LDS Church History Tour

We couldn't travel across the country without stopping at LDS church history sites along the way.  Ideally you would do the trip from east to west because the church started in New York and as it grew, they moved further west eventually ending up in the Salt Lake Valley of Utah.  But we were driving west to east, so we did the trip backwards.  For timeline chronology, I will share our stops with you from east to west.

Birthplace of the Prophet Joseph Smith - Sharon Vermont
(here is the link to the official site)

We drove up to the birthplace of the prophet Joseph Smith on a sunny Sunday afternoon.  It was a short drive from where we were staying in Killington, VT.  It was a beautiful drive in the early fall.  The leaves were just starting to think about changing colors.

The site is beautifully landscaped and a visitor's center gives you an opportunity to find out more about the Smith Family and the prophet.  The monument is a beautiful smooth polished obelisk shaft that is 38 1/2 feet tall, one foot for each year of the Prophet's life.




Palmyra New York


During our visit to Palmyra New York we saw the Smith Family Farm, the Sacred Grove and the Hill Cumorah.  Upstate New York is beautiful!  The Palmyra temple is also in the same area.  The temple is stunning and has stained glass windows of the Sacred Grove all around the outside.   It was a sunny, warm Sunday and after attending church in one of the wards in the Palmyra Stake, we toured the sites.

Smith Family Farm
(here is the link to the official site)

 The Smith Family Farm is, of course, right next to the Sacred Grove.  In his early teen years, Joseph Smith lived in this home with his family.  A religious revival was taking place in that part of the country and he was confused over which church to join.  He read in his Bible, in James 1:5 - "If any of ye lack wisdom, let him ask of God."  He decided that the only answer he could get would be from God.  So one morning he went out into the woods near his home to pray.  The answer he got changed the world when he saw God, the Father, and Jesus Christ and they told him not to join any of the churches but that through him they would restore the true church of Jesus Christ back to the earth.  (you can read the full account in his own words here or watch a quick video about it here)

The Smith farm consists of two homes and several out buildings that have been restored as they would have been in Joseph Smith's time.  We loved seeing how they lived in the 1800's and we loved hearing the stories the missionaries told us about the events that happened there.

The Sacred Grove 
(here is the link to the official site)

The Sacred Grove is a beautiful piece of forest that has been left untouched other than the addition of walking trails, rest rooms and benches.  We walked in expecting to walk TO something, but finally realized that the entire grove was where we were going.  There wasn't a place to get to.  The trails lead all over the grove and allow for a peaceful, contemplative walk through and around the woods where Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ.

Hill Cumorah
(here is the link to the official site)

The Hill Cumorah is about 5 miles up the road from the Smith Family farm and Sacred Grove.  There is a beautiful visitor's center there with videos to watch about the area and missionaries on hand to answer any questions.  The monument to the Angel Moroni giving the plates of gold to Joseph Smith is at the top of the hill and can be driven to or walked to.  We opted to drive up because it was late in the day and we were tired.  We love this area of New York and could have sat in the peaceful forest for hours.

Kirtland Ohio
(here is the link to the official site)

You want to start your journey through old Kirtland at the visitor's center.  They have a film to watch about what happened in the church during the years the church was headquartered in Kirtland Ohio.  The grounds now include the Newel K. and Elizabeth Ann Whitney Home, the Newel K. Whitney Store, the John Johnson house, a saw mill and several other period homes that have been restored.  We took a great tour with fabulous missionaries telling us stores as we went.  Most of the Whitney Store is original!

Up the hill from the visitor's center is the Kirtland Temple, the first temple built in this dispensation.  It is currently owned by the Community of Christ church and after watching a short video on the history of the area, we were taken on a tour of the interior of the Kirtland temple.  It has been fully restored and is so much bigger than I thought it would be!  We were able to sit in the main chapel and sing "The Spirit of God", the song that was sung at the temple's dedication in 1836.  That was one of the coolest things I've ever done!


