Last updated: June 2, 2026
Place
Davis County Historical Complex
Photo/L. Kreutzer
Quick Facts
Location:
205 S Dodge St., Bloomfield, Iowa.
Significance:
A single-room log cabin at the Davis County Historical Complex at Bloomfield, Iowa, is associated with the Latter-day Saints’ overland emigration, but the details of its history seem a bit unclear. Whether it was built for hire by workmen from the 1846 vanguard company or erected by later emigrants for winter shelter, this cabin figured in the overland Latter-day Saints’ emigration of the mid-1840s.
Designation:
Historic site on the Mormon Pioneer NHT.
Amenities
3 listed
Accessible Sites, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Parking - Auto
Weather and mud forced Brigham Young’s 1846 vanguard company to camp for nearly 2 weeks (March 7-18) at Oak Point, a few miles west of the present town of Lebanon, IA. While there, the company hired out men to husk corn, split rails, and construct buildings in nearby communities.
This cabin, exhibited at the Davis County Historical Complex in Bloomfield, Iowa, may have been built for local settlers by workmen from the vanguard camp. However, the Davis County Historical Society states that it was built around 1848 by emigrating Latter-day Saints who needed shelter for the winter.
Visitors can see the cabin at the Davis County Historical Complex at 205 S Dodge St, Bloomfield, Iowa, during daylight hours. A wayside exhibit tells what is known of its history.
Site Information
Location (205 S Dodge St., Bloomfield, Iowa.)
Safety Considerations