Brady Chapel opens to public for Memorial Day, fundraising efforts continue

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) - People got a taste of Pocatello history, as the Brady Chapel opened to the public on Memorial Day.

The Pocatello Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) hosted an open house at the 99-year-old Brady Chapel, located in Mountain View Cemetery.

“We did not open last year for Memorial Day, it was the first time in years the Chapel was not open to the public. This is our first (public) opening since Covid,” said Latecia Herzog, a member of the HPC and an architect for Myers-Anderson Architects in Pocatello.

The Brady Chapel was dedicated to former Idaho Governor and U.S. Senator James Brady on Memorial Day 1922, the same day as the Lincoln Memorial. It was eventually gifted to the City of Pocatello. Over the years, the Chapel has gone in and out of use as a non-denominational meditation chapel.

The Chapel hasn’t gotten much use since the City stopped using it as storage for lawnmowers and cemetery equipment in the 1980s. Due to years of neglect and vandalism, the Chapel is in serious need of restoration and preservation.

“In the mid- to late-80s, they started restoration work on the Chapel and got all the lawnmowers and things out of it,” Herzog said.

Ahead of the Chapel’s 100th anniversary in 2022, the HPC is raising funds to restore the Chapel so the public can access and use it more regularly.

“We’d like to do more funeral services and potentially weddings at the Brady Chapel,” Herzog said.

The Chapel needs a lot of work, like installing an ADA ramp, restoring the exterior of the building, installing a heating system, and replacing 16 pews. Myers-Anderson Architects will be handling the restoration.

“Our goal is that once the Chapel is back in use, it will fund its upkeep. So, we won’t have to do major fundraisers, because as it’s being used it will be paying for its upkeep,” Herzog said.

To contribute to the Brady Chapel’s restoration, you can click here to donate online.