“Let them build up a city unto my name upon the land opposite the city of Nauvoo, and let the name of Zarahemla be named upon it.” — Joseph Smith¹

Zarahemla, Iowa, was a significant settlement for the early Latter-day Saints. It was located about a mile west of the Mississippi River in Eastern Iowa.^2,3 Members of the Church purchased tens of thousands of acres of land in the area from Isaac Galland, starting in June 1839.⁴ The site for the town was selected by Joseph Smith in July 1839 and later confirmed by revelation in March 1841.² The Zarahemla Stake was organized by Joseph Smith by October 1839 and grew to include 750 members across nine branches by August 1841. The stake, however, was discontinued in January 1842 and replaced by a branch. Zarahemla also served as a refuge for Joseph Smith in August 1842 when he hid there to avoid arrest during a Missouri extradition attempt. The town site was eventually absorbed by the city of Montrose after 1846.²

1. Doctrine and Covenants 125:3

2. “Zarahemla, Iowa Territory,” josephsmithpapers.org

3. “Lee County, Iowa Territory,” josephsmithpapers.org

4. Stanley B. Kimball, "Nauvoo West: The Mormons of the Iowa Shore," BYU Studies vol. 18, no. 2, March 1, 1972, 132-142