Oakland California Temple, San Francisco Bay Area
Printed by Dexter Press, Inc. of New York, this unused color postcard features a photograph of the Oakland Temple and Interstake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The number 3199-C appears on the reverse at the lower left corner. At the upper left corner on the reverse there is a blurb: “Located on Temple Hill in Oakland, California, on a beauty spot giving a matchless view of the San Francisco Bay Area. Free guide service provides background and explanations of the Mormon functions.”
Today the official title of this building is The Oakland California Temple. The exterior is Sierra white granite over reinforced concrete. Designed by Harold W. Burton (1887-1969), it is notable for its five-spire design, Art Deco and mid-century elements. The Oakland Temple is just one of several meeting houses, tabernacles, chapels, and temples that designed by Burton. Some of his buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Land for the construction of the temple was purchased in 1943 but construction did not begin until 1962. There were tours of the building open to the public prior to its dedication in 1964. After the temple was dedicated, admittance was reserved only for church members holding a recommend. A visitors’ center was built next to the temple in 1992.
Since the original construction the Temple has undergone major renovations and seismic upgrades that included updating the electrical system, refurbishing furniture, repairing the reflecting pool, and replacing some paneling. Modern air conditioning and lighting improvements were also completed. The temple was closed in 2018 during the renovations and rededicated in 2019. Once again there was a public open house prior to the re-dedication. The temple was also closed for a period of time during the COVID pandemic.
For additional information, see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland_Temple
https://en.wikipedia.org/Harld_W._Burton
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