Incidence of Plural Marriage in 1870
The incidence of polygamy in 1870 shown on this map began as part of a project revisiting Twelve Mormon Homes, a book published by Elizabeth W. Kane, wife of Colonel Thomas L. Kane, a year after their journey from Salt Lake City to St. George in 1872–73. Another 45 towns were added to the 12 featured in Mrs. Kane’s book, many of them settlements mentioned by her in passing. Since the 1870 federal census did not identify each individual’s relationship to the head of household, it proved impossible to determine everyone’s marital status—making calculations subject to a ±3–5% margin of error.
That said, the map clearly shows that the influence of polygamy varied greatly, from 7% in Coalville to 68% in Bellevue (now Pintura). In tiny towns like the latter, one plural family could skew the figure significantly. Also, since most polygamists did not take a second wife for the first 5 to 15 years of their married life, towns with a high proportion of younger couples usually had fewer plural families. That may explain Hyde Park’s lower percentage, compared to Logan’s and Wellsville’s in 1870, even though Stake President Charles O. Card labeled it Cache Valley’s most polygamous place for its size in 1887.
That said, the map clearly shows that the influence of polygamy varied greatly, from 7% in Coalville to 68% in Bellevue (now Pintura). In tiny towns like the latter, one plural family could skew the figure significantly. Also, since most polygamists did not take a second wife for the first 5 to 15 years of their married life, towns with a high proportion of younger couples usually had fewer plural families. That may explain Hyde Park’s lower percentage, compared to Logan’s and Wellsville’s in 1870, even though Stake President Charles O. Card labeled it Cache Valley’s most polygamous place for its size in 1887.
Mapping Mormonism p.123
Settling the Wasatch Front
Early Land Surveys in the Salt Lake Valley
Pioneer Arrival in the Salt Lake Valley
Looking south over Meridian Peak across the Salt Lake Valley as it probably looked when the Mormon pioneers arrived in 1847. The valley was predominantly covered in tall prairie grass, with groves of willows, cottonwoods and box elder trees in the streambeds. The northwest part of the valley was less hospitable, with poor soil, alkaline deposits, salt marshes, and brackish ponds (such as Decker Lake, visible to the right). It was dotted with campsites utilized intermittently by Utes and Shoshones.
July 22: (1) George A. Smith and Orson Pratt climb Donner Hill and get the first view of the valley. (2) they lead the advance party down to a creek (now 1700 S 500 E) to camp.
July 23: (3) Men explore northward as far as the Hot Springs. (4) The camp moves to a better creek (City Creek, near 300 S State), where they begin digging irrigation ditches and planting potatoes
July 24: (5) Brigham Young and the sick party enter the valley and come to the new camp
July 25, Sunday: The pioneers rest and worship
July 26: (6) Young and eight others climb Ensign Peak to survey the valley and plan the city.
July 27: (7) Young and others. explore westward to the edge of Tooele Valley and swim in the Great Salt Lake. Meanwhile, the first of the combined Battalion detachment and Mississippi Company arrive from Pueblo.
July 28: (8) Orson Pratt leads a group up Traverse Mountain to see Utah Valley. (9) Young identifies the site of the future temple.
August: Orson Pratt calculates the coordinates and elevation of the temple site, then begins to survey the city lots. (10) A semipermanent fort is built (now Pioneer Park). Wayne Wahlquist
July 22: (1) George A. Smith and Orson Pratt climb Donner Hill and get the first view of the valley. (2) they lead the advance party down to a creek (now 1700 S 500 E) to camp.
July 23: (3) Men explore northward as far as the Hot Springs. (4) The camp moves to a better creek (City Creek, near 300 S State), where they begin digging irrigation ditches and planting potatoes
July 24: (5) Brigham Young and the sick party enter the valley and come to the new camp
July 25, Sunday: The pioneers rest and worship
July 26: (6) Young and eight others climb Ensign Peak to survey the valley and plan the city.
