Folks with a rudimentary knowledge of LDS and Utah history know Brigham Young once scanned the stark Salt Lake Valley and declared, "This is the right place."

But don't forget President Young made another historic utterance a short time after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley. History teaches that the pioneer prophet struck his cane to the ground and said, "Here we shall build a temple to our God."

Since its dedication in 1893, the Salt Lake Temple has stood as the centerpiece of Church headquarters. Photographer Harry Shipler captured this image of vintage automobiles parked outside Temple Square on July 4, 1915.

Among the most charming photographs included in the exhibit are images of people going about their daily work, such as these men atop construction scaffolds surrounding the Salt Lake Temple.

Those words propelled dreams into motion, culminating in the construction of the Salt Lake Temple and the surrounding buildings in downtown Salt Lake City that would become Church headquarters. Anyone who attended the recent general conference witnessed the drawing power of this historic campus. Since the middle of the 19th century, Church headquarters have been a spiritual and cultural sanctuary for the faithful.

An ongoing photography exhibit at the Museum of Church History and Art reminds modern-day visitors of the pivotal role Temple Square and its surrounding buildings played in the lives of their fellow visitors of the past. "At The Center Place" is a collection of dozens of historical images of Church headquarters shot by photographers Charles William Carter and Harry Shipler between 1853 and 1941.

Curator Robert Davis said the exhibit offers a crisp, clear glimpse "of what Salt Lake City once looked like." The vivid, black-and-white photos were preserved on rare and fragile glass-plate negatives and include images ranging from the early stages of construction on the Salt Lake Temple to the masses who traveled via streetcar to participate in general conference in the Salt Lake Tabernacle.

The remarkably detailed photographs celebrate the venerable history of existing buildings such as the Church Administration Building and the Assembly Hall. Some exhibit visitors may also get their first glimpse at structures that once played a prominent place in LDS cultures but are now gone, including the Church's Bureau of Information and the popular Deseret Gymnasium.

Carter and Shipler plied their trade at a time when photography was the domain of professionals, said Brother Davis. Their sensitive lenses stretched beyond buildings. The exhibit is replete with the faces of those who visited or labored at Church headquarters — including Church presidents, temple builders and Native American riders atop their horses.

The Museum of Church History and Art is located at 45 N. West Temple across from the west entrance of Temple Square. Admission is free.

Temple construction workers with oxen, about 1873.

Photographer Charles William Carter shot this image of Temple Square and Main Street about 1870 from Arsenal Hill near where Utah's state capitol building stands today. Carter also captured photos of Mormon pioneers as they trekked west.

Harry Shipler's photograph of the Salt Lake Tablernacle's interior from 1909. The Tabernacle has been used for Church meetings, concerts, conventions and public lectures.

Charles William Carter photo of Eagle Gate and the Beehive House, about 1870.

E-mail to: jswensen@desnews.com