Restored Mormon meetinghouse from the 1890s open for tours in Historic Chesterfield, Idaho

CHESTERFIELD, Idaho — A chapel, restored to how it would have looked in the 1890s, has been added to this summer’s tours in Historic Chesterfield, Idaho.

The Greek revival style meetinghouse was originally built in the late 1880s and early 1890s by the local residents and was constructed of more than 80,000 bricks that were formed from a brickyard on the east side of the townsite.

Here the clay was dug from the hillside and placed in handmade molds — one of which is on display in the Log Store on the townsite — before being fired into brick in the pits dug into the ground in the area around the brickyard. There are two brick walls around this old beautiful building and the interior was filled with broken, chipped or discolored pieces of brick that provides excellent insulation, keeping the building cool during the summer months and helping to retain the heat in the winter.

The restoration started in September 2010 with Rigby Construction replacing the asphalt shingles with original-style cedar shingles. Bybee Construction started in October 2010 with bat eradication and all but a few outside projects were finished in April 2011.

The chapel has the original woodwork carved with a chisel and a hammer by Judson A. Tolman, who was the presiding elder when the branch was organized, the first counselor when the first bishopric was formed, and the second bishop of the Chesterfield Ward.

It also has the original benches carved in 1892 by John Detton and others.

The pump organ with leather bellows is the one that was bought from a company in New York City, transported to Bancroft, Idaho, on the railroad and then 11 miles to Chesterfield in a wagon.

The first piano is also in the room, and in the room behind the chapel, the second piano can be viewed. Due to their age and the cold of the winters in Chesterfield, these are not tuned.

The pulpit has also been painted in original colors of cream and burgundy. During the restoration, plans of the building from the Church History Library were consulted, which had the furniture, paint colors and other information about the interior of the building. According to these records, the backroom — a room behind the chapel — wasn't used as the bishop's office, as this was in the Tithing House, although he may have conducted business and interviews there.

The restoration was funded by “Saving America’s Treasures” grant, matching funds by the Chesterfield Foundation, an LDS Foundation grant, donations from the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers and the Loren Smith Family.