Temple Aaron

{{Short description|Historic synagogue in Trinidad, Colorado, US}}

{{Infobox religious building

| name = Temple Aaron

| native_name =

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| image = Temple Aaron (Trinidad, Colorado).JPG

| image_upright = 1.4

| alt = A view of the front façade of the temple

| caption = The synagogue, in 2021

| religious_affiliation = Reform Judaism

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| organisational_status = Synagogue

| ownership = Temple Aaron of Colorado

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| functional_status = Active

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| location = Trinidad, Colorado

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| country = United States

| map_type = Colorado

| map_size = 250

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| map_relief = 1

| map_caption = Location in Colorado

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| coordinates = {{coord|37.16635|-104.50292|region:US-CO_type:landmark|format=dms|display=it}}

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| architect = {{nowrap|Isaac Rapp}} {{small|(Bulger & Rapp)}}

| architecture_type = Synagogue architecture

| architecture_style = Moorish Revival

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| established = 1883 {{small|(as a congregation)}}

| groundbreaking =

| year_completed = 1889

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| website = {{url|templeaaron.org}}

| module = {{Infobox NRHP

| embed = yes

| name = Temple Aaron

| nrhp_type = NHL

| added = December 13, 2023

| designated_nrhp_type = December 13, 2023

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| nrhp_type2 = cp

| partof = Corazón de Trinidad historic district

| partof_refnum = 73000482

| designated_nrhp_type2 = February 28, 1973

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| nocat = yes

}}

| footnotes = {{NRISref|version=2013a}}

}}

Temple Aaron, officially Temple Aaron of Colorado, is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 407 South Maple Street, in Trinidad, Colorado, in the United States.{{cite gnis |id=2357341 |name=Temple Aaron |entry-date=23 October 2007}} Completed in 1889, the temple is among the oldest synagogues in the state, and one of the oldest west of the Mississippi River. It was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2023, for its distinctive Moorish architecture and for its role in the westward migration of Jews.{{cite web|url=https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/DownloadFile/702385|title=NHL nomination for Temple Aaron|publisher=Internet archive (from National Park Service)|access-date=2025-01-14}}

History

German-Jewish settlers founded the congregation in 1883,{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://www.templeaaron.org/history-of-temple-aaron |website=Temple Aaro |language=en |date= |access-date=2020-05-12 }}{{self-published-inline|date=February 2024 }} while the building was completed in 1889, designed by Isaac Rapp in the exotic Moorish Revival style. A restoration was completed in 2006.{{cite web |url=http://www.historycolorado.org/grants/swiss-born-stone-mason-and-son-have-%E2%80%98right-stuff%E2%80%99-restore-historic-trinidad-synagogue-father- |title=Swiss-Born Stone Mason and Son Have the 'Right Stuff' To Restore Historic Trinidad Synagogue: Father taught son special skills needed to restore 1889 Temple Aaron |work=Supporting History, Colorado History NOW |date=March 2006 |access-date= }} Architectural features of note include the onion dome at the top of its tower, a detail repeated in moulding at the roofline, and pointed-arch windows.

From its peak in 1917 with 250 regular members, the congregation slowly began to decline, until the synagogue ran out of endowed funding, and the congregation could not afford to maintain the building.{{cite news |author=Schreiber, Alana |url=https://www.kunc.org/show/kuncs-colorado-edition/2021-11-29/how-to-save-a-synagogue-remembering-the-rededication-of-a-historic-temple-in-trinidad-colorado |title=How to save a synagogue: Remembering the rededication of a historic temple in Trinidad, Colorado |work=KUNC; National Public Radio |location=Colorado |format=streaming audio and transcript |date=November 29, 2021 |access-date=February 7, 2024 }} In 2016, the synagogue was listed for sale for $395,000{{cite news |author=Paul, Jesse |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2016/10/06/temple-aaron-trinidad-closes-after-127-years/ |title=Why Colorado's longest-operating Jewish temple — one of the oldest in the West — has closed after 127 years |work=The Denver Post |format=streaming audio and transcript |date=October 6, 2016 |access-date=February 7, 2024 }} and added to Colorado's most endangered properties list the following year.{{cite news |author=Paul, Jesse |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2017/02/02/temple-aaron-in-trinidad-colorados-most-endangered-places/ |title=Temple Aaron in Trinidad, 128-year-old shuttered synagogue, added to list of Colorado's most endangered places |work=The Denver Post |format=streaming audio and transcript |date=February 2, 2017 |access-date=February 7, 2024 }} Over a number of years, funds were raised through a non-for-profit organisation that enabled the synagogue to be preserved.{{cite news |author=Boster, Seth |url=https://gazette.com/pikespeakcourier/colorados-oldest-synagogue-refuses-to-fade-the-miracle-of-temple-aaron/article_a338feee-a7e1-11ec-a279-67dc4733dd6c.html |title=Colorado's oldest synagogue refuses to fade: The miracle of Temple Aaron |work=Pikes Peak Courier |date=March 21, 2022 |access-date=February 7, 2024 }}

In 1973 the temple was assessed as a contributing property in the National Register of Historic Places-listed Corazón de Trinidad historic district.{{cite web |url=https://www.historycolorado.org/story/preservation/2020/12/10/trinidads-temple-aaron-looks-past-secure-its-future |title=Trinidad's Temple Aaron Looks to the Past to Secure Its Future |last=Grant |first=Kim |date=2020-12-10 |website=History Colorado |publisher= |access-date=2021-08-26 |quote=}} On December 13, 2023, the United States Department of the Interior designated the temple a National Historic Landmark.{{cite press release |author= |date=December 13, 2023 |title=Secretary Haaland designates 18 new sites of natural, historical significance |url=https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/secretary-haaland-designates-18-new-sites-natural-historical-significance |url-status=live |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher= |agency=U.S. Department of the Interior |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231213163211/https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/secretary-haaland-designates-18-new-sites-natural-historical-significance |archive-date=December 13, 2023 |access-date=December 13, 2023}}