Crossroads to the West:

Crossroads to the West:. The Great Florence Outfitting Post. , Here on the banks of the Missouri River was an important outfitting site for early members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 1847 at an area just north of this location was the Nebraska dugway of the Upper Mormon Ferry. There they crossed the Missouri River to find their way to Winter Quarters. Goods were shipped to the location and thousands of head of cattle and other animals found their way across to Nebraska Territory., In 1848 after many early Saints had left for the Great Salt Lake Basin and others returned to Iowa to wait their turn to travel west. The area began known [sic] in 1854 as Florence and a steam ferry began operation. To provide a thoroughfare as thousands made their way across the great plains to the Rocky Mountains and points west., Florence became a busy outfitting post for 33,500+ pioneers heading west. The "thousands of tons of supplies … thousands of cattle, corrals, stores, storage buildings, river docks and steamboat arrivals" speak to the massive operation that was skillfully planned and successfully carried out during this time period., Between the years 1859-1863 Pioneers would arrive in Florence by handcart, wagon, steamboat and later via railroad…but all had to cross the Missouri River. Initially this involved the use of a "vrope" [sic] ferry crossing that was pulled by individual men., Eventually, as Bluff City (Council Bluffs) grew in size several steamboat ferries would transport hundreds of people across the river each week. Many individuals heading west for the California, Colorado and Montana gold rush also used Florence to outfit their company., Florence replaced Iowa City as the main outfitting post in 1856 Brigham Young encouraged handcarts specifically due to their lower cost of moving people west. Florence was an area of repairing and outfitting of handcarts or wagons which included attaching metal rims used to reinforce the wheels. Florence was a gathering place for the Mormon pioneers as the majority were from the British Isles and stayed in the Florence area waiting for family members to arrive prior to heading west. Additionally, this area was used for the acquisition of food/supplies. For example, the Florence Mill was an integral part of the area that the pioneers would use to prepare their wheat and corn into flour., You are standing where altogether there were about 142 Mormon wagon trains, about 22 Mormon related freight trains and 10 handcart trains that left the Florence area between 1847 and 1863. These stated groups carried roughly 33,500 persons to Utah. It is known, however, that more people came than listed above and also traveled from here, "The Crossroads to the West.",

"I was appointed to take charge of the ferry across the Missouri River, a boisterous river, navigable most of the year for small boats. I put the necessary articles a pioneer needed to cross the plains in John Wheeler's wagon 5 April 1847; 375 lbs. corn $3.75; 155 lbs. flour $4.65; 150 lbs. sifted corn meal $2.00; 1/2 bu potatoes $0.50; dry beans 37 lbs; seed corn 25 lbs, 17 lbs meat $1.25; 12 1/2 lbs salt, fish net, broadax, chopping ax, 1 1/2 in auger, hoe and foot adj, garden seeds, trunk and clothes, wash kettle, bucket, bake kettle, hatchet and knife, 6 bags, auger gun, brace pistols, 4 lbs. powder, 8 lbs lead, iron wedge, horse saddle, bridle, blanket, halter rope, martingales. Total $130.00", from the journal of John Somers Higbee

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John Henry Latey, emigration agent at Florence, Nebraska, joined with the Hodgett Wagon Company when it came through Florence. While at Florence he wrote a letter to Elder John Taylor, reporting on the companies as they came through Florence. Upon the entry of the first two companies (Edmund Ellsworth and Daniel D. McArthur) he wrote: [They were] in fine health and spirits, (singing, as they came along, Elder McAllister's noted handcart song, 'Some must push and some must pull,' &c.) One would not think they had come from Iowa City, a long and rough journey of … 300 miles, except by their dust-stained garments and sunburned faces. My heart is gladdened as I write this, for methinks I see their merry countenances and buoyant step, the strains of the hand cart song seems ringing in my ears like sweet music heard at eventide or in a dream.", Latey, J.H., "Correspondence from the Camp at Florence," The Mormon, 30 Aug. 1856, 2.