The Mormon Pioneer Trail

<body bgcolor="#eeeebb"> <h1> <font color="#0000ff"> The Mormon Pioneer Trail </font> </h1> On February 4, 1846 (150 years ago), the first of the Mormons left Nauvoo, Illinois and headed west on what has become known as the Mormon Trail. After stopping for the winter of 1846-47 at Winter Quarters (now Omaha, Nebraska), they traveled on to what is now Salt Lake City, Utah, with the first company of pioneers arriving on July 24, 1847. An estimate 68,000 pioneers followed them during the next 22 years. <br> In commemoration of these pioneers and the trail they made and traveled, many sesquicentennial events are planned in 1996 and 1997. This page is designed to be a central source for information about these events and related activities, as well as other items such as a Mormon trail poem by Russell M. <a href="/trails/wagon97.htm#ledger"> Ledger</a>, titled <a href="/trails/poem.htm"> <i> For the Children </I></a>. <br> <hr> <h3> The Faith of the Pioneers </h3> It is good to look to the past to gain appreciation for the present and perspective for the future. It is good to look upon the virtues of those who have gone before, to gain strength for whatever lies ahead. It is good to reflect upon the work of those who labored so hard and gained so little in this world, but out of whose dreams and early plans, so well nurtured, has come a great harvest of which we are the beneficiaries. Their tremendous example can become a compelling motivation for us all, for each of us is a pioneer...and many of us pioneer daily. <br> <small> . . . President Gordon B. Hinckley, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints <br> <br> </small> <hr> <ul> <li> Events <ul> <li> <a href="/trails/events.htm#1997"> Chronological Listing of Events</a> <li> <a href="/trails/wagon97.htm"> Wagon Trains in 1997</a> <li> <a href="http://heritage.uen.org" target="Main"> Heritage Gateway</a> The Sesquicentennial Mormon Trail Wagon Trek official, educational web site. Lots of information including "living" diaries created and posted from on the trail and an interactive page for virtual participation in the wagon train. <li> <a href="http://www.ce.ex.state.ut.us/history/sesqui/mastersc.htm"> Utah Sesquicentennial Events Calender</a> <li> <a href="/trails/tata.htm"> Refuge and Rest,</a> a Sesquicentennial Pioneer Cantata by Dan Carter and Jo Ellen Fankhauser (complete text) </ul> <li> History <ul> <li> <a href="http://www.indirect.com/www/crockett/today.html"> 150 Years Ago Today on the Mormon Trail</a> <li> Background Information <ul> <li> <a href="/trails/history.htm#summary"> Summary</a> <li> <a href="/trails/people.htm#smith"> Joseph Smith <li> <a href="/trails/people.htm#young"> Brigham Young</a> </ul> <li> <a href="/trails/history.htm#nauvoo"> The Nauvoo Experience 1844-1846</a> <li> The Iowa Trek <ul> <li> <a href="/trails/history.htm#overview"> Overview</a> <li> <a href="/trails/history.htm#dates"> Significant Dates</a> <li> <a href="/trails/history.htm#meaning"> Meaning of the Mormon Trek -- Stanley B. Kimball</a> <li> <a href="/trails/trek.gif"> Map of Iowa Mormon Trail</a> (100 kb) </ul> <li> Winter Quarters and Council Bluffs <ul> <li> <a href="/trails/history2.htm#battalion"> The Mormon Battalion</a> <li> <a href="/trails/history2.htm#settlements"> Mormon Settlements along the Missouri River</a> <li> <a href="/trails/history2.htm#winter"> Winter Quarters</a> <li> <a href="/trails/history2.htm#salt"> From Winter Quarters to the Salt Lake Valley</a> <li> <a href="/trails/history2.htm#facts"> Facts about the Winter of 1846-47</a> </ul> </ul> <li> Historical Sites <ul> <li> <a href="/trails/sites.htm#nauvoo"> Nauvoo, Il</a> <li> <a href="/trails/sites.htm#garden"> Garden Grove, IA</a> <li> <a href="/trails/sites.htm#pisgah"> Mt. Pisgah, IA</a> <li> <a href="/trails/sites.htm#omaha"> Omaha, NE - Council Bluffs, IA Area</a> <li> <a href="/trails/sites.htm#wyoming"> Wyoming</a> <li> <a href="/trails/sites.htm#salt"> Salt Lake City, UT</a> </ul> <li> Information <ul> <li> <a href="/trails/resource.htm#books"> Books</a> <li> <a href="/trails/resource.htm#internet"> Internet</a> <li> <a