Mt. Pisgah, Iowa is of interest to the Edwin Whiting Story because Edwin and his three families lived there from 1846-1849. It was the largest of the way stations for the Saints cities with an estimated 700 people. Isaac Morley was the Branch President with Edwin Whiting and Fredrick Walter Cox, (a brother of Mary Elizabeth Cox), as counselors. They remained there until the spring of 1849. Mary Cox was the school teacher there.

Today, Mt. Pisgah Historic Site is near Thayer, Union County, Iowa. Driving directions are found in a little booklet, published by the National Trails System of the National Park Service, U. S. Department of the Interior, “National Historic Trails Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guide”. On page 29, #21 is the Mount Pisgah Historic Site. Directions from Murray, (Iowa), return to US – 34 and turn right (north) on US – 169/3^rd Avenue and continue for 2 miles. Follow signs to Mount Pisgah. Please drive slowly upon approaching the site, as the road passes through a private farmyard.

Note: The owner of this property has been quite hospitable to visitors. He has located grave sites, building sites and other interesting historic items of the pioneers. The pictures that you will see here were taken by an LDS youth group doing their summer “Trek” in 2010. Source: David Scott, Belleview, Nebraska.

Enjoy the beauty of this place where the Edwin Whitings lived for three years while they waited to save enough money to continue their trek west to Utah.

A Granite Shaft Memorial stands on the site. A paper reproduction of the inscriptions on the four sides follows.

For more information about the Mt. Pisgah Marker, Click Here to visit the historical marker database.

 Entrance to the Mount Pisgah Monument
Photo courtesy David W. Scott, Bellevue, Nebraska

Monument at Mt. Pisgah which includes the names of those who perished here.
Photo courtesy David W. Scott, Bellevue, Nebraska