The Lion House
- Currently closed due to ongoing renovation projects.
Physical Address
- 63 E South Temple Salt Lake City, Utah 84150 View Map
Contact
- 1-801-363-5466
The Lion House was the family home of Brigham Young, the first governor of Utah and second President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was constructed in 1856 and gets its name from the large stone lion statue situated above the front entrance, which was sculpted by William F. Ward. The three-story building is in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, and sits near the corner of State Street and South Temple.
Like the Beehive House next door, the architect of the Lion House was Truman Angell. The house had 26 bedrooms to accommodate Brigham Young’s large family. Brigham Young was perhaps the best known of the Latter-day Saints who practiced plural marriage in the early Church. His family included 55 wives and 56 children. An official manifesto in 1890 led to the end of the practice of plural marriage in the Church.
In 1870, the Lion House parlor hosted a series of meetings that led to the creation of the Young Women organization of the Church. The Lion House also functioned as classroom space for the nearby LDS University in the early twentieth century. In the 1960s, the building was preserved from demolition and turned into an event venue.
The Lion House used to be a popular wedding and event venue due to its outdoor garden area and historic décor. The Lion House was also used to host guests.