Old South Ward Building

In 1917 with the growth of Church membership in Richmond, the Richmond Ward was split, creating the Richmond South Ward. Earlier wards had their own buildings to congregate instead of sharing buildings as they do today. The Church purchased the land of Axel Erickson, located on 335 S State Street.2 Plans were made to construct the building in February of 1917, and completed on February 4, 1923. It was completely made of brick. 

In 1962, the building was damaged by the 5.8 earthquake, along with the Richmond Tabernacle. The building was deemed unsafe to keep, however, the South Ward continued to hold services in the damaged building until the Richmond Stake Center was constructed in 1964. The South Ward building came down soon after.1

South Ward Stone Tablet

After the building was condemned, the land was sold, and a home was built upon it. Julee Spackman, who owned the home that was built on the property of the South Ward building, had an LDS youth group unearth the South Ward stone tablet that hung over the building. She had the tablet on the edge of her property near the sidewalk as a historical marker of the old building. In 2021, the stone tablet was moved to the Daughters of Utah Pioneers Relic Hall. 

1. Bair, Amos W. (1976). History of Richmond, Utah. The Richmond Bicentennial Committee. pg 86-87

2. Stum, Marlin W. (2007). Richmond: A History in Black and White. (T. Wierenga, Ed.). Richmond City. pg 190-191.

Cover photo located in History of Richmond, Utah, pg. 86-87, Amos W. Bair, 1976