July 27: (7) Young and others. explore westward to the edge of Tooele Valley and swim in the Great Salt Lake. Meanwhile, the first of the combined Battalion detachment and Mississippi Company arrive from Pueblo.
July 28: (8) Orson Pratt leads a group up Traverse Mountain to see Utah Valley. (9) Young identifies the site of the future temple.
August: Orson Pratt calculates the coordinates and elevation of the temple site, then begins to survey the city lots. (10) A semipermanent fort is built (now Pioneer Park). Wayne Wahlquist
Brandon Plewe, Mapping Mormonism p.81
Timeline of the Handcart Rescue
A timeline of the 1856 Handcart Rescue that did not make it into the atlas, but I believe is very explanatory.
Pioneer Explorers of Utah
Travels of John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, and Lorenzo Snow
Travels of Joseph F. Smith
During his 17 years as President of the Church (1901–18), Joseph F. Smith traveled extensively within the United States and beyond. Some trips were to conduct Church business, such as the congressional hearings on whether Reed Smoot was entitled to serve in the U.S. Senate (he eventually was allowed). This trip and another to the eastern states to dedicate the first Church-owned monument at a Church history site (and to visit other sites) were important to the goal of President Smith (the first second-generation member to become prophet) to improve the image and standing of the Church in America.
In 1906, Joseph F. Smith became the first Church President to travel to Europe while serving as President; he strove to meet local members and missionaries, as have other Presidents. While in Bern, Switzerland, Joseph F. Smith prophesied that “the time will come when this land [Europe] will be dotted with temples,” which would be fulfilled almost 50 years later. This prophecy was important to President Smith’s goal of slowing the Gathering and strengthening the Church beyond Utah. President Smith made four trips to his beloved Hawaii (where he had served several missions) for various purposes, including dedicating a site for a temple that he would not live to see completed.
In 1906, Joseph F. Smith became the first Church President to travel to Europe while serving as President; he strove to meet local members and missionaries, as have other Presidents. While in Bern, Switzerland, Joseph F. Smith prophesied that “the time will come when this land [Europe] will be dotted with temples,” which would be fulfilled almost 50 years later. This prophecy was important to President Smith’s goal of slowing the Gathering and strengthening the Church beyond Utah. President Smith made four trips to his beloved Hawaii (where he had served several missions) for various purposes, including dedicating a site for a temple that he would not live to see completed.
Brandon Plewe, Mapping Mormonism p.131
The Handcart Trail
The handcart trail essentially began in Liverpool, England. Church members from Great Britain, Scandinavia, and parts of Europe met there and sailed to the United States together in Church-chartered ships. The emigrants traveled steerage to minimize expenses. The voyage took four to seven weeks or longer.
Landing at New York, Boston, or Philadelphia, the immigrants piled into railroad cars, often little better than cattle cars, and traveled immigrant class about eight days to the Mormon outfitting camps. Occasionally steamboats provided part of the transportation.
In 1856 and 1857, the outfitting campground was outside of Iowa City, Iowa, the terminus of the railroad. The travelers then tugged their carts across Iowa and re-supplied at Florence, Nebraska. In 1859 and 1860, they got all the way to Florence by train and steamboats, which saved them nearly 300 miles of walking with their carts in Iowa’s intense summer heat and humidity. At the outfitting post, all companies experienced a wait of one to six weeks as carts were built and preparations made.
The handcart route from Florence ran on the north side of the Platte River, then followed the north side of the North Platte River to Fort Laramie, where it crossed to the south side. (The Willie and Martin companies of 1856 crossed to the south side of the North Platte just west of the confluence of the two forks of the Platte River.) In eastern Wyoming, the handcart pioneers followed the trail along the river, crossing it twice, then forded it one last time to the north side at today’s city of Casper. Then the immigrants cut across country to the Sweetwater River, along which they traveled, crossing it nine times before reaching South Pass. In 1856, some of the companies traveled the Seminoe Cutoff on the south side of the Sweetwater. From South Pass, the trail followed the Big Sandy River to the Green River, then to Fort Bridger, down Echo Canyon, and over the Wasatch Mountains. Most companies entered the Salt Lake Valley through Emigration Canyon, except the 1860 companies, which went down Parley’s Canyon to the City of the Saints.
