Drakesville in Davis County, Iowa — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
A New Route
Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 22, 2025
1. A New Route Marker
What turns a trip of a few weeks into a grueling journey that lasts months? For the Mormon pioneers, it was prairie grass.
The Iowa prairie was winter-bare when Brigham Young and the first group of Latter-day Saints fled Nauvoo in February 1846. Without fresh grass, livestock feed had to come from trade with Missouri settlements. To stay close to the border, the group traveled southwest from Drakesville on muddy, poorly built paths.
The prairie had sprouted, however, when the main group of 10,000 Saints left Nauvoo in April. The spring grasses fed their livestock, making trade with Missouri unnecessary. Realizing this, Brigham Young sent John S. Gleason back to Drakesville to guide them on a new route. Using better roads, they went northwest and rejoined Youngs route near Garden Grove.
On May 14, 1846, Brigham Young and others spotted 18 wagons crossing a ridge. It was part of the main group of Saints traveling on the new route. With the prairie feeding their livestock, it took them just three weeks to catch Brigham Youngs group who had been travelling for three months!
[photo captions]
The Northern Route follows ridges,
this page online
It splits into two branches on Honey Creek, north of Rathbun Lake (below).
Erected by Iowa Mormon Trails Association and National Park Service.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Roads & Vehicles • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Mormon Pioneer Trail series list. A significant historical date for this entry is May 14, 1846.
Location. 40° 47.918′ N, 92° 28.925′ W. Marker is in Drakesville, Iowa, in Davis County. It is on Main Street just west of Jefferson Street, in the median. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Drakesville IA 52552, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southern Iowa. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured
2. Marker detail: Mormon Trail Routes West of Drakesville
Also see . . .
1. Iowa Mormon Trails Association's Post (Facebook).
Excerpt: A turning point on the Mormon Pioneer Trail that is overlooked at times is at the small town of Drakesville in Davis County. This is where the Vanguard Group in the early spring of 1846 took a southerly route which led them into more difficult terrain to navigate. Brigham Young sent couriers from Garden Grove to tell the Saints to take a more northerly route on westward in the late spring of 1846 through Moravia, Unionville and Iconium. This would be known as the Northern Trace. The trail breaks west of Drakesville at 180th Street near the intersection with 175th Street.(Submitted on January 17, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail: Drakesville, Iowa (National Park Service).
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 22, 2025
3. A New Route Marker
Looking southwest across the Main Street median.
Excerpt: The city is at the beginning of the route used by the vast majority of Mormon Pioneers to cross Iowa. The use of the trail near Drakesville started in 1846, immediately after the vanguard, Brigham Young led companies had started their treks. This route avoided a lot of the hardships such as the thick mud, rattlesnakes, and lack of roads that the vanguard companies had to endure. It also allowed the largest group of Mormon Pioneers that departed from Nauvoo to quickly catch up with the vanguard companies, which had left a few months earlier.(Submitted on January 17, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 17, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 17, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 72 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 17, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
