Old Midway Second Ward Chapel
Midway Community Center
160 West Main Street
Located on Midway’s historic town square, the building now known as the Midway Community Center once served as the chapel for the Midway Second Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Its transition from sacred space to civic hub occurred through a land exchange between the City and the Church, which enabled the construction of a new chapel on South Center Street. Today, the former chapel houses the City Council Chambers and various meeting rooms, continuing its legacy as a gathering place for the community.
The current structure reflects the evolving needs of the Second Ward congregation. By the 1950s, members were still meeting in the original chapel—a modest 60-by-30-foot pot rock building constructed between 1881 and 1886. In 1955–56, a new and larger facility was built on the same site, incorporating portions of the original structure into the design. The thick, two-foot pot rock walls from the 19th-century chapel remain visible in parts of what is now the cultural hall.
Before the 1950s reconstruction, the building had already seen significant modifications. A two-story classroom wing was added at the rear in 1910, followed by a full stone façade and expansion in 1914–1915, signaling the growing importance of the church in the lives of Midway residents.
The history of religious gatherings in Midway stretches back to its earliest days. Initial meetings were held in private homes within the two original settlements. In 1862, a meetinghouse was constructed in the upper settlement, with Sidney H. Epperson called as the presiding elder. Two years later, David Van Wagonen was called to lead the lower settlement. During the fort period, a log school within the fort likely doubled as a meeting space. A more permanent stone school and meetinghouse was completed in 1869 on the southeast corner of the town square.
A significant milestone came on April 4, 1881, when the cornerstones for Midway’s first dedicated LDS meetinghouse were laid. With membership nearing 625, the new building became a vital center of spiritual life. The first meeting inside the structure took place in May 1886.
Though no longer a house of worship, the Midway Community Center remains a symbol of community growth, adaptability, and shared purpose—serving the residents of Midway just as faithfully as it did in generations past.