Landing at New York, Boston, or Philadelphia, the immigrants piled into railroad cars, often little better than cattle cars, and traveled immigrant class about eight days to the Mormon outfitting camps. Occasionally steamboats provided part of the transportation.
In 1856 and 1857, the outfitting campground was outside of Iowa City, Iowa, the terminus of the railroad. The travelers then tugged their carts across Iowa and re-supplied at Florence, Nebraska. In 1859 and 1860, they got all the way to Florence by train and steamboats, which saved them nearly 300 miles of walking with their carts in Iowa’s intense summer heat and humidity. At the outfitting post, all companies experienced a wait of one to six weeks as carts were built and preparations made.
The handcart route from Florence ran on the north side of the Platte River, then followed the north side of the North Platte River to Fort Laramie, where it crossed to the south side. (The Willie and Martin companies of 1856 crossed to the south side of the North Platte just west of the confluence of the two forks of the Platte River.) In eastern Wyoming, the handcart pioneers followed the trail along the river, crossing it twice, then forded it one last time to the north side at today’s city of Casper. Then the immigrants cut across country to the Sweetwater River, along which they traveled, crossing it nine times before reaching South Pass. In 1856, some of the companies traveled the Seminoe Cutoff on the south side of the Sweetwater. From South Pass, the trail followed the Big Sandy River to the Green River, then to Fort Bridger, down Echo Canyon, and over the Wasatch Mountains. Most companies entered the Salt Lake Valley through Emigration Canyon, except the 1860 companies, which went down Parley’s Canyon to the City of the Saints.
Brandon Plewe, Mapping Mormonism p.107
Downtown Salt Lake City in 1950
Colonizing the Intermountain West
The Camp of Israel crosses Iowa, February-June 1846
In October 1845, the Twelve announced plans to evacuate Nauvoo the next spring and seek a homeland in the West. About 17,000 Saints in the Nauvoo region had six months to get ready. Saints struggled to sell properties and construct or purchase wagons, teams, and provisions for the trek west. Plans called for at least 2,500 wagons evacuating the city.
By January 1846, rumors that the Twelve might be arrested or prevented from leaving caused them to leave early as a vanguard company with anyone ready to go. During February some 2,500 Saints gathered at the Sugar Creek encampment in Iowa (1), whom Young organized as a “Camp of Israel," departing March 1. Spring rain and mud slowed the way, forcing the Camp to take 3.5 months to cover the 300 miles to the Missouri River.
Initially they passed along existing roads. During extended stops (2), men worked for locals; for example, the brass band performed for pay in Keosauqua. The company hugged the Missouri border so they could trade with settlers to the south for livestock feed. Deciding not to cross northern Missouri (in which Mormons were still in danger) as originally planned, they turned northwest on April 12 (4) toward the Council Bluffs area, blazing a new trail. At this turning point, William Clayton wrote the hymn “Come, Come, Ye Saints” (5). Moving on, they created Garden Grove (6: April 24) and Mount Pisgah (7: May 26) as temporary settlements for those without means to continue, eventually reaching the Missouri River in mid-June (8). William G. Hartley
By January 1846, rumors that the Twelve might be arrested or prevented from leaving caused them to leave early as a vanguard company with anyone ready to go. During February some 2,500 Saints gathered at the Sugar Creek encampment in Iowa (1), whom Young organized as a “Camp of Israel," departing March 1. Spring rain and mud slowed the way, forcing the Camp to take 3.5 months to cover the 300 miles to the Missouri River.
