Joseph Smith with Sidney Rigdon, Hyrum Smith amd Oliver Cowdery left Kirtland July 25, 1836, for a mission to the East. In early August they arrived in Salem, where they hired a hall amd held meetings for about a month. While here, section 111 was given Aug. 6, 1836.
Perrysburg, N.Y. (1 revelation)
While en route to the East and Canada in October 1833, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon, who were accompanied by Freemam Nickerson, stopped off at Nickerson's home outside Perrysburg village --- located in the western part of New York and named in honor of Oliver H. Perry, the War of 1812 naval hero of Lake Erie --- where a revelation was received. The revelation (sec. 100) directs Sidney Rigdon to be spokesman for Joseph Smith.
Harmony, Pa. (15 revelations)
Harmony township in northeastem Pennsylvania, located near the New York state line, was temporary home of Joseph Smith from 1827 to 1830. It was here that the Prophet translated most of the Book of Mormon, and near here, on the banks of the Susquehanna River, John the Baptist conferred the Aaronic Priesthood on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery on May 15, 1829 (sec. 13).
Other revelations received here concern the lost pages to the Book of Mormon manuscript (sec. 3) and &e promise of Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon (sec. 5). Other sections received during the Harmony period are 4, 6-12, 24-27.
In December 1853, Harmony township was divided, and the area where the revelations were received is now in Oakland Township.
Orange, Ohio (1 revelation)
At a conference Oct. 25, 1831 in Orange Township, Joseph Smith received a revelation (sec. 66), in behalf of William E. McLellin, which defines the everlasting covenant as being the fulness of the gospel. Today an affluent southeast suburb of Cleveland with a population of 2,376, Orange is the birthplace of U.S. Pres. James A. Garfield.
Thompson, Ohio (1 revelation)
Located about 20 miles east of Kirtland, Thompson township is where saints from the East were temporarily located in 1831, as they began migrating to Ohio. The revelation (sec. 51) deals with their settlement and the establishment of a bishop's storehouse.
Fayette, N.Y. (20 revelations)
Situated in the Finger Lake Region of New York, Fayette township is where the Church was organized April 6, 1830, in the Peter Whitmer home. The first three general conferences of the Church were held here June 9, 1830, Sept. 26, 1830 and Jan. 2, 1831. Fayette was the temporary home of Joseph Smith for about 18 months, during which time he was a guest at the Whitmer home. While there he finished the translation of the Book of Mormon.
Twenty revelations were received at Fayette, which had a township population in the 1830s of nearly 4,000. After 1831 Fayette was not connected with any important event in Church history until 1926 when the Church purchased the Whitmer farm. On April 6, 1980 --- the sesquicentennial of the founding of the Church at that very site --- the reconstructed Whitmer cabin was dedicated by President Spencer W. Kimball.
Included in revelations at Fayette were instructions for the Three Witnesses to search out the Twelve Apostles (sec. 18); duties of priesthood officers and the wording of sacrament prayers (sec. 20); amd an account of the organization of the Church (sec. 21). Other revelations are sections 14-17, 28-40.
The Whitmer farm is located three miles south and one mile west of Waterloo, the county seat of Seneca County.
Manchester, N.Y. (4 revelations)
Joseph Smith, as a boy, lived in Manchester, located 2 1/2 miles south of Palmyra village. The Sacred Grove, where the Father and Son appeared to Joseph in the spring of 1820, is near the Smith farmhouse. It was at the fammhouse where the Angel Moroni appeared in September 1823 and gave instructions to Joseph, which led to his going to the Hill Cumorah in search of the gold plates.
Section 2, the earliest section in the Doctrine & Covenants chronologically, is an extract from the words of Moroni quoting Malachi 4:5-6. Other sections received here are 19, 22-23.
Today Manchester township is inhabited by about 9,000 persons.
