Temple Aaron

Temple Aaron
The synagogue, in 2021
Religion
Affiliation	Reform Judaism
Ecclesiastical or organisational status	Synagogue
Ownership	Temple Aaron of Colorado
Status	Active
Location
Location	Trinidad, Colorado
Country	United States
Coordinates
Architecture
Architects	Isaac Rapp (Bulger & Rapp)
Type	Synagogue architecture
Style	Moorish Revival
Established	1883 (as a congregation)
Completed	1889
Website
templeaaron.org
Temple Aaron
U.S. National Historic Landmark
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Part of	Corazón de Trinidad historic district (ID73000482)
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	December 13, 2023
Designated NHL	December 13, 2023
Designated CP	February 28, 1973

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. 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.

History

German-Jewish settlers founded the congregation in 1883, while the building was completed in 1889, designed by Isaac Rapp in the exotic Moorish Revival style. A restoration was completed in 2006. 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. In 2016, the synagogue was listed for sale for $395,000 and added to Colorado's most endangered properties list the following year. Over a number of years, funds were raised through a non-for-profit organisation that enabled the synagogue to be preserved.

In 1973 the temple was assessed as a contributing property in the National Register of Historic Places-listed Corazón de Trinidad historic district. On December 13, 2023, the United States Department of the Interior designated the temple a National Historic Landmark.

See also

• List of National Historic Landmarks in Colorado
• List of the oldest synagogues in the United States

External links

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• Official website