The Arrival of Nineteenth Century Mormon Emigrants in Salt Lake City

Authors

Fred Woods, Brigham Young University - ProvoFollow

Keywords

Mormon studies, Mormon Emigration, Salt Lake City, immigration

Abstract

A number of articles, books, and lengthy essays have been written during the past century and a half on Mormon immigration and emigration by land and sea.¹ However, in nearly every instance, the reader is left to wonder what happened once the Latter-day Saint converts reached their destination in the West. Before steam vessels replaced sailing ships as the most popular passenger carriers, European Mormon converts were propelled by wind across the Atlantic and then traversed the plains by wagon, on foot, or by handcart. During the trail years (1847–68), it took several months to reach the Salt Lake Valley. Often, European converts who left early in the year did not complete their journey until fall. The average time to reach the East Coast from Liverpool was estimated at thirty-eight days, and the journey from Liverpool to New Orleans typically took fifty-four days.²

Original Publication Citation

Fred E. Woods, “The Arrival of Nineteenth Century Mormon Emigrants in Salt Lake City,” eds. Scott Esplin and Ken Alford, (Provo, Utah: BYU Religious Studies Center, 2011), 203-230.

BYU ScholarsArchive Citation

Woods, Fred, "The Arrival of Nineteenth Century Mormon Emigrants in Salt Lake City" (2011). Faculty Publications. 5623.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub/5623

Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

2011

Permanent URL

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/8353

Publisher

BYU Religious Studies

Language

English

College

Religious Education

Department

Church History and Doctrine

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

Copyright Use Information

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/