Hiram, Ohio (16 revelations)
Located about 35 miles southeast of Kirtland, Hiram township was home of the John Johnson family with whom Joseph Smith resided from Oct. 11, 1831 to Aprll 2, 1832. While here, Joseph Smith received 16 revelations, many in a second story room in the Johnson home. Included was section 76, received Feb. 16, 1832, and referred to as "The Vision," which tells of the three degrees of glory. Section 1, known as the preface to the doctrines, covenants and commandments given in this dispensation, also was given in Hiram. Other revelations received include sections 65, 67-69, 71, 73-74, 77- 81, 99, 133.
Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon were brutally beaten March 24, 1832, in Hiram, and tarred and feathered; during the attack an adopted child of Joseph and Emma Smiht, Joseph Smith Murdock, was exposed to the night air, became sick and died five days later. He is sometimes called the first martyr of the Church.
Kirtland, Ohio (46 revelations)
If Fayette, N.Y., is the birthplace of Mormonism and Palmyra its cradle, then Kirtland is its schoolmaster. A third of the revelations in the D&C were received in Kirtland, a town of about 2,000 when the Church was centered here from, l831-1838. Forty-six revelations --- sections 41-50, 52-56, 63-64, 70, 72, 84-86, 88-98, 101-103, 106- 110, 112, 134, 137, and (at or near) sections 87 and 104 --- gave to the infant Church its schooling.
One of the crowning revelations (sec. 110) is the Savior's appearance on April 3, 1836 in the Kirtland Temple, followed by visitations from Moses, Elias and Elijah. Other revelations here deal with such matters as signs and conditions before the Savior's Second Coming (sec. 45); the priesthood (secs. 84, 107); the Word of Wisdom (sec. 89); organizing of the First Presidency (sec. 90); Kirtland Temple dedication prayer (sec. 109); and children are saved in the celestial kingdom (sec. 137).
Today, Kirtland is a prosperous residential community, zoned primarily into five-acre lots, and inhabited by about 6,000 persons, most of whom work in nearby Cleveland. The first stake in the Church was organized here Feb. 17, 1834, but was discontinued by 1838. The stake was temporarily reorganized in May 1841 and functioned for a couple of years before being dissolved. A second stake, the 1447th in the Church, was organized here in 1983.
Ramus, Ill. (2 revelations)
Two revelations (secs. 130-131) were given in April and May 1843 in Ramus, a town of about 500 persons, mostly LDS, located 22 miles southeast of Nauvoo in Hancock County. Section 131 tells of the three heavens in the celestial glory and that marriage is essential to attain the highest. Today, the name of Ramus has been changed to Webster and is inhabited by about 75 persons.
Missouri River, Mo. (2 revelations)
Two revelations were received on the banks of the Missouri River in northcentral Missouri. The first (sec. 61) was at McIlwaine's Bend near present-day Miami in Saline County in August 1831, while Joseph Smith and 10 others, were returning to Kirtland. On the treacherous waters of the Missouri, Sidney Rigdon almost drowned and William W. Pheips saw the "destroyer" on the waters. The Prophet received the revelation the next day, Aug. 12, 1831, that the waters were cursed. The second revelation (sec. 62) was received Aug. 13, 1831, nearby in Chariton County.
Winter Quarters, Neb. (1 revelation)
The only, revelation in the D&C given to Brigham Young is section 136, received Jan. 14, 1847, while the saints were camped here, near present-day Omaha, Neb. Directives and standards for the trek West were given in the revelation.
Spring Hill, Mo. (1 revelation)
Spring Hill was named Adam-ondi-Ahman because, according to the revelation (sec. 116), Adam will visit his people here. Spring Hill is one of two ridges that extend into the Grand River Valley, 90 miles northeast of Kansas City, Mo.
Salt Lake City, Utah (1 revelation, 2 declarations)
In October 1918 general conference, Joseph F. Smith declared that he had received several divine communications during the previous months. One of these, section 38, tells of the Savior's visit to the spirits of the dead. The section, along with section 37, was accepted for inclusion in the Pearl of Great Price in conference April 3, 1976, and later, on June 6, 1979, transferred to the Doctrine & Covenants.
