After President Gordon B. Hinckley’s historic announcement on 4 April 1999 that the Church would rebuild the Nauvoo Temple, work commenced the next day toward drafting architectural plans. Private architectural firms were engaged under the direction of the Temple Construction Department to draw plans in close consultation with Church temple architects. The firm of FFKR Architecture Planning/Interior Design of Salt Lake City moved ahead on the exterior of the new building, as Richardson Design of Salt Lake City worked on the interior features. After completion of preliminary sketches, the work was largely turned over to FFKR and their team of fourteen staff members, who worked under the direction of Roger P. Jackson, a partner of the firm. They were contracted to work in close consultation with Robert T. Dewey and later Vern G. Hancock, the Nauvoo Temple construction managers, to draft final plans for reconstructing the temple and to supervise its construction.

As plans were drafted, every effort was made to collect all possible sources of information regarding the original building. Architects then produced modern historic reconstruction drawings of the original Nauvoo Temple based on this collected information. These drawings were produced to serve as the basis for designing the reconstruction of the temple. At various stages during development, these architectural drawings were carefully evaluated and critiqued by the Historical Review Committee, a group of selected historians and architects called to assist in this appraisal. Further information regarding these procedures is provided in chapter 13. This evaluation was conducted with an effort to insure accuracy insofar as possible in replicating the exterior of the original structure. While every effort was made to collect and evaluate all known sources of information, it was well understood by those who worked on the project that future research and discovery of information could alter the currently accepted conclusions. By permission of the Temple Sites and Construction Committee of the Church, several of these reconstruction drawings have been included within the text of chapters 6 and 8 and on the pages that follow.

Chapter 6. Exterior Features

Figure 6.12 Windows.

6 Figure 13 Pilaster.

Figure 6.15 Roof Plan.

Figure 6.16 West Elevation of the Temple.

Figure 6.17 South Elevation of the Temple.

Figure 6.18 East Elevation of the Temple.

Chapter 8. Interior Features

Figure 8.1 Basement Floor Plan.

Figure 8.6 Inside Stone Wall of Vestibule.

Figure 8.7 First Story Floor Plan.

Figure 8.12 First Mezzanine Floor Plan.

Figure 8.15 Second Story Floor Plan.

Figure 8.16 Second Mezzanine Floor Plan.

Figure 8.17 Attic Story of the Nauvoo Temple.

Figure 8.18 East Attic Room Assignments.

Figure 8.19 Attic Story Ordinance Room Arrangements