Lds History Sites In Missouri

LDS History Sites in Missouri: A Journey Through Faith and Persecution

Introduction:

Missouri holds a pivotal place in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), a period marked by both fervent growth and intense persecution. This comprehensive guide delves into the significant LDS historical sites scattered across the Show-Me State, offering a detailed exploration of the challenges, triumphs, and enduring legacy of the early Latter-day Saints in Missouri. We’ll uncover the stories behind these locations, providing a deeper understanding of the faith's formative years and the profound impact on the state's history. Get ready to embark on a fascinating journey through time and faith as we uncover the rich tapestry of LDS history in Missouri.


I. Independence, Missouri: The Center of Zion

Independence holds a unique place in LDS history, designated by Joseph Smith as the center place of Zion, the gathering place for the Saints. This declaration, though ultimately unrealized in its original scope, ignited a wave of migration and established Independence as a crucial early hub for the burgeoning church. Exploring Independence allows one to delve into the reasons behind Smith's vision, the early settlement attempts, and the subsequent conflicts that arose. Key sites to visit include the Independence Temple site, a location where the early Saints envisioned a magnificent temple, and the Jackson County Courthouse, which bears witness to the legal battles and expulsion of the Latter-day Saints from the county. Understanding the events in Independence provides essential context for the broader narrative of LDS history in Missouri.

II. Far West, Caldwell County: A Brief Haven and the End of an Era

Driven from Jackson County due to religious intolerance and escalating violence, Latter-day Saints sought refuge in Caldwell County, establishing the settlement of Far West. This period, though relatively short-lived, marked a period of relative peace and prosperity as the Saints attempted to build a new community. Far West, however, would become the site of another pivotal event – the climax of the Missouri conflict. Visiting Far West today allows reflection on the precarious nature of the Saints' situation, the attempts at establishing a peaceful existence, and the ultimate betrayal and violence that resulted in the tragic events of 1838. Explore the remnants of this once-thriving community and understand the sacrifices made by those who sought refuge there.


III. Haun's Mill Massacre: A Symbol of Persecution

The Haun's Mill Massacre stands as a stark reminder of the brutal persecution faced by the early Latter-day Saints in Missouri. This tragic event, where a group of unarmed Saints were brutally attacked and killed, serves as a profound symbol of the violence and intolerance they endured. A visit to the site is a sobering experience, prompting reflection on the courage and faith of those who suffered such unimaginable loss. The simple yet poignant memorial allows for contemplation on the lasting impact of this event on the community and the trajectory of the church's development. Understanding this tragedy is crucial to a complete understanding of the challenges faced by the early LDS community in Missouri.


IV. Adam-ondi-Ahman: A Site of Sacred Significance

Adam-ondi-Ahman, located in Daviess County, holds a sacred significance for many Latter-day Saints. Believed to be the place where Adam blessed his posterity, this site is considered a location of significant spiritual power and historical importance. Exploring Adam-ondi-Ahman involves understanding its significance within the LDS faith and experiencing the sense of peace and reverence that permeates the atmosphere. While lacking grand structures, the inherent spiritual significance of the location provides a unique and moving experience.


V. Other Notable Sites and Museums:

Beyond these major locations, several other sites and museums across Missouri offer glimpses into LDS history. These might include local historical societies, church-sponsored museums, and privately maintained collections. Researching and visiting these smaller sites can add depth and detail to a fuller understanding of the LDS journey in Missouri. Many local historical societies offer valuable insights and primary source materials which enhance the historical perspective.

VI. Planning Your Journey:

Planning a visit to these LDS historical sites in Missouri requires careful consideration of logistics. Distances between locations can be substantial, requiring adequate travel time. Accommodation options vary depending on location, from hotels in larger towns to more rustic options in rural areas. Thorough research before traveling is essential to make the most of your trip, ensuring you visit all the sites that are of particular interest to you.


VII. Conclusion:

The LDS historical sites in Missouri offer a powerful and profound journey through faith, perseverance, and the unwavering belief of a people facing immense adversity. By exploring these locations, you'll gain a richer understanding of the LDS faith, the challenges it faced in its early years, and the unwavering spirit of its pioneers. This journey is not merely a historical exploration; it's a spiritual pilgrimage, offering insights into the human cost of faith, and the enduring legacy of a community that refused to be broken.


