L.D.S. Family Travels: Visiting Palmyra
by Becky Cardon Smith
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A visit to the Sacred Grove is on most every Latter-day Saint’s wish list. What is there to do and see in the Palmyra/Manchester area?

Everywhere you look you will find tangible reminders of a very special and sacred time in early Church history. A small, restored log cabin beside a grove of trees reminds you of an all-night visit from Moroni. The nearby frame home evokes stories of joyful moments, harrowing escapes, and personal hardships. To the east stands a wooded “drumlin” or hill with the Angel Moroni monument atop where the gold plates lay hidden. A home site reminds us of one individual’s personal sacrifice in offering his farm as payment for the printing of these translated records. A tour inside a restored red brick building will explain the process used to print the Book of Mormon, the culminating gift we enjoy today because of those many early sacrifices.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

To really experience Palmyra, allow at least two full days to visit many of the “must see” sites in this area. They include the Hill Cumorah and nearby visitors’ center, the Sacred Grove, the Smith log house, the Smith frame house, the Palmyra Temple, E.B. Grandin Bookstore, Martin Harris home site, and the Peter Whitmer farm in nearby Fayette. (To do it all in a day is a very “rushed” experience.) “Nice to see” sites include the Swift Cemetery, Lock #29 on the Erie Canal, and several local museums, sights, and attractions. If time allows, take a day trip to Niagara Falls, located just 90 minutes away. For those planning to attend the Palmyra Temple – be sure to call ahead and schedule your session. Not to missed is the Hill Cumorah Pageant scheduled for July 11, 12, and 15-19 of 2003. Local celebrations include the Wayne County Fair in August and Canaltown Days in September.

To better understand and appreciate the significance of Palmyra, read through the list of suggested sites to visit. Walking through the homes, hearing the stories, and reading from your scriptures will enhance your experience here in the “Cradle of Restoration.”

SITES TO SEE

• Hill Cumorah Visitors’ Center – This beautiful visitors’ center was recently completed and dedicated in 2002. Allow at least one hour to tour the center, see the displays, hear the presentations, and watch the newly released First Vision film. Children will enjoy the thirteen interactive exhibits. If your time in Palmyra is short, consider visiting the other sites first and then finish here for a spiritual review. (The visitors’ center stays open two hours later than the other Church sites.) Visit www.hillcumorah.com for updated information. The visitors’ center is located at 603 State Route 21.

• Hill Cumorah – The angel Moroni first showed Joseph Smith the gold plates at this hillside on September 22, 1823. Four years later, Joseph returned with his new bride, Emma, who remained in the wagon while her husband climbed the hill to receive the plates. A road on the left side of the visitors’ center will take you to the top of the Hill Cumorah. Those wishing to walk can take a path located on either side of the hill. Benches overlooking the hill provide a wonderful spot to sit, read, and reflect.

• Angel Moroni Monument – Moroni was the sole survivor of a great Nephite civilization (Mormon 8:5). He buried a record of his people, written on gold plates, in the hillside of Cumorah around A.D. 421 and prophesied that these records would eventually be brought from the darkness into the light. As you visit the monument, notice the embossed panels on all four sides. Read the inscriptions and signs to learn what the shaft, ornamentation, and lines of light on the monument represent.

• Palmyra New York Temple – The Palmyra Temple sits atop a hill overlooking the restored Smith family farm and Sacred Grove. The temple’s beautiful stained glass windows, depicting scenes from the Sacred Grove, and the white granite exterior add to its majestic sacredness. Call ahead to schedule your temple session and remember to bring your own temple clothing.

• Welcome Center at the Joseph Smith Farm – Your visit to the Smith family farm should begin here. Allow at least two hours to tour the log home, frame home, visit the Sacred Grove, and walk about the farm reading the many markers. It is located at 843 Stafford Road.

• Smith Family Log Cabin – The original Smith family log cabin was eventually torn down or destroyed. A newly-built cabin stands on the original foundation and was dedicated by President Hinckley in 1998. Joseph Sr., Lucy, and their nine children first lived in their 1½-story log home from 1818 until the spring of 1825 (their youngest child was born here). Some of the most significant events ever to occur took place in and around this home. Joseph went from the log cabin into the woods to pray in the early spring of 1820 and received the First Vision. On the evening of September 21, 1823 and through the night, the angel Moroni appeared three times to Joseph in an upstairs room. On the following day, Joseph went to the Hill Cumorah and first saw the gold plates. After the financial loss of their frame home, the Smith family moved back into the log home in 1829. Once again, the home became the hub of family life and the center of many significant Church events.

• Sacred Grove – Fourteen-year-old Joseph went into the woods near the family’s log cabin, seeking answers to his questions about religion. While he was kneeling in prayer, both God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared and spoke to Joseph (read Joseph Smith – History). Nine years later, Joseph was permitted to show eight witnesses the gold plates in the privacy of this same grove of trees. Benches are located throughout the grove; take the time to read Joseph’s account of this sacred experience and read the markers as you walk through the grove.

