Kanesville Memorial

Overview

The Kanesville Memorial commemorates Council Bluffs' important role in the westward migration of Mormon pioneers and the settlement of the American frontier. During the mid-1800s, Kanesville served as a major gathering place for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints preparing to continue their journey west.

A log tabernacle built near this site in 1846 became the location where Brigham Young was sustained as president of the Church before leading pioneers toward the Salt Lake Valley. While neither the original tabernacle nor the 1996 replica remains standing today, interpretive exhibits, sculptures, walkways, and a visitor center continue to share the site's important role in Mormon Trail history and westward expansion.

Visitors can learn about the people, events, and decisions that shaped the region while discovering how Council Bluffs became an important crossroads for migration, settlement, and the opening of the American West.

Photos taken by Jim Lee with the Iowa Tourism Office.

Continue Exploring Mormon Trail History

• Grand Encampment & Mormon Battalion Mustering Grounds
• Original Mormon Trail Settlement Site

Phone: (531) 242-6639
Category: Attractions