A short history of churches in Layton City

This is the original West Layton Latter-day Saint Ward Chapel on West Gentile Street. It was dedicated in 1901 by Church President Joseph F. Smith and cost $5,600, plus labor. An addition to the building, with classrooms and amusement hall, was started in 1927 and dedicated in 1936. This building was torn down in 1971 and was replaced by a new chapel at 2120 West Gentile, located just west of the original church. (Heritage Museum of  Layton photograph.)

BEING a pioneer community, first settled by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, means that’s still Layton’s predominant religion.

Layton Latter-day Saints were part of Kaysville wards for more than 40 years. Layton’s first ward came along in 1892. It was a frame building near 367 East 1000 North. A brick chapel was constructed therein 1908 for $12,000.

Three young Layton boys and their horse are show surveying the extensive damage to the Layton Latter-day Saint Ward Chapel, 367 East 1000 North. Lightning and a fire destroyed the church building on July 24, 1936. (Heritage Museum of Layton photograph.)

However, lightning and a fire destroyed the church building on July 24, 1936. The ward members had already outgrown the facility and plans had been started a year prior, in 1936, to replace the chapel with a larger one.

The Layton “White Chapel” of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints then opened. This meeting house was built in 1937 at 195 East Gentile Street. It was dedicated by Church President Heber J. Grant. This church replaced the chapel on 1000 North that was destroyed by a lightning caused fire in 1936. A portion of the old chapel today is used as business offices.

The Layton “White Chapel” of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This meeting house was built in 1937 at 195 East Gentile Street. It was dedicated by Church President Heber J. Grant. This church replaced a chapel on 1000 North that was destroyed by a lightning caused fire in 1936. A portion of the old chapel today is used as business offices. (Heritage Museum of Layton photograph.)

The original West Layton Latter-day Saint Ward Chapel on West Gentile Street. It was dedicated in 1901 by Church President Joseph F. Smith and cost $5,600, plus labor. An addition to the building, with classrooms and amusement hall, was started in 1927 and dedicated in 1936. This building was torn down in 1971 and was replaced by a new chapel at 2120 West Gentile, located just west of the original church.

The Episcopalian Church was the first non-LDS faith in town, with the St. Judes Church and School that began in 1888 at 319 West Gentile Street. It eventually moved to Main Street and closed in 1916, because of low attendance.

The modern Saint Rose of Lima Catholic Church is shown here. It opened in 1994 at 210 South Chapel Street.

Prior to World War II, there were few non-Latter-day Saints families living in Layton, or even Davis County. The war changed that.

                              The original St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, 1948-1995.

The St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, located at the west corner of Main and Church streets, was dedicated on April 11, 1948. Catholicism had become Utah’s second-largest religion and Layton was no exception.

                                  The traveling trailer for Catholic priests in Utah.

Prior to this chapel’s opening, Catholics in Layton were served by a traveling priest’s trailer that traveled all over rural Utah.

The first Catholic building was replaced in 1995 by a larger St. Rose of Lima Church at 210 Chapel Street, Layton. Its cross rises 117 feet above the street level and the church includes 18,000-square feet.

(The original building was sold by the Catholic Church in 1995 and had other uses, such as a restaurant. It was torn down in 2015 to make way for new townhomes.)

           The Wat Dhammagunara Buddhist Temple, 644 East 1000 North, opened in 1975.

The Wat Dhammagunara Buddhist Temple, 644 East 1000 North, opened in 1975 and prior to the announcement of the Layton Latter-day Saint Temple in 2018 coming to Layton, was the only “temple” in town. The congregation was started by immigrants from Thailand, most of whom came to Utah in the 1970s. Many were the wives of American servicemen, especially airmen from Hill Air Force Base.

Beginning in 2020, Latter-day Saint Church members were also celebrating the construction of a new temple in Layton.

This open farm field is the site of a new temple for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Layton. Announced in 2018, the structure is located south of Oak Hills Drive and east of Rosewood Lane. This “medium-sized” temple is located on land primarily used for farming, which dates back to the 1850s. 

Announced in 2018, the structure is to be located south of Oak Hills Drive and east of Rosewood Lane. This “medium-sized” temple is located on land primarily used for farming, which dates back to the 1850s. Plans call for a three-story temple of approximately 87,000-square-feet. This will be the second temple in Davis County, with the first being the Bountiful Temple, which opened in 1995.

-As of 2019, Layton had 19 non-LDS churches in its boundaries.