Following the Mormon Trail

We left Nauvoo this morning to follow the Mormon Trail. We hope to learn more about the history of the pioneers as well as gain a better appreciation for their struggles as they traveled to Utah.
We stopped in Council Bluffs, Iowa to visit the Kanesville Tabernacle.


It was here that Brigham Young was sustained as the president and prophet of the church by the members. The Tabernacle is made out of greenwood and sod so as to copy the original tabernacle that was made in 1847.


The original building only stood for a few months due to its construction materials and was abandoned by the church members as they moved on towards Utah. This replica was made to follow the exact looks of the original.
Our next stop took us across the bridge linking Iowa to Nebraska to visit "Winter Quarters"


The pioneers had traveled from Nauvoo, Illinois to here in Nebraska in very difficult circumstances and were exhausted by the time they camped here to spend the winter.
Here we spent time in the visitors center and saw the displays and movie on the pioneers in Florence, Nebraska.

Under difficult circumstances and terrible weather they stayed until spring before they could move on. Many died before the coming spring and were buried in unmarked graves.
When the weather improved they traveled to Utah in wagons and handcarts filling them with all of their belongings.

How I appreciate my small comforts and the speed in which I am traveling across the country!
We stopped and took a picture of the Winter Quarters temple

and then stopped for the night in Lincoln City, Nebraska. I took a couple of pictures of water towers when we were traveling that were unusual to say the least.


The next day we drove across Nebraska following the trail. We stopped at Chimney Rock a famous landmark for the pioneers and took pictures and went through the visitors center.


Next came the famous "Oregon Trail Ruts" out in the middle of nowhere. So many pioneers traveled this same route in their wagons over the softer sand stone and in the process their wheels wore away the stone until the ruts are now approximately 5 foot high from the bottom of the trail to the top.

As you can see they are pretty deep.
We saw "Devils Gate" as we entered Wyoming,

and then stopped in at the Martin hand cart and visitor center set up by the church. Again we saw many opportunities to be touched by the resourcefullness of others.


What an isolated but beautiful area they were stuck in due to early weather storms. It was a good thing that rescuers were sent to help them from Salt Lake City or all would have died.


We also visited old forts and pony express locations, everything that we could that had to do with the history of the pioneer travels to the West. We ended up in Utah just in time for Julie's graduation ceremony! It was an amazing trip!