Hartford Connecticut Temple
On Saturday, 2 October 2010, in the opening session of the 180th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Thomas S. Monson announced the construction of the Hartford Connecticut Temple. Eighteen years earlier, plans had been announced for a temple to be constructed in Hartford, Connecticut, but three years later, it was decided that two other temples would be built instead - one to the north in Boston, Massachusetts, and one to the south in White Plains, New York which was later named the Harrison New York Temple. Following the dedication of the Manhattan New York Temple, plans for the Harrison Temple were suspended.
The Church had tried for several years to procure property for the building of a temple in Hartford, but to no avail. During that time, Church membership continued to grow to the north and south of the area. In the Priesthood session of
President Gordon B. Hinckley explained in the priesthood session of General Conference, "After working for years to acquire a suitable site in the Hartford area, during which time the Church has grown appreciably in areas to the north and south, we have determined that we will not at this time build a temple in the immediate area of Hartford."
The Church had tried for years to procure ground for the building of a temple in Hartford, but to no avail. In the meantime, church membership grew to the north and to the south of the area. To the disappointed Hartford residents, President Gordon B. Hinckley said, "While we deeply regret disappointing the people in the Hartford area, we are satisfied that we have been led to the present decision, and that temples will be located in such areas that our Saints in the Hartford area will not have to drive unreasonable distances."
The Hartford Connecticut Temple will be the first temple built in Connecticut and the second built in New England.
Updates
The LDS Church submitted blueprints for the temple, associated buildings and grounds design in May 2012. To see the plans, click here.
