How Brigham Young's Lion House was almost demolished (and how it got saved)
In the early 1960s, the Church started construction on the Church Office Building, which would house offices for many members of the Seventy in addition to various church departments. In order to address capacity concerns, the First Presidency made a decision to tear down the Lion House and replace it with an entrance to an underground parking garage on South Temple Street. Sister Florence Jacobson, who was the Young Women's General President at the time and a passionate advocate for preservation, was incredibly upset when she heard the news. As the granddaughter of two prophets (Joseph F. Smith and Heber J. Grant), she had fond childhood memories of that house since Joseph F. Smith lived there throughout his presidency.
Emboldened, she went straight to the First Presidency pleaded with them to not tear the Lion House down. She told them, "Over my dead body are you tearing that house down.” One of President McKay's counselors (Henry D. Moyle) initially brushed off her concerns, but President McKay heard her out. She proposed an alternative solution, which was to transform the basement of the house into a restaurant for visitors to Temple Square. Since the basement was originally a pantry, the restaurant would simply be known as The Lion House Pantry. Any costs for upgrading and preserving the building would be gained from the Lion House Pantry's income. President McKay, to the surprise of his counselors, loved the idea. After a quick prayer, he confirmed to his counselors that he felt prompted that it was the right course of action. His counselors sustained him, and the Lion House remains standing to this day.
So what happened to Sister Jacobson after that? Since she was well known amongst the twelve as a passionate advocate for preservation, President Harold B. Lee appointed her to be the director of the Arts and Sites Division of the Church Historic Department as well as the first head curator for the Church History Museum. She personally oversaw the renovations of Brigham Young's Winter Home, E. B. Grandin's printing press, Newell K. Whitney's store in Kirtland, and the Manti Temple (for the 80s renovation). She lived to be 103 and passed away peacefully in 2017.
