A new Latter-day Saint chapel is nearing completion along the Utah-Arizona border, and while it shares the familiar design of others built by the faith—soaring steeple, spacious parking, and a “visitors welcome” sign—it carries unusual significance because of where it stands, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.
When it opens later this month or early next, the 16,370-square-foot building will be the first meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Colorado City, a town once dominated by the polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS). For members of the Apple Valley Ward, who currently make a 50-mile round trip to Hurricane, Utah, the new location will make weekly worship far more accessible.
“Having a building of our own is something that our congregation has been looking forward to for a long time,” said Amy Alkema. Lisa Farr added, “For many of us in our ward, it’s a financial challenge to make that far of a drive… So we are glad we will soon not have to do that.”
The chapel sits on five acres near 600 S. Central Street, just south of Mohave Community College, with Canaan Mountain rising to the east. It will serve more than 700 members in Colorado City, Hildale, Centennial Park, Cane Beds, and Apple Valley. Designed to accommodate multiple 250-member wards, the facility is expected to host two congregations soon after opening.
The absence of a meetinghouse here for so long is rooted in the region’s history. Short Creek—encompassing Colorado City and Hildale—was settled in the 1930s by fundamentalists who refused to give up plural marriage after the mainstream Church ended the practice. Most residents were excommunicated, and property in the community was held under the FLDS’s United Effort Plan trust. That changed when Utah seized the trust following FLDS leader Warren Jeffs’ sex-crime convictions and allegations of financial mismanagement.
For some FLDS members, the loss of church property remains painful. Christine Marie, founder of Voices for Dignity, said, “It is hurtful to many FLDS members that their church was seized… so there is a lot of cultural pain there.” FLDS resident Norma Richter called the new chapel “ironic,” recalling that mainstream leaders “excommunicated anyone that had anything to do with the way of life we lived and shunned us for years and years.”
Today, FLDS membership in the area has dwindled to an estimated 5%–7% in Colorado City and less than 3% in Hildale. Colorado City Mayor Howard Ream described the new building as “a religious balm,” adding, “We need to have healing… Christian churches and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are needed to cure that.”
Hildale Mayor Donia Jessop said the Church “has been really great to work with” through local service projects and that she is “excited that they are here and that we have that diversity in our community.”
Alkema acknowledged “a vocal few have expressed opposition” but said she understands it comes from “people who used to be FLDS and have been rightly traumatized by Warren Jeffs and the leadership.” For her, the building also means youth and community activities can take place without borrowing or renting space.
Others welcome the project for its economic potential. “We are all working together to rebrand our community and see it thrive,” said Martha LeBaron, vice chair of the UZONA Chamber of Commerce. “We are trying to promote more economic growth, and encourage more businesses and families to come here.”
Apple Valley Ward Bishop Darin Chipman has seen newcomers move in, including some former FLDS members who have been baptized or expressed interest in the Church. “We want to be inclusive and open to anyone who wants to join us,” he said. “We want to be a part of the community and help build a great community.”
How do you think a new meetinghouse might help heal old divisions in this community?
Holly Wallace is a writer and storyteller drawn to meaningful questions and overlooked details. Her work explores Latter-day Saint life and culture through faithful inquiry, inviting readers to pause, consider, and engage more deeply with what matters most.
I hope the FLDS doesn’t mess with the building.