Hartford Connecticut Temple

The Hartford Connecticut Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in Farmington, Connecticut. It is the first LDS temple in Connecticut and the second in New England, following the Boston Massachusetts Temple.

The temple is located at the intersection of Melrose Drive and Farmington Avenue.

History
On October 3, 1992, during the afternoon session of the church's 162nd Semiannual general conference, Gordon B. Hinckley, First Counselor in the First Presidency, announced plans for a temple in Hartford. However, three years later, plans for this temple were replaced with plans for the Boston and White Plains New York temples (later to be renamed the Harrison New York Temple).

In the October 1995 general conference, Hinckley explained, After working for years to acquire a suitable site in the Hartford area, during which time the Church has grown appreciably in areas to the north and south, we have determined that we will not at this time build a temple in the immediate area of Hartford.

Hinckley apologized to the members of Hartford, who had joyed in the announcement of this temple, by saying, We apologize to our faithful Saints in the Hartford area. We know you will be disappointed in this announcement. You know that we, and your local officers, have spent countless hours searching for a suitable location that would handle the needs of the Saints in New York and New England. While we deeply regret disappointing the people in the Hartford area, we are satisfied that we have been led to the present decision, and that temples will be located in such areas that our Saints in the Hartford area will not have to drive unreasonable distances.

After construction on the temple in Boston was complete, it was dedicated on October 1, 2000. However, construction of a temple in White Plains, on a 24-acre site for the temple at the intersection of Interstate 287 and Hutchinson River Parkway, was never started and eventually suspended. Reportedly, efforts had been underway until 2004, but construction was delayed by lawsuits and objections by local officials, and this temple was removed from the list on the church's official temple website soon after the Manhattan New York Temple dedication.

Second announced
On October 2, 2010, during the church's general conference, church president Thomas S. Monson announced plans for the construction of a temple in Hartford, 18 years after the original announcement by Hinckley.

In May 2012, the church released a rendering of the temple and announced it would be built in Farmington. The temple was planned to be approximately 25,000 square feet and the site plan was approved by the town planning and zoning commission in June 2012.

Groundbreaking
Ground was broken for the new temple by Monson on August 17, 2013.

Open house and dedication
A public open house was held from September 30 through October 22, 2016, excluding October 1 and Sundays. The temple was dedicated by Henry B. Eyring on November 20, 2016.

Award
In 2018, Architectural Digest chose the temple as the most beautiful place of worship in Connecticut.