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Brady Chapel at Mountain View Cemetery in Pocatello, Idaho
Brady Chapel Centennial Campaign
Help restore the Brady Chapel for its 100th anniversary on May 30, 2022, by making a one-time or recurring donation during the Brady Chapel Centennial Campaign.
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Brady Chapel Restoration
Brady Chapel Restoration
The James H. Brady Memorial Chapel serves as a major historic landmark in the City of Pocatello. The Chapel was built to memorialize James H. Brady who played a significant role in both the private and public sector in Idaho’s history. The Chapel was dedicated on Memorial Day 1922, the same day as the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. It serves as an excellent example of French Gothic Revival architecture and stands as a majestic centerpiece to the Mountain View Cemetery. Due to severe neglect and vandalism, the Chapel is in serious need of restoration and preservation. The Historic Preservation Commission has been charged to lead this task.
As we near the Chapel’s 100th Anniversary (Memorial Day 2022), we invite you to join our Centennial Campaign to save the Brady Chapel. It is the goal of the Historic Preservation Commission to raise all the funds, estimated at $250,000, by 2022. Your support in this important endeavor is crucial to preserve this historic landmark so that it may be used and enjoyed by the public for generations to come.
Fundraising Goals
| Phase | Repairs | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | New pinnacles (completed); stone and brick repair; pinnacle installation | $63,000 |
| Phase 2 | ADA accessibility; slate roof restoration; additional roof repair; vandal-resistant lighting | $73,500 |
| Phase 3 | Door repair; window repair; ceiling repair and repaint; lighting improvement | $33,000 |
| Phase 4 | Radiant heating; floor refinishing; new replica pews | $58,500 |
History of the Brady Chapel
James H. Brady
James H. Brady was born in Indiana County, Pennsylvania on June 12, 1862. He died on January 13, 1918 in Washington D.C. while serving as a United States Senator from Idaho.
James Brady was educated in Kansas at the State Normal College. He taught school for 3 years, studied law, edited a semi-weekly newspaper for 2 years and then became interested in the real estate business. In time he was operating a successful business in St. Louis, Chicago, and Houston.
The irrigation and power possibilities of Idaho attracted him to this state in 1895. He then became identified with the development of the Snake River Valley, the Idaho, Marysville and Fort Hall canals being among the projects in which he was active. He was a leader in the electrical development of southeastern Idaho. The Idaho Consolidated Power Co., was another of his successful enterprises. He took part in several Pocatello real estate ventures, including ownership of the Dietrich building and the Bannock Hotel.
James H. Brady was a dominant figure in the Republican party in Idaho for several years, serving as Idaho's Governor from 1908 to 1911 and U. S. Senator from 1913 until his death in 1918.
Meditation Chapel
After Senator Brady passed away, his widow, Irene Brady, and his heirs erected this beautiful, gothic meditation chapel as a memorial. Lots adjacent to the chapel were given by the city to the family as a permanent public park. The chapel was given to the city by Irene Brady and his sons, S.E. Brady and J. Robb Brady.
The building is French Gothic Revival style and was designed by a Pocatello architect, Frank Paradice. The contractor was Alex Mathers. The exterior is constructed of hand-carved Indiana limestone with turned pinnacles. The interior woodwork and hand-made doors are of oak. All bronze trim and woodwork conform to the Gothic style of the chapel. Herman Pierson designed the stained-glass windows. The construction of the chapel took three years.
The chapel was dedicated on Memorial Day, 1922. the same day the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated in Washington D.C., Walter H. Cleare presented the chapel to the city and the address of acceptance was made by J. H. Peterson.
Restoration Efforts
- In 1959, after Irene M. Brady's death, the Pocatello City Council reached an agreement with the remaining heirs for the ashes of the Senator and Mrs. Brady to be removed and buried behind the chapel.
- In 1961, this beautiful chapel, which had always been open to the public, was locked and used for storage.
- In 1972, the Brady Chapel, although in disrepair, was put on the state historical register.
- In 1988, Mayor Finlayson and the City Council, in response to a request by the Cemetery Committee, agreed that the chapel—because of its beauty and history—should be restored and maintained by the City.
The Historic Preservation Commission is continuing in the visible restoration efforts and striving to return the chapel to its original magnificence.