Mormon Trail Center Tells the Story of Mormon Migration to Utah: Along the Missouri

Mormon Pioneer stayed on both siders of the Missouri River, in Iowa and Nebraska.  However Brigham Young wanted to get an early start so encourage movement to the west side of the river.  Thre were severl stops on the west side before settling on Winter Quarters,  Many stayed on the Iowa side as well.  To prevent overcrowded in any particular area, Brigham Young asked the Saints to prred ot.  This resulted in over 100 different camps and communities.

The red dots show the LDS communities in 1846.  Coulter's Park is credited as the first city in Nebraska.  Even though it was in wagons, it had an organized government.  It was closed and the Saints thre moved to winter Quarters

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Cold Spring and Mormon Hollow were both temporary settlements in the Bellevue area.  They were used before the Saints moved north to Cutler's Park and Winter Quarters

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Chief Big Elk arranged for the Mormons to stay in Mormon Hollow near Bellevue.  He was negotiated with the Saints with regards to staying at Cutler's Park.  However the Otoe had a similar negotiation the next day and insisted the mormons move closer to the river.  Consequently they moved to Winter Quarters.

30th street in Florence was the most western street of Winter Quarters

Only Mormon tombstone found at Winter Quarters Cemetery

Interior of a Winter Quarters log cabin

Orson Hyde, an apostle, published the Frontier Guardian in Iowa from 1849 to 1851

sample of the Frontier Guardian

Mormon Trail Center Tells the Story of Mormon Migration to Utah: Across Iowa

It was thought that the 300 mile trek across Iowa would take four to six weeks.  However in reality it took three and a half months or more.  This was because of the muddy conditions they encountered as they traveled, and poor preparation due to being forced to leave more quickly than they had planned.  After leaving in June, the first Saints arrived along the Missouri River in mid June.  They had hoped to arrive at their final destination that year, but they realized this would not be feasible.  Instead they settled along the Missouri.  

trek across iowa

Wagon stuck in the mud

William Clayton wrote Come Come Ye Saints

Diantha Clayton his wife

Come Come Ye Saints

Reaching the Missouri River

Mormon Trail Center Tells the Story of Mormon Migration to Utah: Leaving Nauvoo

 Located across the steet from the Winter Quarters Cemetery and the Winter Quarters Temple, is the Mormon Trail Center at Winter Quarters.  This center should be considered a history museum telling the story of the Mormon migration, from Nauvoo to Salt Lake, and then from Europe to Salt Lake.

The presentation begins and ends with a statue of Jesus, for it is in Him that people have faith.  It was to follow Him that people left their homes to gather with the Saints (members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.)

The Saints were torn because they dersired to finish the temple, and receive their co venants with the Lore, while they were being pressured to move.  5600 received their endowment while in Nauvoo, with the busiest time being just before they exodus.  Other ordinances were performed but numbers are less accurate.  This includes sealing and baptisms for the dead.

Willard and Jenetta Richards were sealed

Best known photograph of Nauvoo

Joseph Smith

Nauvoo map

Items in a trunk to go west in the wagon, doillies and ceramics

A typical wagon load

Lots of study behind where to go?  They thought they were going to Upper California, which was then part of Mexico.

crossing the Mississippi from Nauvoo on ice

Leaving Nauvoo

Across Iowa

On the Missouri

To the Salt Lake Basin

Ship travel

By Handcart

By Train