Article Outline:

Title: LDS History Sites in Missouri: A Journey Through Faith and Persecution

I. Introduction: Hooking the reader and overview.

II. Main Chapters:
Independence, Missouri: The Center of Zion
Far West, Caldwell County: A Brief Haven and the End of an Era
Haun's Mill Massacre: A Symbol of Persecution
Adam-ondi-Ahman: A Site of Sacred Significance
Other Notable Sites and Museums
Planning Your Journey

III. Conclusion: Summarizing key takeaways and reflection.


(The above sections have been fully elaborated in the main body of the article.)


FAQs:

1. What is the significance of Independence, Missouri, in LDS history? Independence was designated by Joseph Smith as the center place of Zion, the gathering place for the Saints.
2. What happened at Haun's Mill? The Haun's Mill Massacre saw the brutal killing of unarmed Latter-day Saints.
3. Where is Adam-ondi-Ahman located, and what is its significance? It’s in Daviess County, Missouri and is believed to be where Adam blessed his posterity.
4. Were there any other settlements besides Far West and Independence? Yes, several smaller settlements existed across the state during this period.
5. What caused the expulsion of LDS members from Jackson County? Religious intolerance and escalating violence led to their expulsion.
6. Are there any museums dedicated to LDS history in Missouri? Yes, research local historical societies and church-sponsored museums.
7. How can I plan a trip to visit these historical sites? Research travel times, accommodation options, and site accessibility.
8. What is the best time of year to visit these sites? Spring and fall offer pleasant weather for outdoor exploration.
9. Are these sites open to the public? Most are accessible to the public, but check opening times and accessibility beforehand.


Related Articles:

1. The Missouri Extermination Order: An in-depth look at the official order authorizing the expulsion of Latter-day Saints.
2. Joseph Smith's Vision of Zion: A detailed analysis of the prophecy and its impact.
3. The Nauvoo Exodous: The following migration of the Saints after the Missouri conflict.
4. The Role of Religious Intolerance in the Missouri Conflict: Exploring the societal context of the persecution.
5. Latter-day Saint Pioneers: Stories of Resilience: Focuses on personal accounts of those who lived through the Missouri period.
6. The Legacy of the Haun's Mill Massacre: The enduring impact of this tragic event on the LDS community.
7. The Geography of Zion: Exploring the geographical elements that influenced the choice of Missouri.
8. Preservation Efforts of LDS Historical Sites in Missouri: The ongoing work to protect and maintain these important locations.
9. Comparing LDS History in Missouri with other early settlements: Contrasting the Missouri experience with settlements in other states.


