Sacred Places / Holy
Erastus Snow — Spiritual Confirmation of the St. George Temple Site
1870s · 1871
St. George, Utah
Erastus Snow, Brigham Young
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Bibliography Research
In 1871, when the site for the St. George Temple was chosen in a marshy, alkaline bog, many local settlers were skeptical. Erastus Snow sought spiritual confirmation and later testified that he received a manifestation confirming the site was holy ground, previously dedicated by ancient prophets. This revelation provided the spiritual impetus for the Saints to complete the difficult foundation work, which involved driving tons of volcanic rock into the swampy soil.
Sources & References
DUP History Collection; Journal of Discourses, Vol. 25; Anna Lowrie Ivins Wilson biography (research confidence: high)
Related Miracles
More accounts involving Erastus Snow, Brigham Young, plus similar miracle types and stories from the 1870s.
Erastus Snow — Prophecy of the St. George Temple Site(1871)Hugh J. Cannon — The Dedication of China for the Gospel(1921)George Q. Cannon — The St. George Temple Foundation Miracle(1871)Reynolds Cahoon — Breaking Ground for the Kirtland Temple(1833)The Healing of the Swampy Ground(1871)George Q. Cannon — Angelic Manifestations at St. George Dedication(1877)