On Saturday, Sept. 15, Doug and I traveled to Rexburg to attend my 45th high school reunion (Can you believe I'm that old!?!). Anyway, as part of the reunion, since one of my classmates is the curator of the Teton Dam Flood Museum, we were invited to visit the museum.
We were pleasantly surprised with the museum. However, the reason I wanted to go was because this tabernacle, which was built in 1911, was where I attended stake conference many years as a youth, was baptized in the downstairs font, practiced in the choir seats with our stake youth choir to sing in General Conference and with Ricks College Acapella Choir to sing in the annual Messiah presentation, practiced in the open basement as a teenager for my participation in All-Church Dance Festival held in Salt Lake City and went to my high school graduation services! So, you can see how important this tabernacle was to me in my life history.
Here I am on the front steps--the same steps that my graduating class had their graduation group picture in our caps and gowns.
The stone for the tabernacle was quarried locally.
Monument to honor the founders of Rexburg. Of the 14 mentioned, my great-great grandfather--William F. Rigby--was one of the pioneers sent by Brigham Young to colonize the Upper Snake River Valley.
In 1977, after the Teton Dam Flood, the city of Rexburg acquired the building from the Church and has worked to preserve it as a cultural center and historical museum that opened after extensive repairs in 1982.
The building now features a large stage, pipe organ (original pipes) and seating for over 1,000 people, including the balcony, and is used for various events throughout the year.
I am standing on the stage, which used to be where the choir seats were once located, along with the podium.
One of two stained glass windows (on either side of the organ pipes) which are now replicas. The originals were broken by vandals.
The balcony above the main seating area.
TETON DAM FLOOD MUSEUM--
Along with flood memorabilia, pictures and artifacts of the flood, the museum also displays many one-of-a kind artifacts of area members from the community's first 125 years (settled in 1883).
Doug and I found some fun belongings to four of our ancestors: The branding iron pictured below belonged to Doug's great-great grandfather, William F. Garner.
We were pleasantly surprised with the museum. However, the reason I wanted to go was because this tabernacle, which was built in 1911, was where I attended stake conference many years as a youth, was baptized in the downstairs font, practiced in the choir seats with our stake youth choir to sing in General Conference and with Ricks College Acapella Choir to sing in the annual Messiah presentation, practiced in the open basement as a teenager for my participation in All-Church Dance Festival held in Salt Lake City and went to my high school graduation services! So, you can see how important this tabernacle was to me in my life history.
Here I am on the front steps--the same steps that my graduating class had their graduation group picture in our caps and gowns.
The stone for the tabernacle was quarried locally.
Monument to honor the founders of Rexburg. Of the 14 mentioned, my great-great grandfather--William F. Rigby--was one of the pioneers sent by Brigham Young to colonize the Upper Snake River Valley.
In 1977, after the Teton Dam Flood, the city of Rexburg acquired the building from the Church and has worked to preserve it as a cultural center and historical museum that opened after extensive repairs in 1982.
The building now features a large stage, pipe organ (original pipes) and seating for over 1,000 people, including the balcony, and is used for various events throughout the year.
I am standing on the stage, which used to be where the choir seats were once located, along with the podium.
One of two stained glass windows (on either side of the organ pipes) which are now replicas. The originals were broken by vandals.
The balcony above the main seating area.
TETON DAM FLOOD MUSEUM--
Along with flood memorabilia, pictures and artifacts of the flood, the museum also displays many one-of-a kind artifacts of area members from the community's first 125 years (settled in 1883).
Doug and I found some fun belongings to four of our ancestors: The branding iron pictured below belonged to Doug's great-great grandfather, William F. Garner.
These trousseau items in the display case belonged to my great grandmother Mary Beck Rigby.
This fancy sword belonged to my great-great grandfather, William F. Rigby, which was presented to him by Brigham Young.
Since I knew the curator, she took the sword out of the display case and let me hold it.
This Tiffany-style lamp was owned by a Pincock relative. Doug's mother was a Pincock.
We then attended a get-together and dinner at The Loft, located just outside Rigby on the way to Idaho Falls. I had so much fun attending the reunion with Doug and visiting with my old classmates! Out of a graduating class of 188, 22 have passed away.
