Trail to the West

1
Trail to the West

• Why the Mormons are in Utah and how they got there

2
Overview

• Migration to Utah
• Nauvoo, Illinois
• Winter Quarters, Nebraska
• Salt Lake City, Utah
• Large group exodus
• 1,300 miles long
• Traveled by 70,000 pioneers

3
What this talk is not

• A complete history of the Mormon Church
• We cover
• A discussion on doctrines
• A discussion on acting Shakespeare

4
Introduction 1

• Vocabulary
• Mormon ?? Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of
  Latter-day Saints

5
Introduction 2

• Nauvoo, Illinois
• The Mormons had been driven from Missouri 1838
• Swamp land
• City Charter
• Grew to 20,000 citizens

6
Why Leave Illinois

• Mob harassment
• 1844 Joseph Smith (Mormon leader) killed
• 1845 City charter revoked
• 1846 Driven from their homes during the
  winter

7
To the Rocky Mountains

• Joseph Smith
• there is "a place of safety away towards the
  Rocky Mountains 1840

8
Regroup

• They could not long stay in Iowa
• Lack of homes and supplies
• Quick trip to Nebraska
• Four months into journey 12,000 were scattered
  across Iowa
• Many were sick from exposure
• Stayed in Winter Quarters, Nebraska until April
  1847

9
The Beginning
Ohio
Winter Quarters
Nauvoo
Missouri
10
The First Company

• Brigham Young led first company
• Left Winter Quarters April 5, 1847
• 148 people
• Crossed Nebraska in 2 months
• Crossed Wyoming in 1.5 months
• Arrived in Salt Lake Valley
• July 24, 1847

11
Others Follow

• For two decades, this path was followed by many
  settlers
• Mormons converts emigrating to Utah
• Wagon and Handcart companies
• Gold Rushers

12
The Last Road
Wyoming
Winter Quarters
Salt Lake
Colorado
13
Terrain
14
A Two Way Street

• Not enough wagons and oxen
• Few healthy men
• Down and Back Wagon Trains
• 1861-1868

15
Jeremy On the Trail

• Camping in Fort Laramie, Wyoming

16
Settling the Desert

• Brigham Young
• We have been kicked out of the frying-pan into
  the fire, out of the fire into the middle of the
  floor, and here we are and here we will stay.
• Water Sharing
• Hard Work