Initially they passed along existing roads. During extended stops (2), men worked for locals; for example, the brass band performed for pay in Keosauqua. The company hugged the Missouri border so they could trade with settlers to the south for livestock feed. Deciding not to cross northern Missouri (in which Mormons were still in danger) as originally planned, they turned northwest on April 12 (4) toward the Council Bluffs area, blazing a new trail. At this turning point, William Clayton wrote the hymn “Come, Come, Ye Saints” (5). Moving on, they created Garden Grove (6: April 24) and Mount Pisgah (7: May 26) as temporary settlements for those without means to continue, eventually reaching the Missouri River in mid-June (8). William G. Hartley
Mapping Mormonism p.74
The Voyage of the Brooklyn
The 1847 Vanguard Pioneer Company
On April 7, 1847, the day after a general conference at Council Bluffs, Brigham Young began organizing a wagon train to head for the Salt Lake Basin. This vanguard company consisted of 143 men, 3 women, and 2 children and included a number of Apostles and other Church leaders; it was intended to be a scouting group to prepare for the families to follow. The train was held up for a week at the Elkhorn River to await the arrival of John Taylor, who was coming from England with some scientific instruments, including sextants, barometers, and a telescope, which allowed Orson Pratt to determine the latitude, longitude, and elevation of important landmarks along the way. The company also took a cannon with them to help guard against any Indian attacks. They were able to design and construct an odometer, which was attached to a wagon wheel to measure the distance they traveled each day. They noted the flora and fauna, soils, and rock formations along the way.
They stayed on the north side of the Platte and North Platte rivers until they reached Fort Laramie to avoid interaction with Oregon-bound travelers on the south side. Because they were the first wagon train to take this route, crews were sent ahead with tools to build the road through difficult terrain, knowing that many wagon trains would be following them. The rivers were running high with spring runoff, so they stopped to build ferry rafts and left crews behind to assist the companies that would follow that summer.
At Fort Laramie, they crossed to the south side of the river and followed the Oregon Trail across most of Wyoming. At Fort Bridger they followed the Hastings Cutoff to the southwest, used by the ill-fated Donner-Reed Party the year before. The first scouts entered the Salt Lake Valley on July 22 and were already plowing fields when Brigham Young arrived two days later, uttering the iconic words, “This is the right place; drive on.” Many of the men did not stay long, hurrying back east to prepare to bring their families. Wayne Wahlquist
They stayed on the north side of the Platte and North Platte rivers until they reached Fort Laramie to avoid interaction with Oregon-bound travelers on the south side. Because they were the first wagon train to take this route, crews were sent ahead with tools to build the road through difficult terrain, knowing that many wagon trains would be following them. The rivers were running high with spring runoff, so they stopped to build ferry rafts and left crews behind to assist the companies that would follow that summer.
At Fort Laramie, they crossed to the south side of the river and followed the Oregon Trail across most of Wyoming. At Fort Bridger they followed the Hastings Cutoff to the southwest, used by the ill-fated Donner-Reed Party the year before. The first scouts entered the Salt Lake Valley on July 22 and were already plowing fields when Brigham Young arrived two days later, uttering the iconic words, “This is the right place; drive on.” Many of the men did not stay long, hurrying back east to prepare to bring their families. Wayne Wahlquist
Mapping Mormonism p.80-81
19th Century Missions
During Joseph Smith’s lifetime, most missionaries served in the eastern United States and Canada, with a few going to the new mission in Great Britain. The worldwide expansion from 1850 to 1854 resulted in long-term success in Australia, Switzerland, and Scandinavia, but most of the missions closed when missionaries were recalled during the Utah War. Work was very limited during the darkest days of polygamy-related persecution, but missions and missionaries started to re-expand during the 1870s. After the Manifesto (1890) publicly ended polygamy, improved relations with the rest of the world and a crop of young second-generation members led to a rapid increase in missionary work in the 1890s.
Brandon Plewe, Mapping Mormonism p.94
Church Land Ownership in Downtown Salt Lake City
Downtown Salt Lake City, 2009
Downtown Salt Lake City, 1900
Downtown Salt Lake City, 1860