Iowa Mormon Trails Association

Iowa Mormon Trails Association Iowa Mormon Trails Assocation seeks to preserve the historic Iowa Mormon Trails

IMTA was formed as a nonprofit organization to help research, develop, preserve, and celebrate the historic Mormon Trails throughout Iowa.

Mt. Pisgah in Union County has been receiving some upgrades lately. A new shelter house has been built along with a new ...
06/13/2026

Mt. Pisgah in Union County has been receiving some upgrades lately. A new shelter house has been built along with a new sidewalk and a new fire ring. What a great place to enjoy a family outing and learn some history along the trail.

06/08/2026

Iowa Museum Week: Museums Are People

June 8–12 is Iowa Museum Week, and the Pioneer Trail Museum is joining museums across the state in celebrating the theme "Museums Are..." Today, our answer is simple: Museums Are People.

And no one better illustrates that than Ruby Bentley. Since helping found the Macedonia Historical Preservation Society in 2000, Ruby has served as its president and guiding force. For 25 years, she has dedicated countless hours to preserving the stories, artifacts, and landmarks that tell Macedonia's history.

Under Ruby's leadership, a vacant Main Street building was transformed into the Pioneer Trail Museum in 2007. What began as a dream grew into a second museum building in 2015. Her leadership has also helped bring many other preservation projects to life, including:

• Opening the Stempel Bird Museum in 2001, preserving the remarkable collection of Dr. Guido Stempel
• Organizing the historic laser-cut Main Street sidewalk railings beginning in 2002
• Publishing the comprehensive History of Macedonia in 2005
• Installing 13 interpretive site markers identifying locations associated with the original settlement and Mormon Pioneer Trail in 2007
• Achieving certification of the museum as an Interpretive Facility on the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail in 2024.

For a quarter century, Ruby has been one of the people ensuring that Macedonia's stories are not lost, but preserved and shared with future generations.

Thank you, Ruby, for helping make history come alive.

On June 9, 1846, the Brigham Young Company paused at Graybill Creek to allow workmen to complete a bridge over the creek...
06/07/2026

On June 9, 1846, the Brigham Young Company paused at Graybill Creek to allow workmen to complete a bridge over the creek in Pottawattamie County so they could continue their journey to Salt Lake City.

This great group of volunteers from Pottawattamie County are getting ready to put up the last Trail Crossing signs on a ...
06/07/2026

This great group of volunteers from Pottawattamie County are getting ready to put up the last Trail Crossing signs on a long term National Park Service and Iowa Mormon Trails Association project. Getting these signs up will be the icing on the cake!! Thanks everyone and keep us updated on your progress.

A group of 24 students from Brigham Young University stopped at Richardson’s Point a few weeks ago as part of Professor ...
05/30/2026

A group of 24 students from Brigham Young University stopped at Richardson’s Point a few weeks ago as part of Professor Byran Korth’s Travel Study Program. They planned to follow the Iowa segment of the Mormon Trail for a few days along the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail. Plans call for Professor Korth to return in June with another group. Welcome to Iowa!

This is a researched history by Karla Gunzenhauser of Saints who temporarily stayed at Garden Grove from 1846-1853. Karl...
05/17/2026

This is a researched history by Karla Gunzenhauser of Saints who temporarily stayed at Garden Grove from 1846-1853. Karla, along with her husband Paul, helped develop Garden Grove as a historic site along the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail in the 1990s and were original members of the IMTA. Karla wrote countless essays and numerous stories about Garden Grove and portions of the Iowa Mormon Trail. So much of her archived research is still used to this day.

Milton has received this beautiful interpretive sign designed and funded by the Historic Hills Scenic Byways. Recently p...
04/20/2026

Milton has received this beautiful interpretive sign designed and funded by the Historic Hills Scenic Byways. Recently placed in front of the freshly restored Railroad Depot, it tells the history of Richardson’s Point which is located just north of town five miles. The Brigham Young led wagon train camped at Richardson’s Point in March of 1846 with some pioneers camping along the Fox River. The Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail passes directly through Van Buren County.

It is great to see many of the IMTAs long term projects getting finished up. These directional roads point to the Locust...
04/19/2026

It is great to see many of the IMTAs long term projects getting finished up. These directional roads point to the Locust Creek Camp site in rural Wayne County. As some of the trails sites are very rural, these new signs will help people find their location so much easier. Thanks again to the National Park Service for the signs and the Wayne County Road Department for installing the signs. Great teamwork! Maps to Locust Creek Camp can be picked up at the Prairie Trails Museum at Corydon. Happy travels while following the trail.

The Iowa Mormon Trail Association is participating in the forum below. President Brad Klodt will be speaking on Friday a...
04/09/2026

The Iowa Mormon Trail Association is participating in the forum below. President Brad Klodt will be speaking on Friday afternoon regarding the families at Richardson Point. If you are interested in the trail in Iowa come and join us.

This is one of the old wayside signs that had been produced by the National Park Service and installed in the mid 1990s....
03/08/2026

This is one of the old wayside signs that had been produced by the National Park Service and installed in the mid 1990s. Thirty years of being in the elements has taken a toll. The historical information and the art work on the signs makes it difficult to just throw them away. We at the IMTA are working on ways to refurbish the signs and keep them around for teaching purposes. This sign was thoroughly cleaned and then sprayed with a clear finish. They turned out presentable. Only part of the sign was restored so you can get an idea of the condition before we worked on it. Repaint the frame and it will enhance it even more. We are hoping that some of these signs can be utilized along the trail possibly In museums, cabins, or even put back into service outdoors.

Address

515 East Jefferson, Highway 2 East, P. O. Box 104
Corydon, IA
50060

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