Church History
Doctrine and Covenants Places: Ohio


Doctrine and Covenants Historical Resources, Places: Ohio, Doctrine and Covenants Historical Resources (2020)

Places: Ohio, Doctrine and Covenants Historical Resources

Historic Places: Ohio

Maps and information about places associated with the revelations from The Joseph Smith Papers, Historic Sites, and other helpful sources

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Map of the eastern United States, 1828–1831

Eastern United States, 1828–1831

Amherst Township, Ohio

Facts and sources: Located in northeastern Ohio on southern shore of Lake Erie. Area settled, ca. 1810. County organized, 1824. Formed from Black River Township, Dec. 1829. More …

Ashtabula Township, Ohio

Facts and sources: Located on southern shore of Lake Erie, about thirty-five miles northeast of Kirtland, Ohio. In fall 1830, Oliver Cowdery, Parley P. Pratt, Peter Whitmer Jr., and Ziba Peterson passed through Ashtabula Co. on missionary journey westward. Joseph Smith stayed at Lamb’s Tavern in Ashtabula en route to Canada, 5 Oct. 1833. More …

Chagrin Township (Willoughby), Ohio

Facts and sources: Village located in northeastern Ohio at mouth of Chagrin River, about three miles northwest of Kirtland, Ohio, and four miles from Lake Erie. Area settled, 1797. Joseph and Emma Smith purchased goods in Willoughby, 12 Oct. 1835, and visited Shadrach Roundy near there, later that month. Joseph Smith, accompanied by other church officers, attended lecture at Willoughby College, 2 Nov. 1835. More …

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Ohio and Vicinity, 1831–1833

Chardon Township, Ohio

Facts and sources: Located eight miles south of Lake Erie and immediately east of Kirtland Township. Settled by 1812. Included village of Chardon. Two of Joseph Smith’s sisters resided in township. Joseph Smith participated in at least twenty legal proceedings in courthouse and preached frequently in branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in township. More …

Chester Township, Ohio

Facts and sources: Surveyed 1796 and 1801. Area settled, 1801–1802. Initially called Wooster. Name changed to Chester and officially incorporated as township, 1816. More …

Fairport, Ohio

Facts and sources: Situated on southern shore of Lake Erie; area originally called Grandon; settled 1803.1 Located twelve miles northeast of Kirtland. More …

Hiram Township, Ohio

Facts and sources: Area settled by immigrants from Pennsylvania and New England, ca. 1802. Located in northeastern Ohio about twenty-five miles southeast of Kirtland. More …

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Map of Hiram, Ohio 1831–1833

Hiram Township, Ohio 1831–1833

Revelations in Ohio

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Infographic illustrating the revelations received in Ohio.

Kirtland Township, Ohio

Facts and sources: Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Latter-day Saint missionaries visited township, early Nov. 1830; many residents joined Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. More …

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Map of Kirtland, Ohio, 1833

Northwestern Kirtland Township, Ohio 1833

Kirtland, Ohio

Topic essay: Kirtland, Ohio, was the site of many significant events in the early history of the Church. While living in and around Kirtland, Joseph Smith received dozens of revelations conveying important instructions essential for establishing the Church. More …

Kirtland Temple

Topic essay: In an August 1833 revelation, the Lord commanded the Latter-day Saints in Kirtland, Ohio, to “commence a work of laying out and preparing a beginning and foundation of the city of the stake of Zion here in the land of Kirtland beginning at my house.” For the next three years, the Saints consecrated much of their time and talents to construct the House of the Lord, later known as the Kirtland Temple. More …

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Church Land Holdings in Kirtland

Kirtland Sawmill and Ashery

Site history: The Lord commanded the Saints who gathered to Kirtland, Ohio to do a monumental task. “Ye shall commence a work of laying out and preparing a beginning and foundation of the stake of Zion, here in the land of Kirtland, beginning at my house.” The sawmill and ashery would prove crucial to obeying that commandment. More …

Six Things to Remember about the Kirtland Temple

Site history: The Kirtland Temple is a sacred place. Several events that took place there—such as the appearance of the Savior to accept the temple and the delivery of priesthood keys by Moses, Elias, and Elijah—are well known. Other activities that took place in the Kirtland Temple are less well known but are still important to understanding the Saints’ temple experiences and what they considered sacred. More …

