KIRTLAND, Ohio — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has officially acquired one of the religion's historic landmarks, announcing the purchase of the Kirtland Temple on Tuesday.
The church, widely known as the Mormon church, bought the building as part of a transfer agreement with the Community of Christ (formerly known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). The Community of Christ had owned the building for more than a century following a dispute between various factions of the Mormon faith.
As part of the agreement, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will also take control of a number of historic buildings in Nauvoo, Illinois, as well as "various manuscripts and artifacts." A release from the church says the deal was completed for $192.5 million.
"We are deeply honored to assume the stewardship of these sacred places, documents, and artifacts," Russell M. Nelson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said in a statement. "We thank our friends at Community of Christ for their great care and cooperation in preserving these historical treasures thus far. We are committed to doing the same."
Located on Chillicothe Road, the Kirtland Temple was designed and opened in 1833 by Joseph Smith, the founder of the LDS movement. It is recognized as the first Mormon temple in the world, but following Smith's killing by a mob in 1844, control of the facility was thrown into a state of flux, with a number of adherents claiming ownership based on different interpretations of the faith.
In a legal judgement that is still debated to this day, Lake County Judge L.S. Sherman expressed his belief in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' custody of the Kirtland Temple in 1880, and this was eventually made official through adverse possession in the ensuing decades. Smith's son, Joseph III, ran the RLDS until his death in 1914, and in the 1950s a modern building was erected across the street while the Kirtland Temple became more of an historic attraction for members of the broad faith.
The Kirtland Temple was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1969, and in 2001 the RLDS changed its name to the Community of Christ. According to both denominations, talks to transfer the Kirtland Temple to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began in 2021, with both sides now enjoying "a strong, respectful, and friendly relationship" following the initial tension of years ago.
"This exchange of assets is significant for our church," Stephen M. Veazey, president of Community of Christ, wrote. "Through funding from increased endowments, Community of Christ will have greater capacity to pursue our mission priorities around the world, including continuing to fulfill the divinely envisioned purposes for our Temple in Independence, Missouri."
While the Kirtland Temple will be closed during the first weeks of the ownership change, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints plans to reopen the facility on March 25 for free public tours. Further details of the agreement will be disclosed at a later date.
