Gila Valley Arizona Temple Pictures
The Gila Valley Temple stands at the foot of Mount Graham along Highway 70 in the rural community of Central, halfway between Pima and Thatcher — hometown of former Church president Spencer W. Kimball, who grew up in the shadow of this same mountain. Announced on April 26, 2008 by President Thomas S. Monson, alongside the Gilbert Arizona Temple, in his first temple announcements as Church president, it became the third temple built in Arizona and the 132nd operating temple of the Church when it was dedicated on May 23, 2010. Our collection of Gila Valley Arizona Temple pictures, art prints, and paintings captures this beloved rural Arizona landmark.
Dawn & Mt. Graham
by Richard Webb
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Glory To The Highest
by Rory Wallwork
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For Eternity
by Rory Wallwork
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Blue Dawn
by Rory Wallwork
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A Place Of Refuge
by Rory Wallwork
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Radiance
by Rory Wallwork
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Golden Sunset
by Rory Wallwork
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And Mt Graham Sunrise
by Rory Wallwork
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Sunrise Light
by Rory Wallwork
About the Gila Valley Arizona Temple
Speculation about a temple in the Gila Valley dates back to 1882, when Church leader Jesse N. Smith predicted one would someday be built in Thatcher. That prediction was fulfilled more than 125 years later when President Thomas S. Monson announced The Gila Valley Temple on April 26, 2008, pairing it with the announcement of the Gilbert Arizona Temple as his first temple announcements since becoming Church president. The temple would serve approximately 32,000 members across seven stakes in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico, a Latter-day Saint community with roots stretching back to Mormon pioneers who settled the region beginning in 1879. Groundbreaking took place on February 14, 2009, attended by the current and four former stake presidents of the Thatcher Arizona Stake.
Built on a 17-acre site in Central, Arizona — land that required clearing two of the community's four Church-owned baseball fields — the 18,561-square-foot temple rose alongside an adjoining meetinghouse and two recreational softball fields that remain in use today. Its spire and gold-leafed statue of the angel Moroni were installed on September 22, 2009, giving the building its final form. An anonymous woman from the area donated $500,000 toward the beautiful original artwork found throughout the temple's interior. During the public open house, 90,865 visitors toured the temple, generating 1,299 comment cards and 139 missionary referrals. President Monson dedicated The Gila Valley Temple in three sessions on May 23, 2010 — fittingly named at the request of President Kimball's family, who asked that it simply be called "The Gila Valley Temple," honoring his boyhood home in nearby Thatcher.
Gila Valley Arizona Temple Photos, Art & Prints
Framed by the rugged slopes of Mount Graham and the wide-open farmland of the Gila Valley, the temple offers a distinctly rural Arizona setting rarely captured in Latter-day Saint temple photography. The surrounding landscape shifts from golden desert tones to green valley farmland across the seasons, giving photographers a quiet, unhurried backdrop far from the crowds of Arizona's larger cities. Our collection features photography and fine art capturing the Gila Valley Arizona Temple in the warm, open light of this agricultural valley.
Gila Valley Temple prints make a meaningful and inspirational gift for members throughout southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico, and for anyone with roots in this historic farming community. Perfect for weddings, mission homecomings, new homes, and other milestone occasions.