Last September, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that renovation work had begun on a significant historic site. The Church’s Missionary and Church History were working steadfastly together in order to complete the Priesthood Restoration Site near Susquehanna Depot, Pennsylvania. It was an exciting undertaking, as Stephen Allen of the Missionary Department explained, “it’s extremely important from our standpoint because this is the last site of the Restoration that has not yet been fully restored.”
With the planned renovations complete, the Church recently announced that the site will be open to the public starting Saturday, August 29, 2015.
The dedicatory services will be Saturday, September 19, at 11:00 ET (9:00am MT). The dedicatory prayer will be given by President Russell M. Nelson. Dedicatory events will be broadcast live on the Church satellite system and on LDS.org. Recordings of the broadcasts will also be archived on LDS.org.
Significant Church History that occurred here:
- Joseph and Emma Smith lived here with Emma’s parents, Isaac and Elizabeth Hale, for a short time.
The Hale Home (Image via MormonNewsroom.org)
- Joseph and Emma then purchased and lived in a nearby home until August 1830. It burned down in 1919, but has been reconstructed as part of this historic site.
The Smith Home (Image via MormonNewsroom.org)
- Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery prayed in the woods for guidance concerning baptism. They were visited by the the resurrected John the Baptist on May 15, 1829, and he ordained them to the Aaronic Priesthood.
- After the ordination, and at the instruction of John the Baptist, Joseph and Oliver baptized each other in the Susquehanna River.
- Joseph and Oliver also received the Melchizedek Priesthood here, conferred on them from Peter, James, and John.
- Joseph received many divine revelations while living here, including 15 that were later included in the Doctrine and Covenants.
The daily operating hours of the the Priesthood Restoration Site will be 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. It is located near Susquehanna Depot, just off Pennsylvania Route 171.
