The historic Salt Lake Tabernacle will be missing pieces of its pioneer craftsmanship when it reopens next year.
White pine benches painted to resemble oak will not be set back in the renovated building. Though uncomfortable, the pews were among the 139-year-old hall's signature features.
"Some of the original benches are being placed back into the building; others will be replaced with oak replicas to maintain historicity," said Dale Bills, spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The church announced plans for a seismic retrofit of the tabernacle in October 2004. During a news conference at that time, President Gordon B. Hinckley said, "I do not want anything done here which will destroy the historical aspect of this rare gem of architecture."
"I want the old original tabernacle" to look as it does today, he said, cautioning the builders that once their plans are completed, he will look over them "to see that nothing is destroyed that shouldn't be destroyed."
The venerable building is scheduled to reopen next spring.
Brad Westwood, who formerly evaluated buildings for the LDS Church's historical department, said he would like to see the church reconsider using the original pews.
"If the seating is still sound and they can still meet code issues, it would be nice if they could keep those wonderful pine benches. I wonder if it might have to do with egress," said Westwood, now the chairman of special collections at Brigham Young University. "It's really part of that historic fabric. Most people have a fond memory of being stuffed in those."
The white pine benches were built before finer woods could be brought in with the arrival of railroad in 1869. Faux finishes were big in 19th-century architecture, he said, adding the columns throughout the grand hall are not real marble.
Craftsmen constructed the benches, and artisans known as grainers painted the pine to look like expensive quarter-cut oak.
Westwood said the church overall should be commended for the way it maintains old buildings.
"So far as churches are concerned, the LDS Church has an outstanding track record when it comes to preservation. Its preservation is not focused on the retention of historic fabric. It's more the concept, the building in general," he said.
David Ericson's great-great grandfather was among those who worked on the benches.
"I think the tabernacle is the architectural gem of the western United States and maybe of America pre-railroad," he said. "It's an indigenous piece of architecture that the pioneers engineered."
Noting that Mormon pioneers attended meetings in the building, he said, the pews were "our opportunity to touch and feel and participate with worship that happened before modernization."
Presiding Bishop H. David Burton said in 2004 that while the wooden benches were adequate for pioneer Latter-day Saints of smaller stature, today's audiences frequently comment on the lack of leg room. The tabernacle seats about 4,500, he said, noting possible changes could eliminate as many as 1,000 seats
The church has not determined what will happen to the unused original benches, Bills said.
Westwood said he hopes some of them could be used in the church museum.
Ericson, a Salt Lake art dealer specializing in early Utah artists, said the church has an obligation to keep them in the public domain, using them in other church buildings or at historic sites like This Is The Place State Park. He wouldn't like to see them sold off. But if the church made them available, he said, "I would be first in line to have something my great-great grandfather worked on."
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