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Most of the Territorial dignitaries, the Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Apostles, members of the Legislature, Honorable Elias Smith, Judge of the Probate Court, City and County officials, newspaper reporters and a few others, including William H. Folsom and wife, were present for the dedicatory service. The name of William H. Folsom is on the list of invited guests hanging on the wall of the building at its present location.
George Q. Cannon offered the dedicatory prayer. Mayor A. O. Smoot, Territorial Governor Charles Durkee, Honorable John Taylor and Heber C. Kimball gave remarks. Songs by William Willis were appropriate and beautifully rendered. A grand banquet followed. The entire second floor was occupied by the party, with the large west room serving as a ballroom. The Stars and Stripes and other banners added much to the appearance of the room. The Council Room was fitted out as a drawing room. A full-length oil painting of President Brigham Young was presented for the first time. It was the work of E. W. Perry. The frame of the picture for the occasion was eleven yards of draped black velvet arranged by James Bird. The mayor's office and the courtrooms were used as dining rooms, where meats, poultry, pastries and desserts were served under the direction of William Eddington. This sixty foot square building was surmounted by a domed octagon tower rising out of the center of the building, with a promenade around the tower. The clock bell was not included in the original building. It was installed later by W. Y. Silver and George G. Bywater.
This building was used by the City Council until the erection of the City and County Building in 1894. After this it was used for various purposes until the early 1960's, when it was dismantled and moved to Capitol Hill. Restoration completed, it was rededicated January 4, 1964, as an official state information center and home of the Utah Travel Council.
THE SALT LAKE TABERNACLE
William H. Folsom sat in council with the General Authorities for many hours discussing the erection of the New Tabernacle. His plans, drawn according to President Young's specifications, were approved and he and his sons were at the Temple Block to assist Jesse W. Fox with the building survey in April 1863. Family tradition says that Burdette and Hinman were so anxious that they "stepped off" the location previous to the actual survey.
A description of the New Tabernacle with its domed roof appeared in the Deseret News of June 3, 1863, crediting William H. Folsom as architect.
Drawing plans for this structure required enormous mathematical skill and construction artistry, for the unique ediface must be durable and functional as well as beautiful. It is not surprising that President Young and Folsom accepted the bridge-span idea as the most practical means of attaining desired results for the roof. Indeed, the patented Remington Bridge Span incorporated the same basic construction features as the hipped, trussed and latticed roof well-known to both men. Since Henry Grow was already authorized and had successfully used Remington patent privileges, he was called to apply the patent as Supervisor of Construction for the Tabernacle roof.