In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, tithing is the practice of donating one-tenth of one’s income to the Church. This commandment, rooted in biblical teachings, is a divine law and a way for members to show their faith and commitment to God.

In 1854, Lehi’s first tithing office, a 16-foot by 24-foot, two-story, adobe building with basement and surrounding mud wall was erected at 344 W Main St., near the home of Lehi’s first bishop, David Evans. The surrounding tithing yard eventually had a large hay barn, four stables, extensive corrals and an adobe granary.

Approximately one-third of tithing donations were retained locally. Under the supervision of the bishop, these funds were used to provide for the poor, maintain church facilities and to finance projects that would benefit the entire community. The rest was sent to the General Tithing Office in Salt Lake City.

Lehi’s tithing office, like other church and school buildings in town, was used for a multitude of public functions. City Council meetings, elections and dances were frequently held there.

On July 4, 1876, hundreds of Lehi patriots gathered at the tithing yard on Main Street for the town’s U.S. Centennial celebration. The spacious tithing hay barn we honor today was the scene of an afternoon dance for children and an evening dance for their elders. During the afternoon, ice cream was first introduced to Lehi under the shade of the towering black Willow trees on the property.

Built in 1872, the large barn was a feed and livery stable. It originally stood north of the Utah Southern Railroad Depot at 225 E. State St. After the railroad was completed to American fork in 1873, Lehi business declined. Consequently, the local ward purchased the barn, disassembled it and moved it to the Main Street tithing yard where it was reconstructed.

In 1879, Thomas R. Cutler was called to replace David Evans as bishop of the Lehi Ward. One of his first official acts was to relocate the tithing yard near his home for safekeeping. Accordingly, Lehi’s second tithing yard became situated on the northwest corner of 600 North and 200 East.

At this time, the historic tithing barn we celebrate today was moved to this new yard where a major portion still stands. An 1898 Sanborn map of this tithing yard shows, in addition to the barn and office/granary, two large corrals, three log stables, a flowing well with pump, an outhouse, a root cellar with dirt roof and weigh scales.