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Following the death of the founding prophet Joseph Smith, Jr., in 1844, the vast majority of the Mormon population of Nauvoo, Illinois responded to the leadership of Brigham Young and set out to establish a new Zion in the parched lands of the Great Basin around what is today Salt Lake City. The actual trek began in early 1846. A trail was established across the southern reaches of the Iowa Territory (Iowa didn't become a State until December 1846) by advance parties. These advance parties were not to reach Utah until the summer of 1847 and it would not be until 1850 when the bulk of the 12000 pioneers would reach their new home. The Iowa section of what became the Mormon Trail only makes up about a quarter of the total length but in many ways it comprised some of the most trying times the pioneers were to face due to inexperience, lack of roads/trail and poor weather conditions. Literally hundreds died along the way. It has been estimated that there were about 400000 emigrants who went West between the years of 1840 to 1860 with over 250000 of those heading to California. The original Mormon party consisted of about 3000 people of whom one in ten would die along the road. Two large recuperation camps were established at Garden Grove and Mt Pisgah. A huge outfitting camp was also set up at Kanesville - near Council Bluffs - from which pioneers could spend the winter in anticipation of the next year's push across Nebraska and Wyoming to Utah.
Many of the sites along the Mormon Trail were commemorated in 1996 in honor of the 150th anniversary of the trek and Iowa has done itself proud in establishing a modern-day Mormon Trail route on which you can retrace the old trek from. Several communities along with the State have established memorials to one of the more extraordinary migrations in human history. One of the most famous Mormon hymns, "Come, Come Ye Saints" - sung to the old English folk tune "All Is Well" - comes from William Clayton's crossing of Iowa in 1846:
"Come, come ye Saints,
no toil nor Labor fear;
but with joy
wind your way.
Though hard to you
this journey may appear,
Grace shall be
as your day.
'Tis better far for
as to strive
Our useless cares
from us to drive;
Do this and joy your
hearts will swell --
All is well! All is well!"
Written Apr 26, 2008
Website: http://www.nps.gov/mopi
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Sitting about a mile west of town is the former home of Joseph Smith III who was the eldest son of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Mormon movement. He became the leader of the RLDS church in 1860 which was comprised of many Midwestern congregations that had not followed Brigham Young to Utah. Members began to congregate around Lamoni in the late 1879's and Joseph Smith III moved his family and the church headquarters here in 1881, building his home here at Liberty Hall.
The house is very well restored - made to look as it appeared in the 1900-1905 time period - full of antiques from the Smith family. The house is a fascinating look at middle class late 19th century life. Smith married three times - his first wife died in 1869 and second in 1896 - and enjoyed 12 children over his long life. The family lived here from 1881 until 1905 when the RLDS church moved its headquarters to Independence, Missouri. After they moved away the house was used for a variety of things until the church began to restore the house as a monument to their founder in 1973.
The home is open for tours Tue-Sat 10am-4pm and Sun 1.30-4pm from March to December. I happened by on a Monday and was lucky enough to be shown in by a very knowledgeable caretaker who was happy to take a break from house painting. He mentioned that between 600 to 800 people visit the home each year. This is a well-deserved detour off I-35 halfway between Des Moines and Kansas City.
Written Apr 26, 2008
Address: 1138 W Main St Lamoni, IA 50140
Phone: 641-784-6133
Website: http://www.cofchrist.org/Lamoni/default.asp
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Founded in 1895, Graceland University is non-sectarian though has always been affiliated with the RLDS/Community of Christ Church. There are now two campuses - this main one in Lamoni, Iowa and another urban campus in Independence, Missouri a couple miles west of the church’s headquarters on Truman Road. The largest archive of the Korean War in the US is maintained there in the Center for the Study of the Korean War. Graceland’s campus in Lamoni reveals a flat and attractive campus dominated by the old school building, Higdon Hall which houses the administrative offices. There are about 1100 students on campus in Lamoni - about the population of the town. Most famous student in recent times was American decathlete champion Bruce Jenner who is remembered here with the naming of the athletic complex after him. The school’s first graduate - he was the only student in his graduating class - was Frederick M. Smith who became the second President of the RLDS church.
Written Apr 26, 2008
Website: www.graceland.edu
One of the major groups living in the Lamoni area is the Amish. If come to 'town' at the right time of the year, you can see them selling homemade and grown products from the side of the road.
Written Sep 4, 2005
Address: All over the Lamoni area
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One of the major groups living in the Lamoni area is the Amish. If come to 'town' at the right time of the year, you can see them selling homemade and grown...
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LAMONI - THE REORGANIZATION COALESCES
If you go to Utah or States neighboring around, you will find many communities where the majority of the population is Mormon of the Latter-Day Saints (LDS) version. Lamoni is one of the few...
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I was driving to Kansas City in May 2008, and was looking for a place for food and fuel when I stopped in Lamoni for the first time. Good choice: it's a pleasant place with a college, Graceland...
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