Far West, Missouri (not to be confused with Farr West, Utah), is a small Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints history site. It is fairly remote, and there isn’t too much to see, but if you’re in the area, the Far West Temple Site is definitely worth the stop. Other Church History sites in this section of Missouri include Hawn’s Mill and Adam-ondi-Ahman. We made the stop when we were traveling between Nauvoo and Independence.
History of Far West
Far West was a gathering site for the early Saints, though it didn’t last long. Like every other place in Missouri, the members of the Church were forced out after just a short stay. However, sometime in 1838, the Saints were commanded to build a temple in Far West. Joseph Smith himself oversaw the laying of the 4 cornerstones. Though the temple was never built, the cornerstones are still there today.
Far West Temple Site
The Far West Temple site has no Visitor Center nor attendants. There is a fenced area that roughly outlines the temple, and in each corner, the original stones can be seen. The stones are marked as representing The First Presidency, The Quorum of the 12 Apostles, the High Priesthood, and the Lower Priesthood. A large stone monument sits at the far end of “the temple.” It has several scriptures and tells the story of what happened in Far West. There are also restrooms on site.
Across the street is a church belonging to the Community of Christ. Though this site sits on private property, you can pull up next to the sign that gives more information on Far West. You can drive around the church to get back on the highway, but that is the only thing to see on that side of the road.
We love visiting the Church History Sites throughout the United States as we travel. For more information on all of the sites, check out our post with details on each one here.
