The Zion Plat, Kirtland Vision, and Their Enduring Architectural Legacy (1829–1877)  

Introduction 

This is a detailed reconstruction of the events from the 1829 translation of the Book of Mormon through the construction and dedication of the St. George Temple in 1877, focusing on the architectural revelations of the early Latter-day Saint movement

Drawing on newly correlated primary sources, including D&C sections 42, 94, and 95, and integrating details from the Plat of Zion, the “House of the Lord” designs, and early church administrative records, the study demonstrates that the Saints never abandoned the 24-temple urban design ideal. Rather, the loss and late rediscovery of critical documents contributed to its temporary eclipse in LDS planning. 

We examine key texts and events in chronological order, with interpretive commentary, architectural analysis, and technical comparisons to modern modular systems. Special attention is given to the work of Frederick G. Williams, the 1833 Kirtland visionary experience, and the rediscovery of documents in 1865 by Lydia Partridge. The analysis concludes with a call to reexamine the structural logic and symbolic theology of the Zion blueprint using modern engineering. 

Scriptural and Doctrinal Foundations (1829–1831) 

In the Spring of 1829, during the translation of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith introduced the themes of Zion, New Jerusalem, and Sacred Urbanism. Among other passages, Ether 13 and 3 Nephi 20-22 talk of a New Jerusalem or Zion, which will be established in the latter days. The new Jerusalem will not be installed only where the old Jerusalem in the Holy Land is located, but in new areas.

Later, from mid-1830 to early 1831, Joseph Smith did a translation of the Book of Genesis. In it, he rendered Enoch’s city and its ascension (Moses 6-7). The city had been so perfect that the Lord took it up to heaven in its entirety after 400 years. This concept directly influenced his concept of Zion.

Administrative Changes and the Plat’s Emergence (1832–1833) 

In early 1832, even though the LDS movement only had a few hundred members, a presidency was organized. It was composed of Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Jesse Gause. Gause was a Baptist minister. He expected to convince his congregation to join the movement, but his efforts were unsuccessful for the most part. He became estranged from his former congregation as a result. However, as a Baptist minister, his congregation supported his livelihood. Since the struggling LDS could not support him as he had expected, he soon fell out with the leadership. By December 1832, he had become openly critical of the LDS and was excommunicated.

To replace Jesse Gause, Frederick G. Williams was called into the presidency on 15 March 1833. Fredrick was already a clerk for Joseph Smith by this time. He was one of the biggest landowners in the area. Frederick was older than Joseph and had experience in business and other matters, having run a successful farm for many years. He was also a trained surveyor. His skills came in handy as he helped Joseph Smith with community layouts.

Joseph Smith and Frederick likely began drafting the Zion plat in April 1833. The plat was completed before 4 May 1833. We know this because it is mentioned in the revelation recorded as D&C 94, which was received after this date.

The May–June 1833 Revelatory Sequence 

From 4 – 6 May 1833 (which fell from Saturday to Monday), D&C 94 was revealed. In it, there were instructions to build two “Houses of the Lord,” a “House for the existing presidency,” and a “printing house”. The printing house would also have a presidency, as each building was for a public agency with its own presidency. The buildings were to be built according to a patterrn “which shall be given.” The plat was clearly already in view before them when this revelation was received.

On June 1, 1833, another revelation, now D&C 95, was received. The revelation chastized leaders for the delay in building the houses and once again commanded the selection of three men to receive the house’s design, which was to be “not after the manner of men.”

The following day, a council meeting was held. Candidates were considered, and Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G. Williams were selected. The vision was received on 3 June 1833. A large original drawing of the vision was produced, but was lost sometime before the saints headed West.

Later, various members of the movement recounted their interactions with those who had received the vision. One of them was Frederick’s own son. Another, Truman O. Angell, in Salt Lake City, recalled that Frederick G. Williams had personally shared with him details of the vision, including the floor plan shown to the three in 3D clarity. 

This excerpt is a recount by Angell. “About this time, Frederick G. Williams, one of President Smith’s counselors, came into the Temple when the following dialogue took place in my presence: Carpenter Rolph said, ‘Doctor, what do you think of the House?’ He answered, ‘It looks to me like the pattern precisely.’ He then related the following: ‘Joseph received the word of the Lord for him to take his two counselors, [Frederick G. Williams and] [Sidney] Rigdon, and come before the Lord and He would show them the plan or model of the House to be built.  

