Far West, MO

As we drove out of Kansas City on our trip back to Michigan, we took a short detour and stopped by Far West, MO. Back in 1838, this town had about 5,000 people. An ambitious city plan was put together and is posted there today:

The plan included a temple and lots for many families. The roads were laid out in nice square patterns. Brigham Young must have loved the layout since Utah is laid out in a very similar manner.

The up and coming town was abandoned in 1839 after it was sieged and church leaders were arrested. The siege was not long after the October 30, 1838 massacre at Haun's Mill only 25 miles away (on today's indirect roads). Most of the church members left Missouri and moved north to Illinois.

Today, most of the area is farmland. The LDS temple plot and a Church of Christ (formerly Reorganized LDS) building are still there.

LDS Temple plot

Community of Christ (formerly RLDS) building - still used!