Springfield Latter-day Saints temple opens tours, brings worship closer to locals

The new Willamette Valley Oregon Temple in Springfield is open to the public only for a short window, giving Lane County residents a rare chance to walk inside a building that will later be reserved for faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The free open house runs through Saturday, May 9, at 3701 Corporate Way, with Sundays excluded, and each visit typically lasts about 30 minutes.

Visitors will see a video and take a walk-through tour before ending with a chance to ask questions of Church representatives. Church materials say the open house is open to everyone, including community members and people who simply want to learn what a temple is about. After the temple is dedicated, access will be limited to faithful members of the church.

For Eugene-Springfield-area members, the opening removes a long drive to worship spaces in Portland or Medford. Church newsroom says the temple will serve more than 30,000 Latter-day Saints in central-western Oregon, part of a state that has more than 150,000 Latter-day Saints in over 300 congregations. The Willamette Valley temple is the third temple in Oregon, following the Portland Oregon Temple and the Medford Oregon Temple.

The Springfield building was announced for Eugene in April 2021 and later given its official name. Groundbreaking followed on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022. The public tours began Thursday, April 23, after a media day on Monday, April 20, and invited guest tours on April 21 and 22.

The temple is already drawing interest from local members who see the closer location as a practical change in daily life. University of Oregon track athlete and reigning national champion Payton Bair said temples have long been places of “peace and comfort” for him, and that having one closer to home will bring more peace into his life. Creswell High School senior Elizabeth Lewis said the nearby temple means she can go after school or on a day off when she has a couple of hours.

Church officials also built in details that reflect the area around it, including bike racks for a region where cycling is part of everyday transportation. The temple serves not only Springfield and Eugene but also members from Bend, Coos Bay and Florence, making it a regional destination as much as a local one.

The open house marks the first time many Lane County residents will see the inside of the temple. Once it closes, the chance to step through the doors will narrow to church members, making these few weeks the only public look inside the building before it becomes part of everyday worship life for the region’s Latter-day Saints.