Driggs Idaho is located in Teton Valley nestled along the Idaho-Wyoming border. It is surrounded by vast farmlands and plains that lead up to the tall, cragged peaks of Wyoming’s Teton Range.

The Driggs Ward of the LDS church was organized in 1901 and soon thereafter the Teton Stake was organized. In 1904 the stake approved a stake tabernacle to be located in Driggs. Almost immediately serious sets of financial and legal difficulties arose that resulted in a delayed schedule and lowered structural standards. The stake tabernacle was finally dedicated in 1907 and the Driggs Ward began meeting in the tabernacle building (Bradley).

By 1937, the tabernacle was in poor repair, so stake leadership began to discuss the need for a new structure. Since 1937 was a year of crop failures they were urged to remodel the tabernacle instead. Unfortunately, structural evaluation showed the tabernacle was not built substantially enough to warrant renovation. Ashton & Evans must have begun design work on the building in early 1941, since construction bids were open in the SLC Presiding Bishop’s Office in Jun 1941. The contract was given to David M. Davis of Rexburg who immediately bought all the steel and material. The timing was fortunate because purchase of building material was soon frozen because of war efforts (Bradley).

The ground was broken in Aug 1941 (Ground is broken), an architects’ rendering was published a few weeks later (At left is shown), and the foundation was poured in November (Teton Stake). The stake president had asked Latter-day Saint general authorities in Salt Lake City for permission to begin further construction immediately, but they were told it would be better to wait. In retrospect this was prescient advice since in the next few years financial support increased (Bradley).

Most of the blueprints show a revision date of Feb 1943 with a few last-minute touches in August (Special collections). The building was dedicated in Oct 1943, more than 2 years after groundbreaking (Teton chapel). Latter-day Saint President David O. McKay offered the dedicatory prayer.

Contemporaneous observations describe the structure as completely modern with construction of Idaho pressed brick in buff, salmon, and green known as the ‘Yellowstone blend.’ There is decorative cast stone on all major entrances and chapel lintels. Tile was used in the lavatories and baptismal font. The flat roof is relieved by a difference in levels of the various wings, and by a 68-foot square tower with copper crown and lantern (Bradley; Hardy family). Bradley (1956) also noted that “the building is of such a nature that it commands the attention of the many summer tourists who travel through the valley.” I am surprised that neither Bradley nor the dedication program (Hardy family) identified the architect.

The building was expanded in 1975 with design by Wallace & Hudson (Jackson). I visited Driggs Ward in May 2023. The chapel has been widened and the beautiful tower has been replaced by a typical Latter-day Saint spire.