  lds history sites in missouri: History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,
  lds history sites in missouri: The Missouri Mormon Experience Thomas M. Spencer, 2010-03-05 The Mormon presence in nineteenth-century Missouri was uneasy at best and at times flared into violence fed by misunderstanding and suspicion. By the end of 1838, blood was shed, and Governor Lilburn Boggs ordered that Mormons were to be “exterminated or driven from the state.” The Missouri persecutions greatly shaped Mormon faith and culture; this book reexamines Mormon-Missourian history within the sociocultural context of its time. The contributors to this volume unearth the challenges and assumptions on both sides of the conflict, as well as the cultural baggage that dictated how their actions and responses played on each other. Shortly after Joseph Smith proclaimed Jackson County the site of the “New Jerusalem,” Mormon settlers began moving to western Missouri, and by 1833 they made up a third of the county’s population. Mormons and Missourians did not mix well. The new settlers were relocated to Caldwell County, but tensions still escalated, leading to the three-month “Mormon War” in 1838—capped by the Haun’s Mill Massacre, now a seminal event in Mormon history. These nine essays explain why Missouri had an important place in the theology of 1830s Mormonism and was envisioned as the site of a grand temple. The essays also look at interpretations of the massacre, the response of Columbia’s more moderate citizens to imprisoned church leaders (suggesting that the conflict could have been avoided if Smith had instead chosen Columbia as his new Zion), and Mormon migration through the state over the thirty years following their expulsion. Although few Missourians today are aware of this history, many Mormons continue to be suspicious of the state despite the eventual rescinding of Governor Boggs’s order. By depicting the Missouri-Mormon conflict as the result of a particularly volatile blend of cultural and social causes, this book takes a step toward understanding the motivations behind the conflict and sheds new light on the state of religious tolerance in frontier America.
  lds history sites in missouri: Fire and Sword Leland Homer Gentry, Todd Compton, 2011 Many Mormon dreams flourished in Missouri. So did many Mormon nightmares. The Missouri period--especially from the summer of 1838 when Joseph took over vigorous, personal direction of this new Zion until the spring of 1839 when he escaped after five months of imprisonment¿represents a moment of intense crisis in Mormon history. Representing the greatest extremes of devotion and violence, commitment and intolerance, physical suffering and terror--mobbings, battles, massacres, and political ¿knockdowns¿--it shadowed the Mormon psyche for a century. In the lush Missouri landscape of the Mormon imagination where Adam and Eve had walked out of the garden and where Adam would return to preside over his posterity, the towering religious creativity of Joseph Smith and clash of religious stereotypes created a swift and traumatic frontier drama that changed the Church.
  lds history sites in missouri: Revelations in Context [Chinese] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2016-08
  lds history sites in missouri: Historic Sites and Markers Along the Mormon and Other Great Western Trails Stanley Buchholz Kimball, 1988 This book is a comprehensive guide to more than 550 historic sites and markers scattered along some 10,000 miles of emigrant trails. By the use of the accompanying maps and commentary in the text, the trails themselves can be followed rather closely--Preface.
  lds history sites in missouri: Book of Commandments, for the Government of the Church of Christ Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1884
  lds history sites in missouri: Mormons at the Missouri Richard Edmond Bennett, 2004 The Mormon trek westward from Illinois to the Salt Lake Valley was an enduring accomplishment of American overland trail migration; however, their wintering at the Missouri River near present-day Omaha was a feat of faith and perseverance. Richard E. Bennett presents new facts and ideas that challenge old assumptions—particularly that life on the frontier encouraged American individualism. With an excellent command of primary sources, Bennett assesses the role of women in a pioneer society and the Mormon strategies for survival in a harsh environment as they planned their emigration, coped with internal dissension and Indian agents, and dealt with tribes of the region. This was, says Bennett, “Mormonism in the raw on the way to what it would be later.” Now available in paperback for the first time, with a new introduction by the author, Mormons at the Missouri received the Francis M. and Emily Chipman Award from the Mormon History Association and was honored as a Choice Outstanding Academic Title by the American Library Association.
  lds history sites in missouri: Under the Banner of Heaven Jon Krakauer, 2004-06-08 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From the author of Into the Wild and Into Thin Air, this extraordinary work of investigative journalism takes readers inside America’s isolated Mormon Fundamentalist communities. • Now an acclaimed FX limited series streaming on HULU. “Fantastic.... Right up there with In Cold Blood and The Executioner’s Song.” —San Francisco Chronicle Defying both civil authorities and the Mormon establishment in Salt Lake City, the renegade leaders of these Taliban-like theocracies are zealots who answer only to God; some 40,000 people still practice polygamy in these communities. At the core of Krakauer’s book are brothers Ron and Dan Lafferty, who insist they received a commandment from God to kill a blameless woman and her baby girl. Beginning with a meticulously researched account of this appalling double murder, Krakauer constructs a multi-layered, bone-chilling narrative of messianic delusion, polygamy, savage violence, and unyielding faith. Along the way he uncovers a shadowy offshoot of America’s fastest growing religion, and raises provocative questions about the nature of religious belief.
