Portland Stake Tabernacle

The Portland Stake Tabernacle, (also known as the Portland First Ward Meetinghouse and the Colonial Heights Building), is a historic church building for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located in the Richmond neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. The building is designated as an Oregon Historic Site and as a Significant Resource by the Portland Historic Landmarks Commission.

George Wesley Bowers, one of the builders of the Tabernacle, is known for his nearby house.

Building

The 26,222 square foot meetinghouse seats over 2,000. The adjoining parking lot combined make the entire property 43,082 square feet. As of 2022, the property has a market value of $11.4 million.

History

By 1928, Latter-day Saints in Portland outgrew their 1915 meetinghouse on the corner of SE 25th Avenue and SE Madison Street. The plot for the Portland Stake Tabernacle was purchased and the cornerstone was laid on August 25, 1928. The tabernacle was designed by architect Charles E. Kaufman.

The tabernacle was first used on the same day the old meetinghouse was sold to the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (now the Community of Christ) in early February of 1929. The tabernacle was dedicated on February 18, 1929 with Anthony W. Ivins and Charles W. Nibley of the Church's First Presidency in attendance.

The building was used as a meetinghouse until 2019 and as a Family History Center, providing Genealogy resources to the public, until 2022. The building is currently used only for Church events and occasional tours.