▁of ▁the ▁temple ▁site ▁began ▁back ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 7 , ▁when ▁John ▁H aven ▁Bar low ▁Sr . ▁purchased ▁ ▁of ▁land ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁government . ▁Because ▁of ▁lack ▁of ▁water ▁and ▁the ▁ste ep ▁terrain , ▁little ▁could ▁be ▁done ▁with ▁the ▁land . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁land ▁was ▁cleared ▁and ▁four ▁hundred ▁apr ic ot ▁trees ▁were ▁plant ed . ▁In ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁flash ▁flo oding ▁caused ▁a ▁great ▁deal ▁of ▁damage ▁in ▁B ount iful , ▁resulting ▁in ▁the ▁decision ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁dam ▁across ▁the ▁can y on ▁to ▁limit ▁the ▁flow ▁of ▁water ▁during ▁heavy ▁ra inst orm s . ▁The ▁city ▁requested ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁soil ▁from ▁the ▁future ▁temple ▁site , ▁so ▁construction ▁cre ws ▁removed ▁over ▁two ▁hundred ▁thousand ▁cub ic ▁yards ▁of ▁soil , ▁leaving ▁the ▁area ▁an ▁ideal ▁spot ▁on ▁which ▁the ▁L DS ▁temple ▁would ▁later ▁be ▁built . ▁ ▁After ▁considering ▁numerous ▁sites ▁for ▁the ▁temple , ▁the ▁final ▁decision ▁was ▁made ▁on ▁April ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁by ▁the ▁L DS ▁Church ▁First ▁Pres iden cy . ▁Four ▁years ▁later , ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁the ▁ground bre aking ▁took ▁place ▁and ▁on ▁January ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁L DS ▁Church ▁president ▁Howard ▁W . ▁Hunter ▁dedicated ▁the ▁B ount iful ▁Ut ah ▁Temple . ▁Two