The Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial is an LDS monument that stands on the site where the founder of the Church was born in 1805. This land belonged to his maternal grandfather. Joseph and the Smiths only lived there until he was three, yet there are some interesting things to see when you visit.
This site is the most seldomly visited site of any Church History site, mostly because it is way out in the country. It takes a while to drive to the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial because of the narrow winding roads through the lush forest. Plan plenty of time for the adventure to get there, but the site is beautiful.
There is a small Visitor Center with volunteers at the site. They orient you and give details about Joseph Smith and the property where he was born. There are a few things to see in the Visitor Center, including the hearthstone from the fireplace that Lucy may have rocked the small child upon. Outside, the foundation stones of the original house are in front of the memorial.
The monument itself is worth the visit. The obelisk stands 38.5 feet high, one foot for each year of Joseph’s life, and is made of one solid stone. This massive rock was cut out of the mountain and rolled to this spot. Then, they were able to stand it upright. You will find details on this amazing feat at the Visitor Center.
There is also a walk that you can take to see the original road past the house. Along the road, you will see a retaining wall and small bridge, as well as the foundation of Grandpa Mack’s home. This walk is about a mile, and it does have a steep part that will get you huffing and puffing. The bugs are also bad, as you’re in the deep forest, but we walked down as far as the bridge. This allowed us to see one house site, the wall, and the old road. This area is beautiful.
The Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial site is an essential stop on your Church History tour. We spent one hour at this location. To read more about Church History sites, check this link.
