PETER WHITMER FARM AND CHURCH ORGANIZATIONAL SITE VIRTUAL TOUR: Part III The Log Home

Now that we have enjoyed the art gallery, we will exit the Visitors' Center and go out into the log home.  This is the log home that the Whitmer Family built and lived in from 1809 until April of 1831.  This log home is a recreation of the original home.  It is built on the same location with logs from buildings in the area from the early 1800's.  Many local Church members and friends from other faiths played major roles in building the log home.  The home is furnished with authentic period antiques.

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On Tuesday, April 6, 1830, approximately 60 people gathered in this room to formally organize The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Following the meeting several of those in attendance expressed a desire to be baptized.  The Whitmer home became Church headquarters for the next year.

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The room below is the only other room on the main floor and was Peter Whitmer, Sr. and his wife, Lucy's bedroom.  The article of clothing on the bed is a quilted slip worn by the women to keep them warm in the winter.

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There were eight Whitmer children and those living at home slept upstairs as did Joseph and Emma Smith and Oliver Cowdery.

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Another bed was in the common area of the second floor.  The feather and down mattresses were held up with ropes strung from one side of the bed frame to the other.  When a person went to bed he or she would tighten the rope so the bed wouldn't sag at night.  Hence the expression, "Sleep tight!"

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These next two pictures show the upstairs room where Joseph and Oliver worked on completing the translation of the Book of Mormon, with Oliver acting as scribe as Joseph translated.

Joseph and Oliver worked from morning to night and in about one month, June 1, 1829 to July 1, 1829 the portion of the Book of Mormon translated at the Whitmer farm was completed.

Regarding this work Joseph Smith said, "The Standard of Truth has been erected, no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposed of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done."

This completes our virtual tours.  Next we will be sharing behind the scenes information about the upcoming Hill Cumorah Pageant.