  lds history sites in missouri: Historic Sites and Landmarks That Shaped America [2 volumes] Mitchell Newton-Matza, 2016-09-06 Exploring the significance of places that built our cultural past, this guide is a lens into historical sites spanning the entire history of the United States, from Acoma Pueblo to Ground Zero. Historic Sites and Landmarks That Shaped America: From Acoma Pueblo to Ground Zero encompasses more than 200 sites from the earliest settlements to the present, covering a wide variety of locations. It includes concise yet detailed entries on each landmark that explain its importance to the nation. With entries arranged alphabetically according to the name of the site and the state in which it resides, this work covers both obscure and famous landmarks to demonstrate how a nation can grow and change with the creation or discovery of important places. The volume explores the ways different cultures viewed, revered, or even vilified these sites. It also examines why people remember such places more than others. Accessible to both novice and expert readers, this well-researched guide will appeal to anyone from high school students to general adult readers.
  lds history sites in missouri: A Guide to Mormon Family History Sources Kip Sperry, 2011-01-01 Never before has the wide array of Mormon family history sources been gathered into one comprehensive and easy-to-use guide. In A Guide to Mormon Family History Sources, author, professor, and lecturer Kip Sperry explains electronic databases, websites, microfilm collections, indexed, and more, all relating to the Latter-day Saint family history. Whether you are taking your first step into your Latter-day Saint ancestry, your fiftieth, or your five-hundredth, A Guide to Mormon Family History Sources will lead you to something new.
  lds history sites in missouri: Church History in Black and White George Edward Anderson, 1995
  lds history sites in missouri: Mormon History Ronald Warren Walker, David J. Whittaker, James B. Allen, 2001
  lds history sites in missouri: Mormon Redress Petitions Clark V. Johnson, 1992 Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began settling in Missouri in 1831. The original place of settlement was Jackson County, on the western border of the state. As early as 1832 trouble arose between the Mormons and their Missouri neighbors. In 1833 mobs drove the Mormons from Jackson County and into the neighboring counties of Clay and Ray and further north into what eventually became Caldwell and Davies Counties. The Mormons again built communities and planted crops. By 1836, mobs again began to molest the Mormon communities. The Mormons living in the counties of Ray and Clay were again forced to flee their homes and joined other members of the Church living in Caldwell and Davies Counties. The respite, however, was short lived as persecution and mob violence came to a head in the summer and fall of 1838. Joseph Smith and other Mormon leaders were placed in Liberty Jail while the body of the Church was forced to flee the state to Iowa Territory and the State of Illinois. As early as 1839 members of the Church who had been forced to flee Missouri began preparing affidavits and petitioning for compensation for their losses and suffering at the hands of the Missourians.
  lds history sites in missouri: The Lost Book of Mormon Avi Steinberg, 2015-11-24 Is The Book of Mormon a Great American Novel? Avi Steinberg thinks so. In this quirky travelogue—part fan nonfiction, part personal quest—he follows the trail laid out in Joseph Smith’s book. From Jerusalem to the ruined Mayan cities of Central America to upstate New York and, finally, to Jackson County, Missouri—the spot Smith identified as the site of the Garden of Eden—Steinberg traces The Book’s unexpected path and grapples with Joseph Smith’s demons—and his own. Literate and funny, personal and provocative, the genre-bending The Lost Book of Mormon boldly explores our deeply human impulse to write books, and affirms the abiding power of story.
  lds history sites in missouri: Holy Rover Lori Erickson, 2017-09-01 Whether describing mystical visions or the rhythms of everyday life, Erickson turns the spiritual journey into a series of exciting transformations. ÑPublishers WeeklyÊ(starred review) From her childhood on an Iowa farm, Lori Erickson grew up to travel the world as a writer specializing in holy sitesjourneys that led her on an ever-deepening spiritual quest. InÊHoly Rover, she weaves her personal narrative with descriptions of a dozen pilgrimages. Along the way, Erickson encounters spiritual leaders who include the chief priest of the Icelandic pagan religion of Asatru, a Trappist monk at Thomas Merton's Gethsemani Abbey, and a Lakota retreat director at South Dakota's Bear Butte. Both irreverent and devout,ÊHoly RoverÊincludes images of holy sites around the world taken by several of the nation's leading travel photographers. Travel writer, Episcopal deacon, and author of the Holy Rover blog atÊPatheos, Erickson is an engaging guide for pilgrims eager to take a spiritual journey. Her book describes travels that changed her life and can change yours, too.
