Rexburg Tabernacle, Rocky Mountain Power celebrate 100 years

Rocky Mountain Power and the Rexburg Tabernacle marked their 100th birthdays Wednesday evening in a joint centennial celebration.

The event drew supporters from both the historic site and utility company, as well as a few words from Lt. Governor Brad Little.

The tabernacle was built by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1912 and now serves as a civic center and home to the Teton Flood Museum.

Rocky Mountain Power, founded the same year, stepped in to repair the area’s electric system after that 1976 dam collapse.

And now, in honor of 100 years, Rocky Mountain Power has donated funds to help restore the tabernacle with some new energy efficient windows.

“Oh, it’s been necessary because the wood was deteriorating in the wood in the windows,” said Mark Ricks, a tabernacle committee member and former Idaho senator.

“How could it be more appropriate?” said Rocky Mountain Power President and CEO Richard Walje. “A 100-year-old building, our centennial, (and) a place where we had such a meaningful experience after the Teton Dam disaster.”

Ricks said local people and grants also helped to fund the new windows.