Reprinted with permission from the Daily Gate City

Historic markers dedicated Saturday
Steve Dunn, Gate City Managing Editor

Samuel Park, president of the Illinois Nauvoo Mission, points to the Nauvoo Temple across the Mississippi River during another marker dedication at Riverview Park in Montrose Saturday. Other markers were dedicated at old Fort Des Moines in Riverview Park and in Triangle Park in Keokuk.

An air of cooperation prevailed as four historic markers were dedicated in Lee County Saturday afternoon.

All four markers reflect the presence of the Mormons in Lee County during the mid-1800s, including a marker devoted to a Mormon immigrants' camp at Triangle Park in Keokuk 150 years ago.

In his welcome at the Triangle Park dedication, Mayor David Gudgel called Keokuk's history with the Mormons "very unique." He also cited the Mormons' help in building Keokuk's streets 150 years ago and their assistance with the new curbs at Triangle Park. Three of the markers and the curbs were paid for by the Mormon Historic Sites Foundation.

Rob Clark, a member of the Mormon Historic Sites Foundation board of trustees, said, "Stories help define who we are. The story here is one of friendship, openness and good will. We hope when the Latter-day Saints visit here, they do so in a spirit of friendship. I hope this marker is a symbol of friendship."

Several persons and entities had a hand in the Triangle Park marker, including the City of Keokuk, Dick Sykes of the Keokuk Parks Department, the Mormon Historic Sites Foundation, contractor Mike Hickey and the Pioneers of Lee County.

Kirk Brandenberger, executive director of the Keokuk Area Convention and Tourism Bureau, played "Amazing Grace" on his fiddle. Donald Skog, president of the Keokuk Branch of the Mormon church, gave the prayer of dedication.

A marker at the new Pioneer Trail Memorial Pavilion at Linger Longer Park north of Montrose was dedicated next. The facility provides a panoramic view of the Nauvoo Temple across the Mississippi River. The pavilion is located at the start of the Mormon Trail, which was used by thousands of Mormons when they left Nauvoo, Ill., in 1846 and headed for Salt Lake City, Utah.

Leon Wilkinson, president of the Iowa Mormon Trails Association, said that encountering people with the same goals is one of the most rewarding aspects of being involved in the Mormon Trails organization.

Lee County Conservation Board chairman Don Edwards conducted the dedication at the Linger Longer Park and acknowledged the efforts of Wilkinson; Tom Buckley, executive director of the Lee County Conservation Board; and contractors Hickey and John Reitter.

Buckley said improvements for the park were planned as far back as 1996 and were made possible when the conservation board's foundation was formed a year later. More improvements are planned in the next couple of years, including paving the parking lot and adding shelters to the picnic tables.

A double quartet sang "Come, Come, Ye Saints," a famous anthem of the Mormons that was written on the Mormon Trail in Wayne County in south central Iowa.

The Rev. Charles Holmgren, retired minister of the United Church of Christ in Fort Madison, gave the prayer of dedication.

Montrose Mayor Ron Dinwiddie welcomed the audience at the third stop, the new historic marker at old Fort Des Moines in Montrose's Riverview Park. Dinwiddie, the Montrose City Council, Jeff Junkins and the Mormon Historic Sites Foundation all had a hand in the marker.

Doug Atterberg of Keokuk provided an historic overview of Fort Des Moines. In 1834 a platoon of dragoons was sent to the site to keep peace between the settlers and Indians, Atterberg said. The fort was open on the river side with stables, and barracks were located on the west wall with room for 180 soldiers. In 1837 the government decided to take the soldiers out of Fort Des Moines. Eventually, Mormons including Brigham Young moved into the fort's buildings and used them as a place of refuge. After the Mormons moved to Nauvoo, the fort was abandoned and torn down.

President Charles Allen, First Councilor in the Nauvoo Illinois Stake, gave the prayer of dedication for the Fort Des Moines historic marker.

Finally, a Mormon Sojourn in Lee County 1839-1846 historic marker was dedicated at the other end of Riverview Park in Montrose. The new marker is beside another marker that was erected in 1996 or 1997.

"All of my life I've heard the name Montrose. I knew it must be close to Nauvoo and something important happened there," said Samuel Park, president of the Illinois Nauvoo Mission. "This is a profound place."

The magnitude of the Mormons' trek to Utah dawned on him when he and Quincy, Ill., Mayor Chuck Scholz tried re-enacting the Mormons' exodus from Nauvoo on Feb. 4 in Nauvoo when it was 16 degrees below zero including the wind chill, Park observed.

"The past is past, I believe," he said. "I suggest that in the spirit of brotherhood, that what's important is today. We better reach out our hand of common friendship."

Durell Nelson, former president of the Nauvoo Stake, gave the prayer of dedication at the fourth and final marker.

"It is my hope that gaining knowledge of our past will benefit the shaping of our future," said Brandenberger at the conclusion of the dedications.

The day started with 10 presentations at the Holiday Inn Express on a variety of topics related to the Mormons' presence in Nauvoo and Lee County and Keokuk history. The speakers included Atterberg, Jack Meister and Thomas Gardner of Keokuk and Mike Trapp, Joseph Johnstun and Shalisse Johnstun of Nauvoo.

More about the presentations of Atterberg, Meister and Trapp will be published in the Daily Gate City this week.

Dr. Loren Horton gave the keynote address Friday night on "Iowa in 1853 - the Context for the Encampment."