Mormon Trail Center at Historic Winter Quarters
During the winter of 1846-1847, a large contingent of some 2,500 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was forced to halt their journey westward due to inclement weather and dangerous travel conditions. Over 2,000 died due to lack of food and shelter, winter storms, and diseases; the area has become a shrine for many Mormons who honor the sacrifice and loss experienced by these early pioneers. The area where they camped is now known as the Mormon Trail Center at the historic Winter Quarters; located in what is now North Omaha, it features memorials including Cutler’s Park, the Mormon Pioneer Memorial Bridge, and the Mormon Pioneer Cemetery.
The Mormon Trail Center is located in the historic Winter Quarters in north Omaha, Nebraska, where over 2,000 pioneers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints lost their lives. In order to escape religious persecution, the Mormons began their journey in 1846 from Nauvoo, Illinois with about 2,500 people; their intended destination was the religious freedom promised by the new settlement of Salt Lake City, Utah. Severe winter weather forced the ill-prepared travelers to make camp in what would later become north Omaha; many died over the winter due to lack of food and shelter, malaria, and exposure to the winter cold.
Today, the Mormon Trail Center serves as a visitors’ center for the Winter Quarters complex of historic memorials and exhibits dedicated to the sacrifices of those early pioneers. Visitors can experience what life was like for the Mormons who lived through those difficult times, exploring a rustic hand-built cabin and viewing an educational audiovisual presentation. Other attractions in the area include the Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple, opened to the public in 2001, and the Mormon Pioneer Cemetery, the final resting place for 359 of the original expedition.
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