The Frontier Guardian

In 1848, Brigham Young instructed Mormons at Winter Quarters to cross the Missouri River and settle in Pottawattamie County, Iowa.

Young then appointed Orson Hyde to oversee this area. In the next few years, thousands of Saints from the United States and Europe arrived in Iowa before starting their westward trek.

The local newspaper, the “Frontier Guardian,” is a window into this way station for emigration — not only to the Salt Lake Valley but also to the California gold fields.

As the largest primary source on Mormon history from 1849 to 1851, the “Frontier Guardian” is crucial to understanding this era. Its 4 volumes contain 81 issues, which equal approximately 4,000 single-spaced pages. A searchable DVD-ROM of all 81 issues in the back of the book helps readers explore this material.

The Frontier Guardian also contains a genealogical resource of thousands of names and illuminates the religious, social, economic, and political aspects of life this frontier community.