Sacred Grove Historic Site

On a spring day in 1820, 14-year-old Joseph Smith went alone to a grove near his home and prayed. Worried about his own standing before God and confused about the widely varying claims of different religions of his day, Joseph sought wisdom that he believed only God could provide. In answer to his humble prayer, God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph. The answers They gave Joseph that day changed his life and continue to change the lives of millions of people throughout the world.

The Sacred Grove Historic Site invites everyone to come and experience this place where the young Joseph Smith received that profound answer to his prayer. Today, a portion of the farm is maintained as a healthy, natural forest to represent the the secluded forest setting where Joseph went to pray. Winding paths through the forested area provide places for visitors to contemplate the events that occurred here.

On September 21, 1823, in the upper story of the Joseph Smith Boyhood Home, the angel Moroni first visited Joseph Smith in the family’s small log home. Four years later, Joseph and his wife, Emma, lived in the larger Smith Farm Home when he received the gold plates on the Hill Cumorah. Eight individuals, now known as the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, were shown the gold plates nearby in the summer of 1829. Today, you can visit the Smith Family Farm and the vicinity where these events took place. On the property now is a Welcome Center, Joseph’s Boyhood Home (the Log Home), the Smith Farm Home, a Threshing Barn, and a Cooper Shop. Missionary-guided tours of the buildings are available.

Video Tour