We asked Jenny Lund, Director of the Historic Sites Division for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a bit about what she does. Here’s what she said!
1. What is your agency and what does it do?
On the day The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Church) was organized in 1830, the founding prophet Joseph Smith dictated what he declared was a revelation from God. It began with the words, “Behold, a record shall be kept among you.” From that day forward, the Church has been committed to documenting, preserving, and sharing its history. Today, the Church History Department located in downtown Salt Lake City carries out that work. Church History operates a major research library and institutional archive, a museum, preservation facilities, a publication program, and about two dozen historic sites located across the United States.
The historic sites, which commemorate the Church’s most significant historic places and host approximately one million visitors per year, represent only part of the program. The department’s Historic Sites Division also manages a historic marker program, advises on the care of historic cemeteries, and coordinates a preservation program for approximately 180 of the Church’s most historically and architecturally significant temples and meetinghouses around the world.
2. Who are you?
I currently serve as director of the Historic Sites Division for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have a master’s degree in American history and have worked in museums and historic sites for the last forty years. The division consists of 16 talented and highly skilled staff members who work at Church headquarters. The program is further supported by 43 site management employees and about 550 missionaries who host visitors.
Staff in the historic sites division have advanced degrees or expertise in archaeology, anthropology, history, historic preservation, memory, cultural landscape management, landscape and cemetery preservation, writing and editing, and web content creation. Even our administrative assistant has a Master’s Degree in History!
With a small team servicing historic places around the world, we are grateful to have colleagues at other agencies that we can consult with. We particularly rely on our friends at the State Historic Preservation Office, the National Park Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. We further extend our reach by hiring contractors to assist in project planning, archaeology, or preparing cultural landscape and historic structures reports.
3. What is the biggest challenge in your agency for cultural resources?
Probably the biggest challenge that we face at Church historic sites are the constant threats from the passage of time, weather, visitors, and many other factors that all take their toll on historic buildings and landscapes. We need to be constantly vigilant to assess risk and keep up on maintenance. In the last few years, we’ve experienced theft, vandalism, minor flooding, an earthquake, a worldwide pandemic, and sadly in a few cases, the deaths of missionaries who serve at the sites.
4. What is the biggest positive/joy in your agency?
Latter-day Saints, both leaders and members, consider the places where significant events in Church history happened as sacred ground. These places evoke a sense of awe, reverence, and personal connection for members. As a result, there is tremendous enthusiasm and support for historic sites. And for us, there is the satisfaction of working on projects that we know will be meaningful for Church members.
You can learn more about our sites and programs at the following link: https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/landing/historic-sites?lang=eng
The views expressed here are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Church History Department or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.