href="/trails/info.htm#etiqu"> Mormon Trail Etiquette</a> <li> <a href="/trails/info.htm#guide"> Highway Traveler's Guide across Wyoming</a> <li> Organizations <ul> <li> <a href="/trails/imta.htm"> Iowa Mormon Trails Association</a> <li> <a href="/trails/nmta.htm"> Nebraska Mormon Trails Association</a> <li> <a href="/trails/dsta.htm"> Douglas-Sarpy County Mormon Trails Association</a> <li> <a href="http://www.ce.ex.state.ut.us/history/sesqui"> Utah Pioneer Sesquicentennial Celebration</a> - Coordinating Council <li> <a href="http://bobcat.etsu.edu/octa/"> The Oregon-California Trails Association Website</a> </ul> <li> <a href="/trails/tourist.htm"> Tourist and Travel</a> </ul> <li> The Mormon Religion <ul> <li> <a href="http://www.lds.org"> Official Home Page of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints</a> <li> <a href="http://www.ldsworld.com/links"> LDS Information on the Internet </a> <li> <a href="/trails/people.htm#dates"> Major Historical Events</a> </ul> </ul> <hr> <ul> <li> The Mormon Trail is 1,032 miles from Winter Quarters (near Florence, Nebraska) to Salt Lake City, Utah. The first leg of the journey was from Nauvoo, Illinois, another 265 miles. <li> The Mormon Trail was used for 23 years, from 1846 to 1869. <li> The trail was not a narrow path, but rather a corridor, depending on the river, on available grass, on the terrain, events of the year and other factors. It was a two-way road. <li> The Mormon Trail is not an original trail but followed territorial and Indian trails. It followed trails blazed by trappers and traders. It followed part of the Ox-Box Trail, the Oregon and California Trails and the Hastings cut-off into the Valley of the Great Salt Lake. <li> The motivations for moving west were unique. The Mormons did not travel west for gold, land or adventure. They went west in search of religious freedom and to maintain a cultural identity. <li> Mormon wagon companies were highly organized. There were captains for groups of hundreds, fifties and tens. Everyone was expected to follow their leader and to obey the rules. They had a daily routine. There was discipline, hard work, mutual assistance and devotional practices. As a rule they did not travel on Sunday. <li> Knowing that others would follow, pioneers improved the trail and built support facilities. Some of the ferries they built helped finance the movement. They planted crops; they recorded pertinent information such as the topography, latitude, longitude, distances, flora and fauna. <li> Six thousand people died on the trail. The greatest threats to life were illness and accidents. They suffered from poor nutrition and exposure to the elements. <li> After 1849 The Perpetual Emigration Fund was established to assist Latter-day Saints coming from the eastern United States and Europe. Church and private contributions were used for these loans. Emigrants signed a note promising to repay as soon as they were able. <li> <a href="/trails/history2.htm#handcarts"> Handcarts</a> were used from 1856-1860. Nearly 3,000 migrants used this method of transportation. They could make 25-30 miles a day (a wagon would travel 10-15 miles a day). There were ten handcart companies. <li> As the Mormons were preparing to go west, they were approached by the United States government for help in the war against Mexico. <A href="/trails/history2.htm#battalion"> the mormon battalion</a> was formed with over 500 members near Council Bluffs, Iowa in 1846. They then began a march to San Diego, California, one of the longest marches in military history. They never fought a battle, but made history by clearing roads to the west and helping to secure California as a U.S. Territory. Some former members eventually participated in the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill. <br> </ul> <hr> Return to <a href="/index.htm" target="_top"> OmahaLink Index</a> <hr> This Home Page is sponsered by the Douglas-Sarpy Counties Mormon Trails Association. <br> Mail comments and suggestions to <a href="mailto:dbylund@mail.unmc.edu"> dbylund@mail.unmc.edu</a>. <br> <i> <small> Last updated June 13, 1997. </small> </i> </body>