Kenneth Mays

Faith

Picturing history: Birth site of Emma Hale Smith, in Harmony, Pennsylvania

Emma’s childhood home at Harmony survived until sometime between 1873-1875 when it burned to the ground

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

Faith

Picturing history: Thomas Jefferson and the prelude to the Restoration

Thomas Jefferson was president of the U.S. when the Prophet Joseph Smith was born

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

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Picturing history: Birthplace and early sites of President Brigham Young in Vermont, New York

Brigham Young’s life began less than 100 miles from Sharon, Vermont, where the Prophet Joseph Smith would be born four and a half years later

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

Faith

Picturing history: Religious revivals of the Second Great Awakening

At the beginning of the 19th century, a revival swept America and was known as the Second Great Awakening

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

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Picturing history: Joseph Smith’s uncle in Tunbridge, Vermont, and the Village Store

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

Faith

Picturing history: The grandparents of the Prophet Joseph Smith

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

Faith

Picturing history: Topsfield, Massachusetts, home of Joseph Smith’s ancestors

The Prophet Joseph Smith’s ancestors lived in Topsfield, which is about 30 miles north of Boston

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

Faith

Picturing history: Elder Wilford Woodruff and Maine’s Fox Islands

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

Faith

Picturing history: The Jacob Weiler Home in Nauvoo, Illinois

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

Faith

Picturing history: Big Mountain to Little Mountain on the Pioneer Trail

At 7,400 feet of elevation, it was one of the highest points on the California, Pony Express and Mormon Pioneer National Historic trails. It was often simply referred to as “the summit.”

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

Faith

Picturing history: Cache Cave and Echo Canyon, Utah

Cache Cave and Echo Canyon, Utah, were two distinct natural features on the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail.

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

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Picturing history: Jim Bridger and the Little Sandy Crossing

On June 28, 1847, President Brigham Young met and spent an evening conversing with Jim Bridger, the famous mountain man.

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

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Picturing history: The Pony Express and Mormon Pioneer National Historic trails

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

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Picturing history: A structural treasure of the Puritans

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

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Picturing history: Rocky Ridge on the trail west

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

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Picturing history: Pioneer trails in the Sweetwater Valley

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

Faith

Picturing history: Nauvoo — progressive efforts to preserve the past

The tasks of maintaining and improving Nauvoo, Illinois, as a historic site and destination are ongoing and challenging. To do this successfully requires planning and significant effort.

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

Faith

Picturing history: Zion’s Camp burial site at Rush Creek, Missouri

In June 1834, 13 members of the Camp of Israel or Zion’s Camp died from the effects of cholera. Their deaths occurred at Rush Creek, Clay County, Missouri, near the home of Algernon Sidney Gilbert.

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

Faith

Picturing history: The Hill Cumorah Pageant

For decades the Hill Cumorah Pageant has presented stories from the Book of Mormon and church history utilizing drama, music and spoken word. The pageant will be discontinued following the 2020 season.

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

Faith

Picturing history: Robert Smith and Kirton, Lincolnshire, England

Robert Smith of Kirton, Lincolnshire, England, is an ancestor on the paternal line of the Prophet Joseph Smith. However, any further understanding of the line stops with him as nothing is known of his parents or siblings.

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

Faith

Picturing history: Devil’s Gate, Natrona County, Wyoming

Along with being a natural wonder, Devil’s Gate, the gorge cut by the Sweetwater River in southern Natrona County, Wyoming, was a well noted landmark on the Oregon, Mormon and California trails.

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

Faith

Picturing history: President Gordon B. Hinckley sites — Innovative sites, structures and spaces

The ministry of President Gordon B. Hinckley produced new generations of temples as well as a number of new and innovative sites and structures open to the general public.

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

Sculptural monument to Joseph and Hyrum Smith on their way to the martyrdom.

Faith

Picturing history: The martyrdom of the Prophet and the patriarch

Along with the Carthage Jail itself, several documents and artifacts from the events of June 27, 1844, are still extant.

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

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Picturing history: President Gordon B. Hinckley sites — preserving historic sites in the U.S. & England

President Gordon B. Hinckley had a strong interest in the historic sites associated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He did much to identify and preserve the history and historic sites of the church.

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

Gordon B. Hinckley attended church as a boy at the Tenth Ward complex of buildings in Salt Lake City, Utah.

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Picturing history: President Gordon B. Hinckley sites — childhood in Utah and mission in England

There are numerous sites and structures associated with the full and eventful life of President Gordon B. Hinckley that are still extant today.

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

Independence Rock is an official historic site of the state of Wyoming.

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Picturing history: Independence Rock, Natrona County, Wyoming

Independence Rock, one of the best known landmarks on the pioneer trail of the 1800s, is an official historic site of the state of Wyoming. It is open to the general public 24 hours a day.

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

The beginning of a hike to see the ruins of St. Thomas, Nevada.

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Picturing history: St. Thomas, Clark County, Nevada

The settlement of St. Thomas, Nevada was founded and then abandoned by pioneer era members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Resettled by others and then buried under the waters of Lake Mead, its ruins are now visible again.

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

Sign identifying the site known as Emigrant Gap.

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Picturing history: Rock Avenue, Natrona County, Wyoming

The pioneer trail in Natrona County west of Casper, Wyoming, passed through two ridges of upended, jagged rock. This site, referred to as Rock Avenue, can be visited today.

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

Seminary building donated by Edward Hunter.

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Picturing history: Prospering in Pennsylvania — Bishop Edward Hunter

Edward Hunter was a successful farmer in the Brandywine Valley where he joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He donated much in labor and resources over the years. He was called as the third presiding bishop of the church.

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist

The Kesher Israel Synagogue in Philadelphia, Pa., where Joseph Smith preached in 1840.

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Picturing history: Preaching in Philadelphia

In January 1840, the Prophet Joseph Smith preached in a Universalist church building to a large congregation. That extant building is now a Jewish synagogue.

By Kenneth Mays, Columnist