The Drakesville Betterment Committee welcomed two new history panels to its ongoing beautification of Drakesville on Monday. One panel,
created by the National Park Service for the Iowa Mormon Trails Association, was installed in the center of town at the Drakesville Oval. It presents the history of the Mormon Trail and the importance of Drakesville in the mid-1800s. The second panel
was created as part of a 16-panel series by the Historic Hills Scenic Byway. It is located at the Mormon-built log cabin in Drakesville Park.
The history of the cabin and its rediscovery, along with historic photos, are on display in front of the cabin.
Members of the National and Iowa Mormon Trails Associations shared the history of the trail during the dedication ceremony on Monday. “Beginning in 1846, the Vanguard group of Mormons departed Nauvoo, Illinois, traveling through Drakesville with
approximately 3,000 people, 500 wagons and their animals.” said Brad Klodt, Iowa Mormon Trails Association President. “The Mormon Trail opened up the West for expansion.”
The Mormon Trail was designated a National Historic Trail in 1978. Diane Schultz, President of the National Mormon Trails Association, told stories about the pioneer trek, explaining the importance of the journey. “They moved from east to west,” she said, “leaving their footprints along the way.”
Christina Hedstrom, Historic Hills Scenic Byway Coordinator, invited attendees to visit the pioneer cabin built by Mormons during their journey west and thanked everyone involved for their cooperation in keeping history alive. “This initiative brings together national, state, and local organizations,” said Hedstrom. “It is encouraging to see the enthusiasm people have for strengthening their communities.”
Susan Hopkins, from the Drakesville Betterment Committee, applauded the Apostolic Christian Church in Bloomfield for their time and resources to place both panels and new park benches for the city. After the dedication, Hopkins gave a tour of the inside of the cabin.
Photos: Community members join the Drakesville Betterment Committee, Historic Hills Scenic Byway, and the Iowa and National Mormon Trail Associations at the dedication of the new panels in Drakesville on October 20, 2025.
For more information about the Historic Hills Scenic Byway, Iowa Byways, or Pathfinders RC&D, please contact Christina Hedström at 641-472-6177 or christina@pathfindersrcd.org.
Visit the webpage: https://pathfindersrcd.org/what-we-do/community- development/historic-hills-byway/
Visit the Historic Hills Scenic Byway Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/HistoricHillsScenicByway
Spotify Audio Tour for the Drakesville Log Cabin webpage: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1hsuIhE2B2TxzROfxcj4Nf
Full Spotify Audio tour webpage: https://open.spotify.com/show/3KT72fU0r950vsLE2iVsH4
For more information about Drakesville visit the Drakesville Betterment Committee
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DrakesvilleBettermentCommittee
For more information about the Iowa Mormon Trails Association, visit their Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/IowaMormonTrails/
