GARDEN GROVE IOWA & THE MORMON TRAIL

The way of the Mormon travelers was not an easy one; they were met with animosity, fear, and just plain hatred along the way. On June 23, 1844, Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum, rode to Carthage, IL to stand trial for inciting a riot. Once in custody, the charges were increased to treason.

On June 27, 1844, an armed mob with blackened faces stormed the Carthage jail . Hyrum, trying to lock the door, was shot in the face and died instantly. Smith fired a pistol that a friend had given him for self-defense. Trying to escape through a window, he was shot multiple times before falling to the ground. He was shot several times more. Five men were later tried for his murder, all were acquitted.

Following the Smith deaths, the Mormons began their trek across Iowa, headed for the Great Salt Lake Valley. The first wagons left Nauvoo, IL on Feb 4, 1846.

Although Feb 4th felt like a spring day, they were soon facing snow and on Feb 19 another 8 inches came with a blizzard and strong wind from the northwest. To add to their suffering, they were short on food and their supplies were depleted within a few weeks.

Stephen Markham headed a Pioneer Company proceeding the group to scout out the best routes, locate trading settlements, build bridges and make other preparations for those who followed.

William Pratt and his brass band provided musical entertainment not only for the travelers but many times the band gave formal concerts to raise funds to purchase food and supplies. Members of the party did what they could to raise funds or barter for supplies by hiring out to split rails, dig wells, husk corn, and other such work when they could find it.

Spring brought new hardships: melting snow, swollen rivers and creeks, strong winds, constant rain, and the once frozen ground became seas of mud. Once mired in the mud, they were lucky if they could make more than ½ mile per day. Not only were the travelers suffering, their draft animals were becoming weak and exhausted from the harsh conditions and the lack of affordable feed along the way.

By April 25th the Mormons reached a spot approximately halfway across Iowa and 144 miles west of Nauvoo. They named the spot Garden Grove.

INSCRIPTION:  LATTER DAY SAINTS OF GARDEN GROVE

Early in 1846 thousands of members or the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints(Mormons) left their homs in Nauvoo, Illinois, bound for the Great Basin in the Rocky Mountains.

Moving wesward across Iowa, their advance company made camp here April 25, 1846, calling the site Garden Grove.

Within two weeks, 359 men under the leadership of President Brigham Young cleared and cut 10,000 surplus rails for fencing, and enough logs to build 40 additional houses. 

Garden grove thus became a stopover for the many emigrant wagon trains and handcart groups that followed later.  Death overtook some, however, these were buried here. 

Refreshed by their stop a this place, the Mormon Pilgrims went on to the Rockies where they founded cities ane towns anmade the desert to 'blossom as the rose."

Garden Grove, located on Sac and Fox land on the eastern bank of the Weldon Fork of the Grand River, would be the first permanent settlement that served as a Mormon way-station from 1846 to 1852. Cabins, supplied with well water, housed those who were unable to continue. When the families were able to continue their journey, the cabins, surrounding grounds, and fields served the next families arriving.

Taller grass indicates outlines of the cabins.

Orson Pratt wrote on May 10, 1846, "A large amount of labour has been done since arriving in this grove: indeed the whole camp are very industrious. Many houses have been built, wells dug, extensive farms fenced, and the whole place assumes the appearance of having been occupied for years, and clearly shows what can be accomplished by union, industry, and perseverance."

Within the first 3 weeks at Garden Grove, the Mormons had broken 714 acres of stubborn prairie sod and 200 people were assigned to improve this first way-station.

A second permanent way-station was located at Mount Pisgah, about 50 miles to the west of Garden Grove.

From Garden Grove, the Mormons traveled across southern Iowa to winter quarters located near Omaha, Nebraska.

While he camped near Locust Creek near Corydon, Iowa, William Clayton heard of the birth of his son back in Nauvoo. Overcome with joy, on April 15, 1946, he wrote the hymn "Come, Come, Ye Saints." This hymn became a rallying song along the trail.

"Come, come, Ye Saints, no toil nor labor fear;
But with joy wend your way.
Though hard to you this journey may appear,
Grace shall be as you day.
'Tis better far for us to strive
Our useless cares from us to drive;
Do this, and joy your hearts will swell -
All is well! All is well!
. . . Shout praises to our God and King;
Above the rest these words we'll tell -
"All is well! All is well!"

Seven Mormon families were separated from the larger body of migrants in 1846. They wintered in Clarke County, Iowa. These winter quarters became known as "Lost Camp." The group remained in this location until they resumed their journey to Utah in 1854.

Today none of the original Garden Grove campsite exists. The town of Garden Grove, however was founded near this site. The local school district was named in honor of these early pioneers, the Mormon Trail School District.