The two offlcial declarations included in the Doctrine & Covenants are (1) the Manifesto, dated Sept. 14, 1890, and issued by Wilford Woodruff, and (2) the revelation on the priesthood, received by President Spencer W. Kimball in June 1978 and resented in conference Sept. 30, 1978, which extends the priesthood to all worthy males.
Far West, Mo. (7 revelations)
Far West, located on the prairie in Caldwell County, 45 miles northeast of Independence, was headquarters of the Church from 1836 to 1839. Thee town --- which once included 150 homes, four drygood stores, three groceries, six blacksmith shops, two hotels, a printing office and a schoolhouse --- was site of seven revelations. Included were instructions for the naming of the Church and for building a temple in Far West (sec. 115); and for the paying of tithing (sec. 119). Other revelations received were sections 113 (at or near), 114, 117-118 and 120.
Today, the town of Far West is gone. All that remains relating to the Church is a monument built on the lot where Joseph Smith laid the temple cornerstones, which are still clearly visible.
Fishing River, Mo. (1 revelation)
Section 105, which tells of the redemption of Zion, was given on the banks of Fishing River in western Missouri June 22, 1834. The river begins in Clay County and flows into the Missouri River.
Jackson County, Mo. (6 revelations)
Six revelations were given in Jackson County (secs. 57-60, 82-83). The first, section 57 given in Independence July 20, 1831, designates Jackson County as the land consecrated for the gathering of the saints, and identifies Independence as the center place.
On Aug. 2, 1831, Sidney Rigdon consecrated and dedicated the land for the gathering. The next day, Joseph Smith dedicated the site for a temple, and on Aug. 4, the first conference in Zion was held in Kaw township.
At the time the saints were here, Independence wes a small village. Population of the entire county in 1840 was only 7,612. The home of former U.S. president, Harry S. Truman, Independence today has more than 110,000 residents.
Liberty, Mo. (3 revelations)
Joseph and Hyrum Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Lyman Wight, Alexander McRae and Caleb Baldwin spent from November 1838 to April 1839 in Liberty Jail. Here Joseph received three revelations. In section 121 he pleads with the Lord for the suffering saints; in section 122 he is told that his suffering will be for his good, and in section 123 he is told the saints should publish an account of their persecutions.
Today, Liberty, located 12 miles north of Independence, is a trading center of an agricultural area, and has a population of about 16,000. The jail site is now owned by the Church and has been restored as an historical site.
Amherst, Ohio (1 revelation)
Joseph Smith was sustained and ordained president of the high priesthood Jan. 25, 1832, at a conference in Amherst. A number of elders were called by revelation (sec. 75) to take missions to various parts of the United States. Amherst, located about 50 miles southwest of Kirtland, has a population today of about 11,000.
Nauvoo, Ill. (8 revelations)
The glory of the early day Church in this dispensation was reached in Nauvoo, a name that signifies "beautiful location." Situated on the east bank of the Mississippi River 12 miles by river above Keokuk, Iowa, Nauvoo was headquarters of the Church from 1839 to 1846. Fine brick homes were built, a university was chartered and a temple was erected at a cost of nearly $1 million. From a small insignificant village previously named Commerce, Nauvoo became the miracle city of the frontier and grew to a population of at least 11,000.
Eight revelations were received here, including the commandment to build a temple (sec. 124); instructions pertaining to baptism for the dead (secs. 127, 128); the new and everlasting covenant of marriage (sec. 132); and announcement of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith (sec. 135). Sections 125-126, 129 were also received here.
After the saints left Nauvoo, the glory of the city departed. The temple was destroyed by fire and the population dwindled to a little more than 1,000. However during the past 2 1/2 decades, 28 buildings and homes have been restored by the Church. Today the population in Nauvoo is 1,133, and the town is a popular tourist site.