ST. GEORGE — The old Flood Street chapel is being torn down to make way for a new fire station in downtown St. George.

And with the demolition of the Latter-day Saint chapel on 400 East, the city is allowing people to come out and take a brick from the old building as a keepsake.

Located on the northeastern corner of 400 East and 100 South, what has served as a chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since the mid-1950s has been reduced to a large pile of rubble.

“A plethora of great memories exist in the minds of those who worshiped at the building for more than six decades,” officials for the city of St. George stated on a Facebook post that went up Thursday. “Its multi-purpose hall served for family reunions, funeral dinners, wedding receptions as well as ward basketball games and theatrical productions. It was in service until 2021 when structural issues in the building led to its closure.”

Bricks of the former chapel are being set on a pallet that will be placed outside the fenced-off construction zone prior to 9 a.m. Friday, Dec. 23. At that time people can obtain a brick from the old church while supplies last. City officials ask that this be kept to one brick per family.

The city finalized the purchase of the chapel from the LDS church earlier this year for $1.1 million. The demolition of the chapel by the city was a condition of the sale.

In the old chapel’s place, the city plans to build a replacement for its main first station, Station 1, located at 51 South 1000 East, just south of the intersection with St. George Boulevard.

St. George Fire Chief Robert Stoker previously told St. George News that while the 400 East location was not the city’s first choice for the relocation of Station 1, a new location was nonetheless needed due to the growth of the fire department.

Increasing traffic congestion on 1000 East between St. George Boulevard and 100 South – particularly during the months when neighboring Utah Tech University is in session – also interferes with the fire department’s ability to respond to emergencies in a timely manner, the fire chief said.

The new location will provide the space and additional accommodations that Station 1 currently lacks, like more office and training space and sleeping quarters. The new location is also anticipated to help improve response times.

While the former chapel was commonly known as the Flood Street chapel after the nickname given to 400 East, it was also known as the 5^th and 6^th Wards’ chapel many years before that, according to the Washington County Historical Society.

In 1980, the bishop who oversaw the 6^th Ward at the 400 East chapel was a young Daniel D. McArthur, who was called to the position in 1978. He would go on to serve as a member of the St. George City Council and then serve as the mayor for 20 years starting in 1994.

The Flood Street chapel was dedicated for use by LDS church President David O. McKay in 1955.

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