  lds history sites in missouri: The Man Behind the Discourse Joann Follett Mortensen, 2011-12-05 Who was King Follett? When he was fatally injured digging a well in Nauvoo in March 1844, why did Joseph Smith use his death to deliver the monumental doctrinal sermon now known as the King Follett Discourse? Much has been written about the sermon, but little about King. Although King left no personal writings, Joann Follett Mortensen, King’s third great-granddaughter, draws on more than thirty years of research in civic and Church records and in the journals and letters of King’s peers to piece together King’s story from his birth in New Hampshire and moves westward where, in Ohio, he and his wife, Louisa, made the life-shifting decision to accept the new Mormon religion. From that point, this humble, hospitable, and hardworking family followed the Church into Missouri where their devotion to Joseph Smith was refined and burnished. King was the last Mormon prisoner in Missouri to be released from jail. According to family lore, King was one of the Prophet’s bodyguards. He was also a Danite, a Mason, and an officer in the Nauvoo Legion. After his death, Louisa and their children settled in Iowa where some associated with the Cutlerities and the RLDS Church; others moved on to California. One son joined the Mormon Battalion and helped found Mormon communities in Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. While King would have died virtually unknown had his name not been attached to the discourse, his life story reflects the reality of all those whose faith became the foundation for a new religion. His biography is more than one man’s life story. It is the history of the early Restoration itself.
  lds history sites in missouri: Old Mormon Kirtland and Missouri Richard Neitzel Holzapfel, 1991
  lds history sites in missouri: Kirtland Temple David J. Howlett, 2014-05-30 The only temple completed by Mormonism's founder, Joseph Smith Jr., the Kirtland Temple in Kirtland, Ohio, receives 30,000 Mormon pilgrims every year. Though the site is sacred to all Mormons, the temple’s religious significance and the space itself are contested by rival Mormon dominations: its owner, the relatively liberal Community of Christ, and the larger Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. David J. Howlett sets the biography of Kirtland Temple against the backdrop of religious rivalry. The two sides have long contested the temple's ownership, purpose, and significance in both the courts and Mormon literature. Yet members of each denomination have occasionally cooperated to establish periods of co-worship, host joint tours, and create friendships. Howlett uses the temple to build a model for understanding what he calls parallel pilgrimage--the set of dynamics of disagreement and alliance by religious rivals at a shared sacred site. At the same time, he illuminates social and intellectual changes in the two main branches of Mormonism since the 1830s, providing a much-needed history of the lesser-known Community of Christ.
  lds history sites in missouri: A History Lover's Guide to Kansas City Paul Kirkman, 2020-10-19 Discover the sights, sounds, and rich history of Kansas City—from ancient burial mounds to a world-class jazz museum. Kansas City is often seen as a “cow town” with great barbecue and steaks. But it’s also a city with more boulevards than Paris and more working fountains than Rome. There are burial mounds that date back more than two thousand years. The National World War I Museum and Memorial, opened in 1926, stands more than two hundred feet tall. Leila’s Hair Museum has a collection that brings tourists from all over the nation. The Kansas City Jazz Museum features a historic district and world-class museum that document a time when dance halls, cabarets, speakeasies, and even honky-tonks and juke joints fostered the development of a new musical style. Join Missouri historian Paul Kirkman as he cuts a trail past the stockyards and takes you on a tour into the heart of America—Kansas City. Includes photos and information on Kansas City landmarks
  lds history sites in missouri: For the Strength of Youth The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1965 OUR DEAR YOUNG MEN AND YOUNG WOMEN, we have great confidence in you. You are beloved sons and daughters of God and He is mindful of you. You have come to earth at a time of great opportunities and also of great challenges. The standards in this booklet will help you with the important choices you are making now and will yet make in the future. We promise that as you keep the covenants you have made and these standards, you will be blessed with the companionship of the Holy Ghost, your faith and testimony will grow stronger, and you will enjoy increasing happiness.
  lds history sites in missouri: The 1838 Mormon War in Missouri Stephen C. LeSueur, 1987 In the summer and fall of 1838, animosity between Mormons and their neighbors in western Missouri erupted into an armed conflict known as the Mormon War. The conflict continued until early November, when the outnumbered Mormons surrendered and agreed to leave the state. In this major new interpretation of those events, LeSueur argues that while a number of prejudices and fears stimulated the opposition of Missourians to their Mormon neighbors, Mormon militancy contributed greatly to the animosity between them. Prejudice and poor judgment characterized leaders on both sides of the struggle. In addition, LeSueur views the conflict as an expression of attitudes and beliefs that have fostered a vigilante tradition in the United States. The willingness of both Missourians and Mormons to adopt extralegal measures to protect and enforce community values led to the breakdown of civil control and to open warfare in northwestern Missouri.