“We went upon our knees, called on the Lord, and the building [Kirtland Temple] appeared within viewing distance, I being the first to discover it. Then all of us viewed it together. After we had taken a good look at the exterior, the building seemed to come right over us, and the Makeup of this Hall seemed to coincide with what I there saw to a minutia.’” The dialogue and its context can be found here.  

A wheat field was soon after cleared in Kirtland, and a ground-breaking ceremony was officiated by Hyrum Smith. Between 20 and 25 June 1833, Williams recorded the text of the Plat in Joseph Smith’s letterbook. On June 25, drawings, which were likely smaller versions of the original drawings, and the plat were sent to Missouri, accompanied by a letter that must have included a copy of the text for the plat as recorded by Williams in the letterbook.

The Transmission, Loss, and Preservation (1833–1865) 

A month after Frederick dispatched the documents to Independence, John Whitmer, on 29 July 1833, acknowledged receipt. The plat itself had no text when Whitmer received it. Whitmer, however, added marginal explanatory text to the drawing. In making these notes, Whitmer relied on the accompanying letter and the letterbox text that Williams had sent to annotate the plat.

A few days later, in early August 1833, with the movement facing intense persecution in Independence, a mob destroyed the press. Lydia Clisbee Partridge, the wife of Bishop Edward Partridge, hid the documents in the bottom of a chest to protect them. Her action preserved them, but they were thereafter forgotten.

In 1835, the first book of the Doctrine and Covenants was compiled. The documents that Lydia had hiddenwhen was the Kiirtland two years before were not included, since they were, at the time, unavailable to the compilers.

On 27 March 1836, the Kirtland Temple was dedicated. 

On 27 May 1840, Edward Partridge died. His wife continued keeping custody of the documents.  

When the saints converged on Nauvoo, they laid the cornerstone of the Nauvoo temple. This ceremony took place on 6 April 1841. 5 years later, on 30 April 1846, a private dedication service for the temple was held. Soon thereafter, the saints departed Nauvoo and headed West.

In 1865, Lydia Partridge, now elderly and reflecting on earlier struggles, rediscovered the hidden documents. She gave them to Brigham Young, who had known of the original vision but never possessed the actual drawings. 

Brigham Young’s Shift from Salt Lake to St. George 

The moment that Lydia rediscovered the long-hidden architectural documents and gifted them to Brigham Young proved to be pivotal in shifting temple planning efforts. Armed with the documents, Brigham, who was familiar with Kirtland events but who had long not possessed the documents, changed focus from Salt Lake Temple to St. George. He does a bit better at following earlier architectural patterns, but still misses many of the great functionalities prescribed in the original design. Planning for the St. George Temple begins soon after, with construction officially starting in November 1871. 

The St. George Temple was dedicated on 1 January 1877—the first temple completed in the Utah territory.  Brigham Young initiated similar temple projects in Logan and Manti, intending to replicate the multipurpose model. However, after his death, architectural plans were modified. The lower assembly halls, originally designed for educational and civic purposes, were converted into ordinance rooms for endowment rituals. The upper assembly halls remained as open congregational spaces, preserving only part of the original Plat’s intent. 

Challenges with the Salt Lake Temple 

Brigham Young encountered significant engineering and logistical difficulties in attempting to construct the Salt Lake Temple. First, the design was based on large granite blocks hauled from 20 miles away, which slowed construction. Secondly, the foundational issues required tearing out early sandstone and replacing it with more durable granite. 

For these reasons, while other temples took 5 or so years to complete, the Salt Lake temple was completed in 40 years, beginning in 1853, but was completed on 6 April 1893. Brigham Young and his successor, John Taylor, both died before the temple’s completion. 

Architectural Comparisons: Kirtland, Nauvoo, and St. George 

• Kirtland Temple (1833–1836): Built according to their understanding of part of the vision of 3 June. It includes dual pulpits, two main courts (lower and upper), but lacks facilities for invitatories or baptisms and lacks the schools as the higher part of the inner court and primarily lacks the capability of adapting to multifunctional community events so that it is useful to the community 24/7. 

