- The historic Pine Valley Chapel remains unharmed amid the growing Forsyth Fire.
- Utah Gov. Spencer Cox highlights the chapel's significance for the evacuated community.
- The Forsyth Fire has burned 8,899 acres, destroyed 13 homes, and remains uncontained.
ST. GEORGE — As the Forsyth Fire continues to threaten the Pine Valley area, one symbol of hope remains standing.
The historic Pine Valley Chapel, built in 1873, is thought to be the oldest, continually used meetinghouse for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Sunday during his comments in Pine Valley.
The fact that the chapel has remained untouched by the fire has reportedly given it a new significance for a community that was forced to evacuate Thursday evening.
"This is a very historic place," Cox said of Pine Valley, "You drive in, and you see that white church that survived that has been here for so long, and those are the things that give people hope … to come back and rebuild."
Cox said that he grew up in a community similar to Pine Valley, and so, whenever he visited the area, he would often prefer to see St. George instead of a place that already seemed so familiar to him. However, he did acknowledge the importance of the chapel for himself and other Utah citizens.
"I lived in a mountain valley that looks a lot like this, so we were always trying to escape the mountain valley and go to some place warmer," Cox said, earning laughs from the first responders standing with him at the press conference. "But I will tell you, I've known about that church for decades."
Pine Valley Fire Department Chief Robert Hardy agreed with Cox that the chapel is the oldest continually operating LDS meetinghouse in the world.
"I do have ancestors that settled down in these parts, and so I've certainly felt an attachment here," Cox said of Pine Valley.
The chapel has been through several ordeals over the past six months. In May, there was some speculation that the chapel was going to be torn down, but this later proved to be false.
That story came to light months after several historic trees on the chapel grounds were toppled in a windstorm, which resulted in minor damage to the building.
In a feature story from 2020, St. George News reported that construction of the Pine Valley Chapel building was completed in 1868.
Ebenezer Bryce, who later became the namesake of Bryce Canyon, was tasked with being the architect and supervisor of the construction of the combined school and church house in 1867.
Related:
Forsyth Fire started with lightning 10 days before spreading to Pine Valley, destroying homes
The Forsyth Fire was sparked by lightning 10 days before the fire was reported.A shipbuilder by trade, Bryce reportedly didn't have much experience building such a structure and said he constructed it as if it were an overturned ship, essentially with the attic constructed as the hull. The story goes that if the ship were righted, it would float.
The lower floor served as the school and recreation hall, while the upper floors were used for church services. The school was discontinued in 1919.
The chapel, along with the adjacent Tithing Office, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.
As the Forsyth Fire continues to grow, the communities of Pine Valley and nearby Grass Valley remain under evacuation orders, while the town of Pinto is set to warning status.
As of Wednesday morning, the fire has burned over 8,899 acres, destroyed 13 homes and is 0% contained.
With over 500 firefighters battling the blaze, officials said Tuesday they are cautiously optimistic that they will soon achieve some containment, St. George News reported.