  lds history sites in missouri: Fire and Sword Leland H. Gentry, Todd M. Compton, 2009-10-01 Many Mormon dreams flourished in Missouri. So did many Mormon nightmares. The Missouri period--especially from the summer of 1838 when Joseph took over vigorous, personal direction of this new Zion until the spring of 1839 when he escaped after five months of imprisonment--represents a moment of intense crisis in Mormon history. Representing the greatest extremes of devotion and violence, commitment and intolerance, physical suffering and terror--mobbings, battles, massacres, and political “knockdowns”--it shadowed the Mormon psyche for a century. Leland Gentry was the first to step beyond this disturbing period as a one-sided symbol of religious persecution and move toward understanding it with careful documentation and evenhanded analysis. In Fire and Sword, Todd Compton collaborates with Gentry to update this foundational work with four decades of new scholarship, more insightful critical theory, and the wealth of resources that have become electronically available in the last few years. Compton gives full credit to Leland Gentry's extraordinary achievement, particularly in documenting the existence of Danites and in attempting to tell the Missourians’ side of the story; but he also goes far beyond it, gracefully drawing into the dialogue signal interpretations written since Gentry and introducing the raw urgency of personal writings, eyewitness journalists, and bemused politicians seesawing between human compassion and partisan harshness. In the lush Missouri landscape of the Mormon imagination where Adam and Eve had walked out of the garden and where Adam would return to preside over his posterity, the towering religious creativity of Joseph Smith and clash of religious stereotypes created a swift and traumatic frontier drama that changed the Church.
  lds history sites in missouri: Lectures on Faith Joseph Smith (Jr.), 1988 This special edition of the Lectures on Faith from Zion’s Camp Books is formatted for convenience on an eReader, with more than 100 internal links to scriptures and citations. We hope it will give you a great reading experience! The Lectures on Faith were originally prepared as materials for the School of the Prophets in Kirtland, Ohio in 1834 and were included in the Doctrine and Covenants from 1835 to 1921. Although the Lectures on Faith have never been accepted as revelation by the body of the church (and so were removed from the Doctrine and Covenants in 1921), they contain important doctrinal insights that can help anyone seeking to learn more about faith and come closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. President Joseph Fielding Smith noted, “I suppose that the rising generation knows little about the Lectures on Faith. . . . In my own judgment, these Lectures are of great value and should be studied. . . . I consider them to be of extreme value in the study of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Seek Ye Earnestly. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1970.) Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has stated the lectures contain “some of the best lesson material ever prepared on the Godhead; on the character, perfections, and attributes of God; on faith, miracles, and sacrifice. They can be studied with great profit by all gospel scholars.” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine. Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966.)
  lds history sites in missouri: Missouri Roadsides Bill Earngey, 1995 A collection of the linguist's articles on English in Science and Technology (EST) written between 1978 and 1994 and published in different countries. The primary areas of her research are represented here: lexicology and phraseology, text linguistics, stylistics, and diachronic LSP studies. Emphasizing an integrated approach to genre analysis, the articles are unique for the extensive text corpora and the resulting genre profiles. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
  lds history sites in missouri: No Place for Saints Adam Jortner, 2022-02-01 The emergence of the Mormon church is arguably the most radical event in American religious history. How and why did so many Americans flock to this new religion, and why did so many other Americans seek to silence or even destroy that movement? Winner of the MHA Best Book Award by the Mormon History Association Mormonism exploded across America in 1830, and America exploded right back. By 1834, the new religion had been mocked, harassed, and finally expelled from its new settlements in Missouri. Why did this religion generate such anger? And what do these early conflicts say about our struggles with religious liberty today? In No Place for Saints, the first stand-alone history of the Mormon expulsion from Jackson County and the genesis of Mormonism, Adam Jortner chronicles how Latter-day Saints emerged and spread their faith—and how anti-Mormons tried to stop them. Early on, Jortner explains, anti-Mormonism thrived on gossip, conspiracies, and outright fables about what Mormons were up to. Anti-Mormons came to believe Mormons were a threat to democracy, and anyone who claimed revelation from God was an enemy of the people with no rights to citizenship. By 1833, Jackson County's anti-Mormons demanded all Saints leave the county. When Mormons refused—citing the First Amendment—the anti-Mormons attacked their homes, held their leaders at gunpoint, and performed one of America's most egregious acts of religious cleansing. From the beginnings of Mormonism in the 1820s to their expansion and expulsion in 1834, Jortner discusses many of the most prominent issues and events in Mormon history. He touches on the process of revelation, the relationship between magic and LDS practice, the rise of the priesthood, the questions surrounding Mormonism and African Americans, the internal struggles for leadership of the young church, and how American law shaped this American religion. Throughout, No Place for Saints shows how Mormonism—and the violent backlash against it—fundamentally reshaped the American religious and legal landscape. Ultimately, the book is a story of Jacksonian America, of how democracy can fail religious freedom, and a case study in popular politics as America entered a great age of religion and violence.
