Wagon Trains in Iowa in 1996

Wagon Trains in Iowa in 1996

Two wagon trains will re-enact the Iowa portion of the trek.

The JL2 Inc. Authentic Wagon Train departs June 15-16 from Nauvoo and ends July 4 at Winter Quarters near Omaha, Neb. For information, call the hotline between 8a.m. and 4 p.m. CST at 1-800-767-4923.

The Iowa Mormon Trails Association Sesquicentennial Wagon Train departs from Montrose June 17 and ends at Council Bluffs July 13. For information and registration, call the IMTA hotline, 319-463-5302.

Montell Seeley is leading a handcart trek across the Mormon Trail in Iowa June 24-July 13. All are welcome to participate. Participants may trek one to 20 days at $5 per day per person. The fee includes the handcart. Meals are available for $12 per day. For information, contact Montell Seeley at 801-381-2195, or call the IMTA hotline, 319-463-5302.

Travelers wishing to tour the trail by automobile or otherwise may want to obtain a copy of the "Mormon Pioneer Trail" brochure and map published by the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management. Copies are available from Nauvoo Restoration Inc., P.O. Box 215, Nauvoo, Ill. 62354, or by calling the IMTA hotline.

In Iowa, the auto tour route that approximates the trail begins in Montrose on Highway 218 and extends west over portions of Highways 2, 69, 34, 25, and 92. Communities through which the trail passes can be reached from those highways.

June 17- 24: Both wagon trains ferry across Mississippi from Nauvoo to Montrose; Sugar Creek Pioneer Days at Croton, including seven days of live entertainment, quilting, historical displays, drama, etc. at city park.

JL2 Authentic Wagon Train Schedule

June 20: Barbecue at the Unionville campsite at 6 p.m., program at 7 p.m. featuring Nauvoo Adventure Singers, speaker Hugh W. Pinnock.Breakfast at 6a.m.
June 21: Campfire program at Unionville.
June 22: Campfire program at Lake Rathburn.
June 23: Interfaith church service sponsored by Columbia Iowa Stake, featuring member of area presidency.
June 26: Campfire program at Lorimer, 7:30 p.m.
June 27: Campfire program at Orient, 7:30 p.m.
June 28: Campfire program at Massena, 7:30 p.m.
June 29: Flea market at downtown park in Lewis. Campfire program, 7:30 p.m
June 30: Interfaith church service, 11 a.m. in Lewis, sponsored by Sioux City Iowa Stake.
July 1: Campfire program at Oakland, 7:30 p.m.
July 2: Campfire program at McClelland, 7:30 p.m.
July 3: Campfire program in Florence (Omaha), NE
July 4: 4th of July Celebration at Dodge Park

IMTA Wagon Train Schedule

June 24: Campsite south of Farmington, gospel music concert by local talent at 7 p.m.

June 25: Concert by re-creation of Pitt's Brass Band at Van Buren County Courthouse, the exact spot where original band performed; Centennial Singers and Band plus local entertainment at county fairgrounds, square dance, dinner.

June 26: Local musical entertainment at Richardson's Point Campsite.

June 27: Square dance at Drakesville.

June 28: Games, ice cream social at West Grove Park.

June 28: "Hee Haw" celebration at Unionville, 7 p.m., meal 6 p.m. at SundownLake featuring Buckskinners group.

June 29: At Chariton River crossing, town of Moulton will provide meal, 6 p.m., and evening entertainment, 7 p.m. Guided tours to river crossing and grave sites, 3-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

June 30: Brunch provided by Exline community at campsite, 9 a.m. At Lake Rathburn, interfaith service, 11 a.m.

June 30: Interfaith service, 11 a.m. 125th Old Settlers Commemoration at Community Square in Seymour featuring food court. Evening concert with 150-voice choir singing "Come, Come, Ye Saints" at high school stadium, Dr. Stanley Kimball speaker. Transit system to Tharp Cemetery, museum and campsite.

July 1: Heritage 150 celebration with pageant written locally from journals at Allerton Centennial Building, 7:30 p.m.

July 3: Camp at Garden Grove near monument, featuring food, auction, country music, square dance sponsored by Cedar Rapids stake, pageant at opera house, sposored by Des Moines Stake.

July 4. Parade in Osceola and entertainment on the square, 1-5 p.m. Dinner at high school. "Heart of America" Mormon Choir at 8 p.m. on high school football field, fireworks after program.

July 6: Civil War encampment at fairgrounds in Afton featuring Buckskinnersgroup, craft and food stands and demonstrations, LeRoy Van Dyke and Hank Thompson inconcert.

July 7: Interfaith church service sponsored by Ames Iowa Stake at Mt. Pisgah at 10:30 a.m., featuring Elder Hartman Rector Jr., emeritus General Authority. Tours of Mt. Pisgah settlement site.

July 8: Headline entertainment sponsored by Henry A. Wallace Farm and Research Center at town of Orient.

July 9: Dinner provided by community of Massena, bonfire, local entertainment,at camp three miles south of town.

July 10: Buffalo meat dinner and barn dance at Hitchcock House in Lewis.

July 11: At Macedonia, craft and food booths, bluegrass band at Braden Farm one-half mile south of town.

July 12: Grand Encampment campsite at Council Bluffs, continuous entertainment, including Indian dancers, re-enactors, nature walks, fireworks, "Refuge and Rest" cantata , Michael Martin Murphy concert. Complete Schedule of Events
July 13: At Grand Encampment site in Council Bluffs, pancake breakfast and prayer service featuring area presidency, mustering of Mormon Battalion, cantata, moving of flame from Grand Encampment to Kanesville Tabernacle, re-dedication of reconstructed tabernacle, barbecue, Mormon Battalion Ball.

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