The approximately 1,300-mile-long trail from Nauvoo, Illinois, to Salt Lake City, Utah, was certified by the National Trails Act of 1986 as a National Historic Trail-officially The Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mormon-Trail, National Parks Conservation Association - Mormon Trail, Mormon Trail - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). The term Mormonite and Mormon were originally descriptive terms used by outsiders to the faith and occasionally used by church leaders. Today the Mormon Trail is a part of the United States National Trails System, as the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail. Smith’s successor, Brigham Young, proposed a 1,300-mile (2,100-km) exodus to the west. Happy Pioneer Day! The travelers would establish settlements along the way, some of which like Salt Lake City would eventually grow to become major American cities. In 1849 Gold Rushemigrants … The word Mormon was originally coined to describe any person who believes in the Book of Mormon as a volume of scripture. The Oregon Trail was a roughly 2,000-mile route from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon City, Oregon, which was used by hundreds of thousands of American pioneers in … Those leaving from southern California blazed the trail that came to be called the Mormon Trail to southern California. The banks of the river, rich in pasture offered an excellent grazing ground for the thousands of livestock. Identifies and preserves Mormon historical sites, including trails and locations where historical events occurred. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) a Christian religion based on both the Bible and the Book of Mormon. The Brooklyn carried 239 Latter-day Saints and supplies for anticipated Mormon settlements in the West. Not to mention followers of the Latter-Day Saints faith who troop to the Mormon Trail in their thousands due to its religious significance to their Mormon denomination. The Mormon Trail covers about 1,300 miles from its starting point Nauvoo, Illinois, to its end in Salt Lake City, Utah. They were a people who felt called by God, chosen to create a New Jerusalem. The Independence Rock is arguably the Mormon Trail’s most famous and most distinctive landmark. This dangerous trek would later come to be known as the Mormon Trail, America’s greatest trek of the 19th century. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. The Mormon Trail is perhaps the American trek of most historical significance, as it resulted in the opening up of continental United States. Butterfield Trail: Definition. They took a well-beaten trail westward, through what is now Iowa, crossing the Missouri River into Nebraska Territory by permission of the Omaha Indians. The trail passes through the states of Utah, Nebraska, Illinois, and Wyoming. Corrections? The Mormon Trail broke south just to the west of the Continental Divide, and it terminated to the southeast of the Great Salt Lake, in what is today Salt Lake City. The Mormon Migration succeeded because: Young carefully planned the logistics, ensuring there was enough supplies to last the journey Young consulted with trail guides to find the quickest and safest routes He sent a ‘Pioneer Band’ of 150 men and 70 wagons to be the first to travel to the Great Salt Lake. The next year Jefferson Hunt, one of these former soldiers, and others made the return trip to California to pick up supplies. After Mormon leader Joseph Smith was murdered by a mob in 1844, church members realized that their settlement at Nauvoo was becoming increasingly untenable. The Mormon Trail generally followed the north side of the Platte River approximately 425 miles to Fort Laramie, where the pioneers crossed the river and joined the Oregon Trail. …Bridger (southwestern Wyoming), where the, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), church that traces its origins to a...…, Nauvoo, city, Hancock county, western Illinois, U.S. It’s hard to even imagine making the trek for thousands of miles, but you can get a taste of it, pushing a cart for a small section on the trail. Contrary to popular belief, however, the famous trail was not a Mormon creation. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Major cities in America attribute their origin to this 19th-century trek, such as Salt Lake City. 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