Smith Family Farm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Smith Family Farm |
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The Smiths' frame home
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| Location | Townships of Palmyra, Wayne County and Manchester, Ontario County, New York,  United States |
| Founded | 1820s |
| Governing body | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |
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The Smith Family Farm was the childhood home of Joseph Smith. He was the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement.
This farm is located in Palmyra and Manchester, New York. It includes the special Sacred Grove. You can also see the Smiths' restored frame home and a rebuilt log home. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bought the farm in 1915. In the 1990s, they fixed up the frame home. They also rebuilt the log home and added a welcome center. Church missionaries offer free tours to visitors.
The Smith Family's New Home
In 1816, Joseph Smith, Sr. and his wife Lucy Mack Smith moved their family. They came from Norwich, Vermont, to Palmyra, New York. Around 1818 or 1819, the family built a log home. This home was near land owned by Nicholas Evertson's family.
They did not sign a deal to buy the land until 1820. Smith, Sr. agreed to pay about $600 to $700 for the 100-acre farm.
Building a Bigger House
In 1825, the Smith family moved into a larger house. This was a more comfortable frame home they had built on the property. However, they found it hard to make payments for the land.
A carpenter who built the house sued the Smiths in February 1825. They could not pay him for his work. A new agent for the land also took back the farm. But a kind Quaker named Lemuel Durfee bought the farm. He let the Smith family rent the frame house. They stayed there until they moved back to the log home in the spring of 1829. The Smiths left the area in 1830.
The Farm Becomes a Special Place
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bought the farm in 1907. It officially became part of the Church's care in 1915. Joseph F. Smith, who was the Church president, helped make this purchase happen.
The group of trees on the farm is called the Sacred Grove. This is where Joseph Smith is believed to have had his First Vision. It became a very important place for people to visit. Big celebrations were held there in 1920 to mark 100 years since the vision.