Independence Missouri (we visited here in May 2017)
(here is the link to the official site)

Independence Missouri was the headquarters of the church for a short time and has been revealed to be the place where Zion - The New Jerusalem will be built when Christ returns to earth.  The dedicated temple site is a grassy field near the visitor's center.



Adam-ondi-ahman - Missouri
(here is the link to the official site)

Adam-ondi-ahman is a beautiful piece of land in northern Missouri.  It as been revealed that this is the place that Adam blessed his righteous posterity before his death.  The acres and acres of land are farmed and beautifully landscaped.  It is very peaceful there.  Our friends, Kathy & LaMar Losee, from Payson are missionaries there.  We loved meeting up with them and having them show us around their mission.




Carthage Jail - Carthage Illinois
(here is the link to the official site)

Carthage Jail is in the middle of the bustling town of Carthage Illinois about 20 miles from Nauvoo.  It was here that the prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were martyred by a mob.  Every time I'm there I'm surprised that life can go on like normal in the town where the prophet was killed.  I don't know what I expect, exactly, but I just feel a little surprised every time.  There is a very special spirit on the grounds of the jail that can be felt walking around and touring the jail.

Nauvoo Illinois
(here is the link to the official site)

Nauvoo was headquarters of the church and home of the members for several years.  They built a beautiful, thriving community out of swamp land on the banks of the Mississippi River.  Most of the old town has been restored as it was in the 1800's.  The modern part of the town is up on the hill behind the temple.  There are many homes and shops you can visit in the old town.   Start out at the visitor's center and go from there.  There is a Family Resource Center that teaches about rope making, baking, weaving, coopering and several other every day activities in the life of a pioneer.

Our favorite shops to visit were the bakery where we got a gingerbread cookie, the brick yard where we got a Nauvoo brick, the blacksmith shop where we got a "diamond ring".  We also visited the Browning gun shop, Red Brick Store and Smith family cemetery.

We love Nauvoo!  We could spend a week there, but sadly we only had a day.  We also walked down Parley Street to the Mississippi River where the members of the church crossed into Iowa to get away from the mobs and persecution.  This is the closest you can get to the Mississippi River in town.  You can walk right up to it and stick your feet in.  But don't stick your feet in!  I did and got "swimmer's itch" also known as duck mites and wanted to claw all of the skin off my legs for the next week!  So whatever you do - DON'T stick your feet in the Mississippi River!   

Mormon Trail Center at Historic Winter Quarters - Omaha Nebraska
(here is the link to the official site)

Going to Winter Quarters Nebraska was a little bit out of our way, but we were excited to see the Trail Center as well and the temple there.  It was well worth our time!  The Trail Center is very informative and is right across the street from the temple and the old pioneer cemetery.  We loved the spirit of the area and loved the stories the missionaries told us about the people who wintered over there on their way to the Salt Lake Valley.

All of the visitor's centers are fabulous.  Most have a 20-30 minute, very well done, video that we watched about what happened in that area and why it's important.  They are also staffed with missionaries there to tell us stories, take us on tours and answer any questions we had.  Several even have hands on activities to make the learning fun for kids.  I love that the church has preserved all of these sacred spots and that we can visit them now to deepen our understanding of what they early members of the church endured so that we can have what we have today.  I love this quote from Maureen O'Hara:

"My heritage has been my grounding, and it has brought me peace."

We truly found our heritage and felt it's peace as we visited these sites.  We also had some very special experiences.  Afton told me one day as we neared the end of our church history visits, "I think the most important thing I've learned as we've visited all of these spots is what the Spirit feels like."    That is a happy mom moment! 

We didn't get to all of the historic sites.  Some were just a little too far out of our way.  And for some, there just wan't enough time.  The places we didn't get to visit will have to be saved for another trip.
They are:

Far West - Missouri
Liberty Jail Historic Site - Liberty, Missouri
Book of Mormon Publication Site: Grandin Building - Palmyra, New York
Peter Whitmer Log Home - Waterloo, New York
Priesthood Restoration Site - Oakland Twp (Susquehanna), Pennsylvania