: 763: 762: 757: 749: 744: 737: 735: 731: 730: 727: 726: 724: 723: 716: 714: 710: 709: 707: 706: 701: 696: 691: 686: 680: 678: 674: 673: 671: 670: 665: 660: 655: 650: 649: 648: 636: 635: 634: 629: 624: 613: 611: 602: 598: 597: 592: 589: 588: 581: 580: 573: 566: 558: 552: 551: 543: 542:External links 540: 538: 537: 527: 505: 476: 465: 454: 439: 428:(2009-01-19). 417: 384: 357: 344:quoted in the 327: 312: 290: 288: 285: 273:Heman C. 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Index

39°05′23″N 94°25′36″W / 39.089802°N 94.426747°W / 39.089802; -94.426747

Independence, Missouri
Independence Temple
Community of Christ Auditorium
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Independence, Missouri
Greater Temple Lot
Joseph Smith
Church of Christ (Temple Lot)
Community of Christ temple
Edward Partridge
president
Mission
First Presidency

Stone Church (Independence, Missouri)
Kansas City Times
lawsuit
Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Granville Hedrick
Community of Christ
John C. Hamer
Nauvoo, Illinois
doctrines
audio-visual
interactive
Bernard P. Brockbank
general authority

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