Mormon Trail Center at Winter Quarters

Once a temporary settlement of the pioneers, this center has a dedicated grave cemetery and more.

Winter Quarters is one of 90 church settlements along the great Missouri River. Winter Quarters is a historical site of the early Saints of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Winter Quarters was supposed to be just a temporary settlement, but the pioneers ending up building successful farms, businesses, and even a newspaper printing press, so they stayed longer than they initially planned. The early church leaders used this settlement to help prepare the pioneers on their journeys of migrating west. The Mormon Battalion started in this area, too. 

Winter Quarters is now the historical site known as the Mormon Trail Center, which includes a museum, cemetery, and temple. The center offers free tours guided by volunteer missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The center is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm during the winter season and open daily from 9 am to 8 pm during the summer months. The center is fully accessible to those with special needs, as well.

This center is a historical museum with significant artifacts, interactive exhibits activities, reconstructed structures, and more. The exhibits here tell the story of the great headaches and triumphs that the pioneers who traveled westward to find religious freedom faced. Exhibits include wagon and handcarts activities, stories and maps of those who traveled by ship and trail, and more. 

Next to the welcome center, the historic cemetery of those who lost their lives at Winter Quarters can be found. The cemetery hosts a monument that commemorates the tragedy at Winter Quarters, as well. Also located on-site is the Winter Quarters Temple, which  recommended members can worship in. Temple grounds are open to the public for walking around or taking pictures.