The Arlington Chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Chapel’s history reflects the growth of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints community in Arlington starting in the 1920s.
The Arlington Chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1600 N. Inglewood Street, was dedicated on May 30, 1949. It is a unique and beautiful structure built of brick with traditional columns and Palladian windows on both sides of the chapel. The Chapel’s history reflects the growth of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints community in Arlington starting in the 1920s.
Six congregations or wards in the Capital District were established in 1938 as more church members moved to the area to work in politics or pursue education. The Arlington Branch consisted of members living in Arlington and Fairfax Counties, Alexandria, and Falls Church. They met in the Clarendon Community Center and later the Clarendon Library. By the early 1940s, with World War II underway, there were over 350 members, and efforts were made to find a site to build a church in Arlington.
In March 1941, land to build a chapel was purchased at the northwest corner of 16th and North Inglewood Streets. The rolling woods in that area were being developed for home sites, and a small lot was obtained from the developer. Two years later, in 1943, a second parcel was purchased. The building lots were purchased for a total of $7500. At that time, the estimated cost of building the chapel was $75,000. The construction of the chapel would have to wait until after WWII.
In June 1947, architect Orel Rasband proposed a stone chapel. As stone proved too costly, the building was built of brick. Construction costs had risen during and after the war. The estimate for the building increased from $75,000 to $215,000. The ward’s share was 45% or $96,750, with the remaining 55% paid from general church funds. A good portion of the ward’s contribution would be donated labor.
During the late 1940s, the congregation organized imaginative and innovative fundraisers for the new building. Members were invited to fill out building fund pledges and were asked to donate their war bonds. Fundraisers included a dinner with families asked to pay at least $20 for their dinner. One fundraising dinner was held at the newest J. Williard Marriott’s Hot Shoppes, which was not yet open to the public. A church member hunted deer for this venison dinner. Another member raised turkeys for a fundraising Thanksgiving feast held at Swanson Junior High School in the fall of 1948. Bazaars were held, and quilts raffled. An orchestra was organized to play festive dances to raise money.
Ultimately, $66,750 was donated, and $30,000 was given to work. The firm of Sharpe and Hamaker won the contract to build the chapel. The contractor did all the work on the main level except the painting, did the lower level’s essential structural work, and finished the restrooms. All the painting and all other work on the lower level –the cinderblock partitions, the ductwork, the plastering, everything—was done by members who dug the footings, graded and paved the walks and parking lot, and did all the landscaping.
The first official day of work was August 31, 1947. The job began with a simple prayer. Sixty-two men and boys dug trenches and footings from 8:30 AM until 7:00 PM. They put their shoulders to their shovels and dug all the footings in one day! The Relief Society provided lunch.
The ward moved into the building in December of 1948, although the structure was still months from completion. Finally, the Chapel was dedicated in the spring of 1949 on Monday, May 30th. Many prominent civic and religious leaders were in attendance, including Senator Arthur V. Watkins (R - Utah), J. Willard Marriott, founder of the eponymous hotels, and Ezra Taft Benson, a local leader of the church who served as Secretary of Agriculture during both Eisenhower administrations, and who went on to serve as the President of the worldwide church in 1985-1994.
Over time, the Arlington Ward became a springboard for other wards across Northern Virginia, with four meetinghouses and seven congregations in Arlington alone. Current church membership in Arlington numbers in the thousands and has included prominent leaders such as members of Congress and the Executive branch, leaders in communications, technology, academia, law, and the military, as well as recent immigrants, workers, civic activists, artists, families young and old. The building has undergone renovations, reconfiguration, and modernization but has preserved its exterior and interior features. All are welcome to visit, serve, and worship.
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