Fresno California Temple
temple of the LDS church
The Fresno California Temple is the 78th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The intent to build the temple was announced on January 8, 1999, by the church's First Presidency. The temple was the fourth in California and the first in the central part of the state.
The temple has a single attached spire with a statue of the angel Moroni. This temple was designed by Paul Stommel, using a traditional architectural style. A groundbreaking ceremony, to signify the beginning of construction, was held on March 20, 1999, conducted by John B. Dickson, a general authority and president of the church's North America West Area.
History
California has long had a history with the LDS Church, starting with members who sailed to San Francisco aboard an emigrant ship called the Brooklyn and members of the U.S. Army unit known as the Mormon Battalion who were discharged in San Diego, many of whom stayed and helped build up the San Diego area.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held in March 1999. After construction was completed, it was opened to the public from March 25-31 and April 3-4, 2000. During that time 51,000 people toured the temple.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Fresno California Temple” as temple of the LDS church. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the places & architecture register because the source frames it as temple of the LDS church. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 4, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q3844776. Authority coordinates are 36.828, -119.853. 1 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 2 carry qualifiers and 1 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1999 and 2000.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Fresno California Temple”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Fresno California Temple primary sources, Fresno California Temple archive and Fresno research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Fresno California Temple”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Fresno California Temple” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.