William Asper and the Manti Temple's Twin Spiral Staircases: A Pioneer Craftsman's Marvel (1880s)

William Asper was a Latter-day Saint craftsman of Manti, Utah, who built one of the great engineering marvels of pioneer Utah: the twin self-supporting spiral staircases of the Manti Utah Temple. Rising 76 feet from the main floor to the temple's upper levels, with no central support column, the two staircases—located on the west corners of the building and constructed with the assistance of Andreas (Andrew) Aagard and Joseph Judd—were a feat of design and courage. Many said such staircases could not stand; they have stood for over 135 years. Asper also served as a counselor in the Manti bishopric. His staircases remain among the most celebrated craftsmanship of the temple-building era, a quiet witness that the early Saints built the Lord's houses with both faith and skill.