Trip to Nauvoo Day 7

 We parked near the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge and walked around downtown. The Missouri River divides Nebraska from Iowa and has riverfront parks surrounding the area. We found a veteran's memorial, a Lewis & Clark Trail Exhibit, and a load of sculptures.

The Sculpture Parks stretch across six blocks of downtown Omaha near the bank’s soaring headquarters, the state’s tallest building. Beginning at 14th Street and Capitol Avenue, more than 100 bronzed pieces reflect the city’s history as a gateway to the West. Four pioneer families set off in covered wagons hitched to oxen, horses and mules at Pioneer Courage Park. Five 8-foot-tall bison stampede down 15th Street.

Finally, we wandered over to Hyde Park. Hyde Park was a small farming community founded in 1847. It was named for Orson Hyde, an Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who took up residence here when he returned that spring from a mission in England.

In a meeting of Apostles held at Hyde’s home on 5 Dec 1847, the Quorum voted to call Brigham Young as President of the Church. Brigham Young had directed Church affairs after the death of Joseph Smith in 1844. The Quorum also ratified Brother Brigham’s choice of Apostles Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards to be his counselors in the First Presidency. But Brigham Young insisted that the general membership have the opportunity to vote.

They decided to build a large log tabernacle in Kanesville (now Council Bluffs) immediately. Just three weeks later, the new First Presidency was sustained by a conference of the general membership held in the new tabernacle. Hyde Park retained its prominence for five years. As wagons moved west, Orson Hyde continued to preside over the Church in Iowa. He and a majority of the Saints still in the area finally moved to Utah in 1852.