• Nauvoo Temple (1841–1846): Larger and includes a first-floor baptismal font, suggesting Joseph gained over time more of the details of the original design that he missed in Kirtland. Features like an outer court space rather than just the inner court begin to be used and increased functionality begins to be understood but not as much as the original design offers. 

• St. George Temple (1871–1877): Begins to realize just a bit more of the Plat vision. Mimics Nauvoo but adapted for ordinances and education. Still lacked plumbing, elevators, and outer court amenities now common and lacked the ability to transform into multifunctional use so that the building would be able to be used by the community 24/7 instead of just for church functions. 

Comparative Engineering Commentary: Modern Feasibility 

Modern materials—steel, modular concrete, and embedded HVAC—now make it practical to build multi-purpose sacred buildings exactly as prescribed. Outer courts can contain bathrooms, hallways, and elevators. Modular tiles can structure inner courts. Glass curtain walls with energy control and radiant flooring allow for integration with natural light and sustainability. The 24-structure model is plausible today with NewVistas or similar community infrastructure. 

Conclusion and Call for Further Research 

The 1833 Plat of Zion and the “House of the Lord” vision were not abandoned but deferred due to loss and logistical challenges. The rediscovery by Lydia Partridge enabled Brigham Young to begin again, though only partially realized. Scholars should revisit these sources for their theological, social, and architectural significance. 

Appendix A: Timeline of Key Events (1829–1877) 

• 1829 – Book of Mormon themes of Zion 

• 1830–1831 – Book of Moses: City of Enoch 

• 8 Mar 1832 – First Presidency formed 

• Dec 1832 – Jesse Gause excommunicated 

• 15 Mar 1833 – Frederick G. Williams called 

• Apr 1833 – Plat of Zion begins 

• 4–6 May 1833 – Section 94 

• 1 Jun 1833 – Section 95 

• 2 Jun 1833 – Three selected 

• 3 Jun 1833 – Vision of the House of the Lord 

• 5 Jun 1833 – Groundbreaking in Kirtland 

• 20–25 Jun 1833 – Letterbook text recorded 

• 25 Jun 1833 – Plat sent to Independence 

• 29 Jul 1833 – Whitmer receipt; text added 

• Aug 1833 – Documents hidden 

• 1835 – D&C published without Plat 

• 27 May 1840 – Edward Partridge dies 

• 6 Apr 1836 – Kirtland Temple dedicated 

• 6 Apr 1841 – Nauvoo Temple cornerstone laid 

• 30 Apr 1846 – Nauvoo Temple privately dedicated 

• c.1865 – Lydia Partridge rediscovers documents 

• 1853–1893 – Salt Lake Temple construction 

• Nov 1871 – St. George Temple construction begins 

• 1 Jan 1877 – St. George Temple dedicated 

Appendix B: References and Footnotes 

1. Book of Mormon, Ether 13; 3 Nephi 20–22. 

2. Doctrine and Covenants 42, 94, 95. 

3. Moses 6–7, JST. 

4. Joseph Smith, Letterbook 1. 

5. Dean C. Jessee, “The Plat of Zion,” BYU Studies. 

6. Handwriting analysis attributing Plat margin text to John Whitmer, Church History Library (CHL). 

7. Edward Partridge Family Papers, CHL. 

8. Lydia Clisbee Partridge timeline and oral histories. 

9. Journal of Discourses, vol. 11. 

10. www.newvistas.com. 

11. Historical introductions in the Joseph Smith Papers Project. 

12. Richard Neitzel Holzapfel and T. Jeffrey Cottle, Old Mormon Kirtland and Missouri: Historic Photographs and Guide, Deseret Book, 1991. 

13. Alexander L. Baugh, A Call to Arms: The 1838 Mormon Defense of Northern Missouri, BYU Studies. 

14. William G. Hartley, “Edward Partridge,” in Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History, ed. Garr et al., Deseret Book. 

15. “The Architecture of Zion,” in Sacred Space, Sacred Thread, edited by R. Bushman and D. Holland.