I haven't seen these two friends for over 40 years--Marianne Tibbetts on the left and Cindy Robinson on the right. Cindy was in charge of the reunion this year and did a wonderful job! Marianne's husband passed away about four years ago of cancer.
Other good friends (from l to r)--Pam Hardy, me, Ann Taylor, Judy Davis and Marsha Robison.
Marianne and I took our first airplane rides together--from Idaho Falls to Salt Lake City--to visit our sisters who roomed together at BYU.
Marianne and me with Cindy on the left and Janet Holman on the right.
These were my two best friends all through grade school, junior high and high school. We were known as the three Hibbardites. Marsha married her high school sweetheart and Ann has buried two husbands but is married to a wonderful third husband! These girls are still wonderful friends to me!
Snake River Valley Veteran's Freedom Memorial-
Doug and I spent the night with my sweet father. The next day we drove to this memorial, which was built by the Rexburg Rotary Club. The memorial honors all of those servicemen from the Upper Snake River Valley that have served in all of the various wars our country has been involved in.
Since my father has been a Rotarian since 1950, he has encouraged and persisted in getting a lot of servicemen's information for the memorial tiles. He kept reminding me to get Doug's father and two uncles information until the job was done. Doug is standing next to Joseph, Jay and Val Garner's tiles.
All three served honorably in WWII. Fortunately, even though Val was badly wounded and almost lost a foot, all three returned safely home. When Joe spoke at Doug's father's funeral, he talked about how all three of the boys ended up in Europe together. "Val and Jay were on the ground moving forward towards Berlin taking mortar shells and rifle shots. They were in the heart of it. I was overhead piloting a B17 bomber with a crew of nine dropping bombs on the enemy. Our mother was home on her knees. She said, "'I will be there through the war."'
When we were growing up during supper time we had our family prayer. We turned our chairs with their backs to the table. Father and Mother led out with prayers. We each had a turn saying a prayer and blessing the food at the same time. So, I envisioned that scene each time I took off."
He said, "I just want you to know what the power of prayer can do. I am sure Jay and Val realized the prayers offered by the family, with their chairs turned the other way, brought us all home."
Isn't that an amazing testimony!
Doug's father--Val Douglas (Doug is named Douglas Val after his father)
My father beside his tile. He was in the Army Air Corps, had all of this training and would have flown a plane but the war ended 10 days before he graduated. He has always been a little sad that he didn't get that experience. However, I'm sure the Lord had other great things in mind and preserved his life so that he could do all the amazing things that he did in the service of his family, church, community, state and national government.
4 comments:
Wow, what a neat story of prayer and war. How fun to meet up with old friends...my 10 yr. reunion is next year and I'm excited to meet up with those that I haven't seen since high school (I haven't stayed in contact with too many of them). That sword is amazing too, Brigham Young gave that to him??!! So neat you got to hold it. Thanks for sharing!
Oh, my goodness! This certainly brought me back to memory lane! I haven't been in the Rexburg Tabernacle since I graduated from high school! Yes, and I remember the many practices with our youth choir there--especially getting ready to actually sing in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir seats in Salt Lake City! What a rare blessing that was! But, I had forgotten about the dance recitals--yes, we were in those, too. Aren't we blessed to have parents who really encouraged us to take part in all those things! And the War Memorial is just fantastic! I'm so proud of Dad working so hard to get it all accomplished. And for Doug's father and uncles to have such beautiful memorials of them is just great! Thanks for all the info and memories!
Wow! That was an amazing trip for you! I didn't realize how cool the architecture was in that tabernacle and I had no idea how much history you had tied in it! Very cool. I'll have to take my kids to the museum one day. They would love to see their ancestor's belongings.
You look like a spring "chic" with all your high school friends. I'm so glad you were able to attend and reconnect with all of them. I feel like I will also stay close to the friends I made at that age!
What a historical weekend! I would love to visit the Teton Flood Museum, especially knowing how much family history is located inside. I remember listening to the radio with all the family dying to know what was happening, and being so interested. You look fabulous at your high school reunion. Isn't it fun to get together with people you haven't seen in years, and feel like it was just yesterday?
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