Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Parkside Plum Juice
Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Muxima
The temple and the tree at the square.
The Historical Center of Pune
Dishes at Aksorn are grounded in deep historical research.
Aksorn
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Parkside Plum Juice
Dishes at Aksorn are grounded in deep historical research.
Aksorn
Thailand’s hot, humid climate meant that customers wanted an alternative to hot tea.
ChaTraMue
Order a flight of infused ya dong shots.
Tep Bar
Thai-Chinese makes up Bangkok’s largest diaspora.
Nai Ek Roll Noodle
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
You could probably take some of that stuff out.
Dear Atlas: How Do I Pack Light for a Long Trip?
about 17 hours ago
Ripples in the land are remnants of the field walls that once held rows of native sugarcane and sweet potatoes.
Unearthing the Mysteries of Hawai'i's Ancient Agriculture
1 day ago
Petrified Forest National Park.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
5 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
6 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Utah Pine Valley Chapel
AO Edited

Pine Valley Chapel

This church was constructed by a shipbuilder and designed like an upside-down boat.

Pine Valley, Utah

Added By
Michele Sampson
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Pine Valley Chapel built without nails in 1868.   CuriousMichele / Atlas Obscura User
Pine Valley Chapel built without nails in 1868.   CuriousMichele / Atlas Obscura User
Seasonal chapel tours.   CuriousMichele / Atlas Obscura User
Original door and windows from the 1860s.   CuriousMichele / Atlas Obscura User
Antique foot pump (reed) organ.   CuriousMichele / Atlas Obscura User
Locally sourced pine stained to resemble oak.   CuriousMichele / Atlas Obscura User
Chapel with pine pews and “upside down boat” ceiling.   CuriousMichele / Atlas Obscura User
Tithing Office built adjacent to Chapel in the 1880s.   CuriousMichele / Atlas Obscura User
Utah Historic Site.   CuriousMichele / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In 1855, pioneer Isaac Riddle discovered Pine Valley while driving cattle from Santa Clara to cooler valleys in the north. He immediately recognized the value of the lumber in the area and opened the first lumber mill. Soon, others followed and a community developed around the lumber mills. 

As the community grew, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints settlers wanted to build a new place to worship. Many of them had come from New England and wanted to build the church in the New England style they were familiar with. They had plenty of lumber and workers but not an experienced architect and builder.

When Ebenezer Bryce (who later discovered Bryce Canyon) and his family settled in Pine Valley in 1862, they did have experience building ships. Bryce was a shipbuilder in Scotland before converting to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and immigrating to North America. According to local folklore, Bryce said he didn’t know how to build a church, but he knew how to build a ship and agreed to build the church using shipbuilding techniques. 

Work on the chapel began in 1868. It is said the attic was built like the bottom of a ship, giving it its rounded appearance and nickname “the upside-down boat.” The curved ceiling in the chapel was suspended from a frame in the attic. The walls were constructed on the ground and hoisted to an upright position. Everything was attached and secured in place using wooden pegs and rawhide. There were no nails used in the original construction. There are multiple versions of the quote Ebenezer gave at the dedicatory ceremony for the church, but all are similar in context to “If the floods come, it will float. If the winds come, it may roll over but it will never crash.”  

The building underwent renovations and restoration in the 1960s and again in 2004, but the original structure remains intact and is the oldest chapel still in continuous use by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Pine Valley Chapel and Tithing Office was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 16, 1971. 

Related Tags

Churches Architecture History & Culture Design Ships

Know Before You Go

The chapel is still in use by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints so the church and grounds are off limits during Sunday morning services. Tours are seasonal so check before you go. 

Community Contributors

Added By

CuriousMichele

Published

September 7, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Pine Valley Chapel
52 W Main St
Pine Valley, Utah, 84781
United States
37.391712, -113.51455
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Mountain Meadows Massacre Memorial

Veyo, Utah

miles away

Silver Reef

Leeds, Utah

miles away

Page Ranch House

Cedar City, Utah

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Utah

Utah

United States

Places 155
Stories 29

Nearby Places

Mountain Meadows Massacre Memorial

Veyo, Utah

miles away

Silver Reef

Leeds, Utah

miles away

Page Ranch House

Cedar City, Utah

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Utah

Utah

United States

Places 155
Stories 29

Related Places

  • Chalmers Memorial Church

    Port Seton, Scotland

    Chalmers Memorial Church

    The true beauty of this church is showcased in the hand-painted stencils across the ceiling.

  • San Sebastian Church

    Manila, Philippines

    San Sebastian Church

    A church made of steel.

  • St. Rumbold’s Cathedral

    Mechelen, Belgium

    St. Rumbold's Cathedral

    The tallest church in Mechelen might have been the tallest in the world if not for a lack of funds.

  • Dome of San Lorenzo.

    Turin, Italy

    The Dome of San Lorenzo

    The intricate geometry inside this Baroque-style dome was designed to create "terror of the human soul."

  • Church of Agia Fotini Mantineias

    Tripoli, Greece

    Church of Agia Fotini Mantineias

    This church combines Christian, Byzantine, and ancient Greek architectural elements.

  • Looking up from the bottom of the hill.

    Minot, North Dakota

    Gol Stave Church Museum

    This museum is a full-size replica of an original church constructed during the 13th-century.

  • Church of St. Sophia in Nessebar

    Nessebar, Bulgaria

    Hagia Sophia Church

    This fifth-century church is one of the oldest Christian sites in the Balkans.

  • Murals inside the Church of St. Stephen in Nessebar

    Nessebar, Bulgaria

    Church of St. Stephen

    Step inside this medieval Orthodox gem and travel back to the 16th century.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.