  lds history sites in missouri: Latter-day Saint Family Encyclopedia Christopher Kimball Bigelow, Jonathan Langford, 2019-08-20 A home reference guide to key terms in Mormon culture. A one-volume compendium of Mormon culture, this handy reference book covers key doctrinal terms, beliefs, ordinances, church history and growth, and more. You’ll find extensive entries on the prophets and personalities from all four standard works accepted by the church, and many interesting anecdotes and facts on a wide array of topics. Teens and adults will appreciate the fresh, innovative approach this encyclopedia takes as it culls the vast sea of LDS information available into a manageable book suitable for the whole family.
  lds history sites in missouri: Mormon Historical Studies , 2007
  lds history sites in missouri: Church Chronology Andrew Jenson, 2015-02-19 This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
  lds history sites in missouri: History of the Saints William G. Hartley, Glenn Rawson, Bryant Bush, Dennis Lyman, 2012-01-01 A richly illustrated companion book to the History of the Saints television documentary series produced by Glenn Rawson and Dennis Lyman with videography by Bryant Bush. Alongside striking images from the documentary series, top scholars in LDS history discuss the trials and triumphs of early members of the Church from the martyrdom of Joseph Smith in June 1844 to the Saints' contribution to westward expansion.
  lds history sites in missouri: 50 Relics of the Restoration Mary Jane Woodger, Casey Paul Griffiths, 2020-11 We are witnesses to a process of restoration. If you think the Church has been fully restored, you're just seeing the beginning. There is much more to come. -Russell M. Nelson, news release, Oct. 30, 2018, Concepcion, Chile One of the most intriguing aspects of our Church's history is that it is still being discovered. Just as early Christians sought out pieces of the cross or searched for the location of Noah's Ark, it is natural for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to seek to interact with their history. The objects in this book constitute a glimpse at the richness of days gone by and allow us to see, heft, and handle those now-priceless objects that our forbearers did. In this volume, you will find photos and commentary on objects such as - The Brown Seer Stone - Liberty Jail's door - David Patten's rifle - Joseph Smith's handkerchief - James E. Talmage's Jesus the Christ manuscript - Joseph and Hyrum Smith's death masks - Hyrum Smith's Martyrdom Clothing - And much more! 50 Relics of the Restoration highlights the history of the Church through sacred objects gathered throughout its history. Included with the objects are some of the most vivid and interesting stories of the Latter-day Saints, which allow those who read them to interact with their beloved forbearers and become a part of their history. This unique volume of history highlights sacred objects from the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. With pictures of each artifact, Griffiths and Woodger have written the history of the item and brought forth interesting stories of the Latter-day Saints.
  lds history sites in missouri: David Whitmer Interviews Lyndon W. Cook, 1991
  lds history sites in missouri: The "manuscript Found" Solomon Spaulding, 1886
  lds history sites in missouri: Missouri Historical Review Francis Asbury Sampson, 1991
  lds history sites in missouri: Reconstruction and Mormon America Clyde A. Milner, Brian Q. Cannon, 2019-10-03 The South has been the standard focus of Reconstruction, but reconstruction following the Civil War was not a distinctly Southern experience. In the post–Civil War West, American Indians also experienced reconstruction through removal to reservations and assimilation to Christianity, and Latter-day Saints—Mormons—saw government actions to force the end of polygamy under threat of disestablishing the church. These efforts to bring nonconformist Mormons into the American mainstream figure in the more familiar scheme of the federal government’s reconstruction—aimed at rebellious white Southerners and uncontrolled American Indians. In this volume, more than a dozen contributors look anew at the scope of the reconstruction narrative and offer a unique perspective on the history of the Latter-day Saints. Marshaled by editors Clyde A. Milner II and Brian Q. Cannon, these writers explore why the federal government wanted to reconstruct Latter-day Saints, when such efforts began, and how the initiatives compare with what happened with white Southerners and American Indians. Other contributions examine the effect of the government’s policies on Mormon identity and sense of history. Why, for example, do Latter-day Saints not have a Lost Cause? Do they share a resentment with American Indians over the loss of sovereignty? And were nineteenth-century Mormons considered to be on the “wrong” side of a religious line, but not a “race line”? The authors consider these and other vital questions and topics here. Together, and in dialogue with one another, their work suggests a new way of understanding the regional, racial, and religious dynamics of reconstruction—and, within this framework, a new way of thinking about the creation of a Mormon historical identity.
  lds history sites in missouri: Directory of Historical Organizations in the United States and Canada American Association for State and Local History, 2002 This multi-functional reference is a useful tool to find information about history-related organizations and programs and to contact those working in history across the country.
  lds history sites in missouri: Church History Study Guide, Pt. 3 Randal S. Chase, 2012-05-31 Latter-Day Prophets Since 1844. This volume is the third of three& ;on Church History and the Doctrine and Covenants. It covers Church& ;history during the administration of all of its Prophet-Prophets since& ;Joseph Smith. It begins with the succession of the Apostles after& ;Joseph Smith's martyrdom, the building of the Nauvoo Temple, and the trek to the west of the Latter-day Saint pioneers. We follow them through Iowa, Winter Quarters, and on to Utah. We witness the colonization of the state of Deseret, while the rest of the country suffered from Civil War. Then we follow events through the administrations of all of the 19th-Century, 20th-Century, and 21st-Century prophets from John Taylor to Thomas S. Monson. We become familiar with the early lives, missions, marriages, and callings of each of these prophets, seeing how the Lord prepared them for the particular time that they led the Church. We finish with a look toward the future as we await the Second Coming of our Lord. The cover features a beautiful photograph of the Salt Lake Temple, taken at dusk during the Christmas season from the roof of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.
