Historical Lehi
Lehi Ward was once the largest in the Church
Lee Anderson | Lehi Historical Society
The “Lehi Ward” was once the largest in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
At the beginning of 1851, several small settlements were scattered around the northern end of Utah Lake. That spring, Bishop David Evans was sent to Dry Creek to organize the area’s settlers into a ward and serve as the first bishop. The following year, the Dry Creek Ward was renamed the Lehi Ward.
For the next 28 years, Bishop Evans led the ward through the challenges of developing a new town. Two forts were built, streets were mapped out, and a meetinghouse was built. In 1870, the railroad came to town, creating a second business district, bringing new businesses and increasing Lehi’s population.
In September 1879, Bishop Evans was released, and Thomas R. Cutler was called as the new bishop. During his term as bishop, he faced many different challenges. In 1891, the Lehi Sugar Factory was built, sparking another economic boom and a surge in Lehi’s population. One of the challenges Cutler had was the growth of the Lehi Ward. The existing meetinghouse was insufficient for the whole ward’s congregations, so plans were made to erect a tabernacle. The cornerstone was set in 1901 at the northeast corner of 200 North and Center Street.
In 1901, the Lehi Ward had grown to become the largest in the Church, according to a Jan. 28, 1901, Salt Lake Tribune article. By 1903, the ward had 2,500 members, according to Richard Van Wagoner’s book, Lehi: Portraits of a Utah Town.
On Dec. 20, 1903, Elders John Henry Smith and George Teasdale, members of the Quorum of the Twelve, met with the Lehi Ward priesthood members in the Lehi Opera House, which is now where Pioneer Party is located. All in attendance voted to divide the Lehi ward into four wards. They also sustained new bishoprics. In the afternoon, members filled the meetinghouse to overflowing to ratify the decisions made at the morning meeting.
The First Ward’s bishop was Andrew Fjeld. His ward included everyone living south of Second North. The Second Ward bishop was James H. Gardner. Those new boundaries included everyone living north of Second North to State Street. The Third Ward bishop was Henry Lewis, and that area included members living north of State Street and west of the “waste ditch.” John Stoker was called to lead the Fourth Ward, which included those living north of State Street from the “waste ditch” on the west to American Fork.
Both the First Ward and Second Wards met in the original meetinghouse located on the southwest corner of First South and Second West. The Third Ward met in the North Branch chapel located at 1190 N. 500 West. The Fourth Ward leaders had a harder time finding a place to meet. For nearly nine years, it met in the Lehi Commercial and Savings Bank, which later became the Lehi Hospital, located at 206 East State. Curtains were stretched across the large hall to create classrooms.
In 1974, due to growth in Lehi, two stakes were created: the Lehi Utah Stake and the Lehi North Stake. Since then, as Lehi continued to grow, many new wards and stakes have been created. As of Aug. 2, 2025, there are 211 wards and 25 stakes in Lehi, according to Church statistics.
Lee Anderson, a native of Lehi and an active member of the Lehi Historical Society, loves to tell —and sometimes illustrate —the stories of Lehi. To find more of his works, check him out on the Lehi Historical Society and Archives Facebook group or in our online library at lehihistory.org.