A Prophet and a Temple in Kirtland

Site history: Eighteen-year-old Lorenzo Snow wasn’t particularly interested in religion, but one day in the fall of 1832, he walked two miles (three km) to hear a sermon. He joined about 200 people in front of the home of John and Elsa Johnson in Hiram, Ohio. He was curious about the preacher—a young man named Joseph Smith. More …

Flats, Kirtland Township, Ohio

Facts and sources: Lowlands on north end of Kirtland, where John Johnson Inn, Whitney store, and old schoolhouse were located. More …

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Map showing United Firm stewardships in Kirtland, Ohio, 1834

United Firm Stewardships, Kirtland, Ohio 1834

French Farm, Kirtland Township, Ohio

Facts and sources: Consisted of 103 acres formerly owned by Peter French. Purchased for Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for $5,000, 1833. Area used to build houses, including Joseph Smith’s; community buildings, such as new schoolhouse; and House of the Lord. More …

Joseph and Emma Smith’s Five Ohio Homes

Site history: The completed Kirtland Temple was a place where God revealed himself to His Saints. Many other revelations in Ohio came to the Prophet in the homes where he and his family lived. More …

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Map showing Joseph Smith’s residences in the United States

Joseph Smith’s residences

John Johnson Inn, Kirtland Township, Ohio

Facts and sources: Two-story building built by Peter French, 1827. First brick building in Kirtland. Common room had capacity for fifty people. Purchased by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1833. More …

Kirtland through the Eyes of the John and Elsa Johnson Family

Site history: Joseph Smith lived in Ohio from 1831 to 1838. Those seven years were full of progress and blessings for the newly established The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were also full of challenges for the young Church. More …

Morley Farm, Kirtland Township, Ohio

Facts and sources: Isaac Morley acquired over one hundred acres of land in Kirtland Township, 1811, and purchased additional 105 acres, 1812. Farm located on outskirts of settlement in Kirtland on Chagrin River, about one mile northeast of Newel K. Whitney store. More …

Printing Office, Kirtland Township, Ohio

Facts and sources: Following destruction of church printing office in Independence, Missouri, July 1833, Joseph Smith and other church leaders determined to set up new printing office in Kirtland under firm name F. G. Williams & Co. Oliver Cowdery purchased new printing press in New York, Oct. 1833. More …

Schoolhouse, Kirtland Township, Ohio

Facts and sources: Two-story structure measuring thirty by thirty-eight feet, built during fall and winter of 1834. Located immediately west of temple lot on Whitney Street (now Maple Street) in Kirtland. School of the Elders met here from winter 1834–1835 to Jan. 1836. More …

Store (N. K. Whitney & Co.), Kirtland Township, Ohio

Facts and sources: In Apr. 1826, Newel K. Whitney purchased quarter-acre lot on northeast corner of Chardon and Chillicothe roads and built two-story, 1500-square-foot, white store. Mercantile store also functioned as Kirtland Mills post office. Whitney met Joseph Smith at store, 4 Feb. 1831. More …

Mentor Township, Ohio

Facts and sources: Located in northeastern Ohio, about three miles northeast of Kirtland. Sidney Rigdon and many members of his congregation (Disciples of Christ or “Campbellites”) were baptized in township by Parley P. Pratt and missionary companions, Nov. 1830. Branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints established in Mentor, early 1831. More …

Orange Township, Ohio

Facts and sources: Located about five miles south of Kirtland Township. Area settled, 1815. Organized 1820. Population in 1830 about 300. Joseph Smith presided over general conference of church held in township, 25–26 Oct. 1831. More …

Painesville Township, Ohio

Facts and sources: Located on Grand River twelve miles northeast of Kirtland. Created and settled, 1800. Originally named Champion. Joseph Smith visited Painesville often. Early center of opposition to Latter-day Saints. Painesville Telegraph printed material critical of Joseph Smith and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. More …

Thompson Township, Ohio

Facts and sources: Located about sixteen miles northeast of Kirtland, Ohio. Settled 1800. Population in 1830 about 700. Latter-day Saints from Colesville, New York, were directed to settle in area on 759 acres of land donated by convert Leman Copley, May 1831. More …

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Map showing the route Joseph Smith and others took from Ohio to Missouri in 1831

In accordance with instructions in a June 1831 revelation, Joseph Smith and several others traveled from Kirtland, Ohio, to Jackson County, Missouri, where a new revelation designated Independence as the “centre place” of the city of Zion.