  lds history sites in missouri: 19th Century Love Affair of Joseph Smith & Emma Hale Annette Bolton, 2017-12-14 The 19th Century Love Affair of Joseph Smith and Emma Hale was born out of the author's study of LDS polygamy, polyandry, and child marriage within the early days of the LDS Church. The author's grandfather was a polygamist and could, first-hand, see the strain on the last wife of her grandfather. Grandma Cleo worked and cooked for 45 children, during family gatherings. I never saw her tire, but I was always sorry for her. I tried to stay out of the way and not get into trouble, so I minded my business, as was the discipline at that time. My father did not want anything to do with polygamy, so our immediate family was spared the pain of that God-forsaken lifestyle.
  lds history sites in missouri: Pioneers in the Attic Sara M. Patterson, 2020 Pioneers in the Attic explores the way in which narratives of place came to establish Mormon identity in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, and how early understandings of gathering^ and Zion encouraged individuals to migrate and live communally in the Great Basin region of the American West. Patterson looks at how this history has led to a modern-day community that grounds itself in the memorialization of early Mormon pioneer identity.
  lds history sites in missouri: The Oxford Handbook of Mormonism Terryl L. Givens, Philip L. Barlow, 2015-09-01 Winner of the Best Anthology Book Award from the John Whitmer Historical Association Winner of the Special Award for Scholarly Publishing from the Association for Mormon Letters Scholarly interest in Mormon theology, history, texts, and practices--what makes up the field now known as Mormon studies--has reached unprecedented levels, making it one of the fastest-growing subfields in religious studies. In this volume, Terryl Givens and Philip Barlow, two leading scholars of Mormonism, have brought together 45 of the top experts in the field to construct a collection of essays that offers a comprehensive overview of scholarship on Mormons. The book begins with a section on Mormon history, perhaps the most well-developed area of Mormon studies. Chapters in this section deal with questions ranging from how Mormon history is studied in the university to the role women have played over time. Other sections examine revelation and scripture, church structure and practice, theology, society, and culture. The final two sections look at Mormonism in a larger context. The authors examine Mormon expansion across the globe--focusing on Mormonism in Latin America, the Pacific, Europe, and Asia--in addition to the interaction between Mormonism and other social systems, such as law, politics, and other faiths. Bringing together an impressive body of scholarship, this volume reveals the vast range of disciplines and subjects where Mormonism continues to play a significant role in the academic conversation. The Oxford Handbook of Mormonism will be an invaluable resource for those within the field, as well as for people studying the broader, ever-changing American religious landscape.
  lds history sites in missouri: Images of the New Jerusalem Craig S. Campbell, 2004 The Kansas City suburb of Independence, Missouri, is associated primarily with its most famous son, President Harry Truman. Yet Independence is also home to a unique and complex religious landscape regarded as sacred space by hundreds of thousands of people associated with the Latter Day Saint family of churches. In 1831 Joseph Smith, the founder of the Latter Day Saint (LDS) movement, declared Independence the site of the New Jerusalem, where followers would build a sacred city, the center of Zion. Smith prophesied that Jesus Christ would return in millennial and glorious advent to Independence, an act that would make the city an American counterpart to old world Jerusalem. Smith's plan would have mixed the best qualities of nineteenth-century American pastoral and urban psyche. However, the great splintering among returning Latter Day Saint groups has led to divergent beliefs and multiple interpretations of millennial place. Images of the New Jerusalem culls viewpoints from publications and interviews and contrasts them with official church doctrines and mapped land holdings. For example, with a desire to attract mainstream American, the Western LDS Church, which holds the largest amount of land in northwestern Missouri, keeps fairly silent on the New Jerusalem, while the RLDS Church (now the Community of Christ) has dropped millennial claims gradually, adopting a liberal secular style of pseudo-Protestantism. Smaller groups, independent of these two, see sacred space in more spatially and doctrinally limited ways. The religious ecology among Latter Day Saint churches allows each group its place in the public spotlight, and a number of sociopolitical mechanisms reduce conflict among them. Nonetheless, Independence has developed many traits of the world's most seasoned and conflicted sacred places over a relatively short time. This book opens the field of scholarship on this region, where profound spatial and doctrinal variation continues. Craig S. Campbell is professor of geography at Youngstown State University. He has published articles in Journal of Cultural Geography, Cartographica, The Professional Geographer, Political Geography, and other journals.