Temporary Settlements, Lasting Contributions

Temporary Settlements, Lasting Contributions. . Latter-day Saints were willing to give their all for their religious convictions., Thousands of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints poured into western Iowa and eastern Nebraska in 1846. Fleeing religious intolerance and conflict, they left behind homes they had built in Nauvoo, Illinois., They stopped here on their way to a new gathering place in the west. Knowing that more Saints would follow, they built between 60 and 90 settlements, with homes, businesses, meetinghouses, and farms. Most of the original Saints left the area by 1852, but the communities they built served as springboards for a continuous flow of emigration and provided the foundation for towns and cities that still exist today., One of the major settlements was located right here. The Saints called it Kanesville, after Thomas L. Kane, a non–Latter-day Saint who was a friend to the Church. Another settlement was located in Winter Quarters, Nebraska, on the west side of the Missouri River. By 1848, most Saints on the west side of the river had left. Kanesville became the main center for Latter-day Saints in the region., Memorial Overview , This memorial commemorates three important events that happened in this area. While here, the Latter-day Saints formed the Mormon Battalion to help fund their westward migration, sustained a new First Presidency, and welcomed back Oliver Cowdery (a former leader in the Church).