Spotlight on Chapel In Utah That Was Spawned by a Riot

The Lone Building Still Standing in Draper 

The state prison has been torn down that used to stand at the point of the mountain by Draper. In the empty fields one building still stands. It is the prison chapel and a group of Utahns is working to preserve it.  Fox 13 tells the fascinating story.

Former legislator V. Lowry Snow and the Lieutenant Governor Diedra Henderson, worked to keep the building from being demolished. They felt it was important as it represented hope and redemption to the inmates that had visited there. 

The Surprising Story of How the Chapel Came to Be 

In 1957 a riot broke out in the state prison, and they presented a list of demands. On the list was that a chapel be built. I don’t know what Utah was like in those days, but it seems like everyone would be cool building a chapel. It is also surprising that there wasn’t one there already. 

Even more surprising is the inmates raised the money and helped build the chapel themselves. This was really a different time. All the money to build it came from donations and none from the state.

Read More: World’s Biggest One of These Was Once In Hurricane, Utah

This part of the former prison will now be preserved for future generations. The chapel still needs a lot of restoration work. It will stand in the middle of the new development and act as a beacon of hope and a link to the past.

I’m glad they decided to save the chapel and not a random guard tower. I salute those doing this work.