• Smith Family Frame Home – Joseph’s older brother Alvin initially began construction on this New England style home in 1822. After his death, Hyrum supervised its completion. For the Smith family, the almost four-year stay in this home was full of both joyful events and difficult moments. Joseph brought his new bride, Emma, to this home. On at least one occasion, the gold plates were hidden under the brick hearthstone. As you stand in the kitchen, it isn’t hard to imagine the Prophet as he sat at the kitchen table in almost inconsolable grief upon hearing Martin Harris report that the first 116 translated pages had been stolen. Be sure to notice the small cutout portion of wallboard behind the table. You can still see the original dated newspaper used for insulation.

• Threshing Barn, Cooper Shop, and Farm – The reconstructed threshing barn and cooper shop (barrel-making) help you visualize the 100-acre farm as it was during the Prophet’s stay. The gold plates were once hidden in the loft of the cooper shop, and though the building was ransacked by an angry mob, the hidden plates were not discovered. Take time to stroll around the farm and read the many informative markers.

• Porter Rockwell Home Site – The Orrin and Sarah Rockwell family lived about two miles south of the Smith family. The children attended school together and the two families became good friends. A close friendship was forged between Orrin Porter and Joseph Smith (who was 7 years older). Porter was baptized a member of the Church on April 6, 1830, the day the Church was officially organized.

• Dr. Alexander McIntyre Home – One of the oldest homes in Palmyra is also the former home of Dr. Alexander McIntyre. He was the Smith family physician who was out of town when Alvin first became ill. Upon his return, Dr. McIntyre tried unsuccessfully to save Alvin’s life. Later, as persecution against the Smith family increased, Dr. McIntyre refused to be the leader of a planned mob attack on one occasion and actually warned Joseph of the danger on another. The yellow home with white trim is located at 109 West Main Street. It is privately owned and not available for tours.

• E. B. Grandin Bookstore – When Joseph approached Grandin about printing the Book of Mormon, E. B. Grandin initially refused the job. He later consented to print 5,000 copies for $3,000 after some of his concerns were addressed and Martin Harris agreed to mortgage his farm to guarantee payment. The printing began in August of 1829 and the first copies were finished on March 26, 1830. Allow an hour stay to tour the original building, learn about the detailed printing process, view an informative video, and see many historical objects. Each family will receive a replica of an uncut sheet from the 1830 printed edition of the Book of Mormon. The bookstore is located at 219 East Main Street.

• Swift Cemetery – Alvin Smith, the older brother of Joseph Smith, is buried in this small cemetery. Joseph idolized his brother. Knowing that he was dying, Alvin counseled Joseph to be faithful, to keep every commandment, and to do “everything that lies in your power to obtain the Record.” The cemetery is located almost immediately north of the Main intersection in the village of Palmyra.

• Martin Harris Farm – Martin Harris once lived in a 1½ -story white framed home situated on his 240-acre farm. Martin, more than twenty years older than Joseph, acted as the Prophet’s first scribe in Harmony, Pennsylvania. He ultimately mortgaged his farm to guarantee payment for the publication of the Book of Mormon and later sold the farm to make the $3,000 payment. Martin was present when the Church was officially organized, was baptized that same day, and was later permitted to be one of the Three Witnesses. Though he left the Church for a time, he was rebaptized and eventually crossed the plains to join the Saints in Utah. He died in 1875, having never denied his written testimony placed at the beginning of each Book of Mormon. The Martin Harris farm is located at 1962 Maple Avenue.

• Aqueduct Park and Lock #29 – This is a great park for picnics, biking, enjoying the beautiful scenery, and seeing a lock on the Erie Canal. If you’re lucky, you may see the locktender at work helping a boat through the lock. Children will enjoy the playground and the free Erie Canal activity book available at the locktender’s office next to the canal. Also notice the remains of one of the original aqueducts built in 1856 and a recently restored 1858 crossover bridge. The park is located on the west side of Main Street, next to the “Town of Macedon” sign.

• Additional sites to see include: William Stafford home, original site of Stafford school, Pliny Sexton Home, Palmyra Village Cemetery, original section of Erie Canal, Lucy Harris home, Alling Coverlet Museum, William Phelps General Store Museum (no relation to W.W. Phelps), Palmyra Historical Museum, and more.

• Activities in this area include: kayaking on the Erie Canal, taking a dinner cruise on the canal, Roseland Waterpark, visiting the village of Fairport, and spending time on the beach of Lake Ontario at Sodus Bay (complete with lighthouse).

Church sites are open Monday thru Saturday 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. and Sunday 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. (The sites close at 6:00 p.m. in spring and fall, and 5:00 p.m. in winter.) For further information, visit www.hillcumorah.com or www.palmyrany.com.

© 2003 LDS Family Travels. All Rights Reserved.