Location:
Nishnabotna River Crossing
Distance: 232 miles from Nauvoo

The crossing of the Nishnabotna marks the meeting of two refugee peoples, the Latter-day Saints and the Pottawattamie Indians. The Pottawattamie remained in the area only in 1846, while Latter-day Saints on their way to Council Bluffs or points farther west would continue to travel across the area for some time.

David Moore

1 June 1849

"Traveled to little Nishnabotina ferry, had to pay 25 cents per wagon here, and swim our cattle. The settlers here (half apostates) told us that we had better not go on to Council Bluffs, for the saints were dying off very fast with the colery at that place. We did not give any heed to their stories, but traveled ahead and camped at highland grove" ("Compiled writings of David Moore: Journal and Life History," typescript, 1 June 1849, Family and Church History Department Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 45).

Journal photographs courtesy of Infobases, Inc.