'Mormon Room' in Missouri's Caldwell County
... after the infamous extermination ordered signed by Gov. Lilburn Boggs. . .Saints at Far West and other settlements in Caldwell and Daviess Counties once again abandoned their homes as they fled to Illinois for safety.
'Mormon Room' in Missouri's Caldwell County
KINGSTON, MO.
Warm sunshine and a gentle breeze welcomed visitors of all faiths as they took their seats in front of the new Caldwell County Welcome Center in Kingston, on Saturday, May 19. A group consisting of Latter-day Saints, members of the Caldwell County Historical Society, the sheriff, the circuit court judge and other community leaders gathered for the open house and dedication. Inside the welcome center, a Far West-era log cabin fills one room as a reminder of the historic origins of Caldwell County.
On Dec. 26, 1836, Caldwell County was created by the Missouri State Legislature for the purpose of Mormon settlement. Far West served as the county seat and at its peak boasted 10,000 residents, which is larger than the current population of Caldwell County. The community boomed and served briefly as the headquarters for the Church, but after the infamous extermination order signed by Gov. Lilburn Boggs on Oct. 27, 1838, the Saints at Far West and other settlements in Caldwell and Daviess Counties once again abandoned their homes as they fled to Illinois for safety.
Far West was reduced to a ghost town and today there is little physical evidence that Far West ever existed. The county seat was moved to Kingston in 1843, and in a short time the homes, stores, stables and hotels were reduced to scrap. Today, the area that was once the bustling township of Far West includes only the Far West Temple site and a small chapel across the street owned by the Community of Christ, all surrounded by farmland, ponds and rolling hills.
For many local residents, the original Mormon settlements and heritage have been long forgotten. The log cabin room, crafted from original timber of a Missouri, Mormon-era log cabin, now stands as a physical reminder of Mormon history within the county. In the past some have chosen to ignore this history, but most have simply forgotten, until now.
Two years ago the Caldwell County Historical Society purchased an old home near the county square in Kingston. It was the hope of the historical society to turn this home into a welcome center and it was the vision of Dave McEwen, a Latter-day Saint and member of the historical society, to include in it a "Mormon Room" reflecting the early Mormon history of the community. With very few resources to renovate the house and create the "Mormon Room," Brother McEwen and the historical society approached the Far West Ward of the Church to assist.
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The historical photos are interesting in their own right, but the shocking story behind the demise of the Far West community is horrifying. Was this a case of religious persecution in the extreme? A follow-on story about the extermination order would be most enlightening.
