Mount Pisgah (Iowa)
Encyclopedia
Mount Pisgah was a semi-permanent settlement or way station from 1846 to 1852 along the Mormon Trail
between Garden Grove
and Council Bluffs. It is located near the small community of Thayer
in Jones Township, Union County, Iowa. This site is now part-of the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail. It is the birthplace of Helaman Pratt
. The address of the memorial is 1704 Mount Pisgah Road in Thayer.
After the 1844 death of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement
, most members of the Church aligned themselves with Brigham Young
and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Under Young's leadership, about 13,000 Mormon citizens of Nauvoo, Illinois
set out to find a new home in the West. On May 18, 1846, Nauvoo exiles established a permanent camp and resting place on the middle fork (Twelve-Mile Creek) of the Grand River on Potawatomi
Indian land. The site was selected and named Mount Pisgah by LDS apostle
Parley P. Pratt
, who, when he first saw the modest hill was reminded of the biblical Pisgah (Deuteronomy 3:27) where Moses
viewed the Promised Land.
Pratt's brother, Orson
, wrote: We concluded to form another settlement here, for the benefit of the poor, and such as were unable, for the want of teams, to proceed further. Accordingly, the camp commenced building houses, ploughing, planting, and fencing in farms, an immense quantity of labour was performed in a very few days. To the west of the rise, they built cabins and planted several thousand acres with peas, cucumbers, beans, corn, buckwheat, potatoes, pumpkins, and squash.
LDS emigrants considered the area rich in agricultural promise, although food was very scarce during the early years and illness was common. At its height, the community had over 2,000 inhabitants, but generally averaged about 700 Latter-day Saints. It was here that the U.S. Army first called upon the Latter-day Saints to furnish volunteers to serve in the Mexican-American War. This military group became known as the Mormon Battalion
. The LDS settlers maintained a vital settlement until 1852. As the need to supply and support Mormon pioneer companies waned in the region, Mount Pisgah's residents sold their land and improvements to other American frontiersmen and moved on to Latter-day Saint settlements in Utah
and surrounding areas.
The site of Mount Pisgah is now marked by a 9 acres (36,421.7 m²) Mount Pisgah Cemetery State Preserve, which contains exhibits, historical markers, and a reconstructed log cabin. However, little remains from the 19th century except a cemetery memorializing the 300 to 800 emigrants who died while passing through or residing in the community.
Mormon Trail
The Mormon Trail or Mormon Pioneer Trail is the 1,300 mile route that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints traveled from 1846 to 1868...
between Garden Grove
Garden Grove, Iowa
Garden Grove is a city in Decatur County, Iowa, United States. The population was 250 at the 2000 census.-History:On April 24, 1846, emigrants affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints under the direction of Brigham Young established a way station halfway into their trek...
and Council Bluffs. It is located near the small community of Thayer
Thayer, Iowa
Thayer is a city in Union County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 66.-Geography:Thayer is located at 41°1'45" North, 94°2'59" West ....
in Jones Township, Union County, Iowa. This site is now part-of the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail. It is the birthplace of Helaman Pratt
Helaman Pratt
Helaman Pratt was an early leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Mexico.-Family:...
. The address of the memorial is 1704 Mount Pisgah Road in Thayer.
After the 1844 death of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement
Latter Day Saint movement
The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
, most members of the Church aligned themselves with Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Under Young's leadership, about 13,000 Mormon citizens of Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
set out to find a new home in the West. On May 18, 1846, Nauvoo exiles established a permanent camp and resting place on the middle fork (Twelve-Mile Creek) of the Grand River on Potawatomi
Potawatomi
The Potawatomi are a Native American people of the upper Mississippi River region. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a member of the Algonquian family. In the Potawatomi language, they generally call themselves Bodéwadmi, a name that means "keepers of the fire" and that was applied...
Indian land. The site was selected and named Mount Pisgah by LDS apostle
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
Parley P. Pratt
Parley P. Pratt
Parley Parker Pratt, Sr. was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1835 until his murder in 1857. He served in the Quorum with his younger brother, Orson Pratt...
, who, when he first saw the modest hill was reminded of the biblical Pisgah (Deuteronomy 3:27) where Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
viewed the Promised Land.
Pratt's brother, Orson
Orson Pratt
Orson Pratt, Sr. was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles...
, wrote: We concluded to form another settlement here, for the benefit of the poor, and such as were unable, for the want of teams, to proceed further. Accordingly, the camp commenced building houses, ploughing, planting, and fencing in farms, an immense quantity of labour was performed in a very few days. To the west of the rise, they built cabins and planted several thousand acres with peas, cucumbers, beans, corn, buckwheat, potatoes, pumpkins, and squash.
LDS emigrants considered the area rich in agricultural promise, although food was very scarce during the early years and illness was common. At its height, the community had over 2,000 inhabitants, but generally averaged about 700 Latter-day Saints. It was here that the U.S. Army first called upon the Latter-day Saints to furnish volunteers to serve in the Mexican-American War. This military group became known as the Mormon Battalion
Mormon Battalion
The Mormon Battalion was the only religiously based unit in United States military history, and it served from July 1846 to July 1847 during the Mexican-American War. The battalion was a volunteer unit of between 534 and 559 Latter-day Saints men led by Mormon company officers, commanded by regular...
. The LDS settlers maintained a vital settlement until 1852. As the need to supply and support Mormon pioneer companies waned in the region, Mount Pisgah's residents sold their land and improvements to other American frontiersmen and moved on to Latter-day Saint settlements in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
and surrounding areas.
The site of Mount Pisgah is now marked by a 9 acres (36,421.7 m²) Mount Pisgah Cemetery State Preserve, which contains exhibits, historical markers, and a reconstructed log cabin. However, little remains from the 19th century except a cemetery memorializing the 300 to 800 emigrants who died while passing through or residing in the community.
External links
- Pioneer Story from LDS.org
- Entry for Mount Pisgah in the Mormon Historic Sites Registry