The Mormon Trail
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member iconions
N 41° 00.880 W 093° 18.479
15T E 474103 N 4540430
This bronze marker set into a large granite boulder is located on the southwest lawn of the Lucas County Courthouse - 916 Braden Avenue in Chariton, Iowa.
Waymark Code: WMP0RG
Location: Iowa, United States
Date Posted: 06/05/2015
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member cosninocanines
Views: 6

This bronze marker set into a large granite boulder is located on the southwest lawn of the Lucas County Courthouse. The text of the marker reads:

The Mormon Trail

(Map of Iowa with the trail segments outlined)

Determined and authenticated
by the Historical Department
of Iowa, 1911.

This monument was erected in 1917
by the Iowa Daughters of the
American Revolution in memory of
the pioneers who followed this
trail and its tributaries.

We cross the prairie as of old
the pilgrims crossed the sea,
to make west as they the east
the homestead of the free.
Whittier

Here upon the trail
September 11, 1849 was located
the townsite of Chariton.

(Seal of the Daughters of the American Revolution) (Seal of Historical Department of Iowa)
Road of Trail Name: Mormon Trail

State: Iowa

County: Lucas

Historical Significance:
From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_Trail "The Mormon Trail or Mormon Pioneer Trail is the 1,300-mile (2,092 km) route that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints traveled from 1846 to 1868. Today the Mormon Trail is a part of the United States National Trails System, as the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail. The Mormon Trail extends from Nauvoo, Illinois, which was the principal settlement of the Latter Day Saints from 1839 to 1846, to Salt Lake City, Utah, which was settled by Brigham Young and his followers beginning in 1847. From Council Bluffs, Iowa, to Fort Bridger in Wyoming, the trail follows much the same route as the Oregon Trail and the California Trail; these trails are collectively known as the Emigrant Trail. The Mormon pioneer run began in 1846 when, Young and his followers were driven from Nauvoo, leaving to establish a new home for the church in the Great Basin. That year Young's followers crossed Iowa. Along their way, some were assigned to establish settlements and to plant and harvest crops for later emigrants. During the winter of 1846–47, the emigrants wintered in Iowa, other nearby states, and the unorganized territory that later became Nebraska, with the largest group residing in Winter Quarters, Nebraska. In the spring of 1847, Young led the vanguard company to the Salt Lake Valley, which was then outside the boundaries of the United States and later became Utah. During the first few years, the emigrants were mostly former occupants of Nauvoo who were following Young to Utah. Later, the emigrants increasingly comprised converts from the British Isles and Europe. The trail was used for more than 20 years, until the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad in 1869. Among the emigrants were the Mormon handcart pioneers of 1856–1860. Two of the handcart companies, led by James G. Willie and Edward Martin, met disaster on the trail when they departed late and were caught by heavy snowstorms in Wyoming."


Years in use: 20 - 1849 - 1868

How you discovered it:
Accident mainly - found the marker on the Lucas County Courthouse Lawn.


Website Explination:
http://www.mormontrails.org/Trails/Summary/trailsum.htm This is a really nice website that goes in depth about the trail


Why?:
The followers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had been persecuted in western Missouri at Far West and at Nauvoo. The decision was made to emigrate west to the valley of the Salt Lake beyond the control of the United States to establish their own colony.


Directions:
Southwest corner of the Lucas County Courthouse Lawn.


Book on Wagon Road or Trial: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
To post a log for this Waymark the poster must have a picture of either themselves, GPSr, or mascot. People in the picture with information about the waymark are preferred. If the waymarker can not be in the picture a picture of their GPSr or mascot will qualify. There are no exceptions to this rule.

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