 |
| The "Old Stone Bridge" |
Joseph Smith referred to the land purchased for the saints at Commerce in the following terms, "The place was literally a wilderness. The land was mostly covered with trees and bushes, and much of it was so wet that it was with the utmost difficulty that a footman could get through and totally impossible for teams." The people suffered from extreme hardship as they cleared the land and prepared it for a gathering place. Many fell ill due malaria, ague and fever that came in part from the mosquitoes.
The swamp had to be drained. The origin of the water was NOT the river, but came from springs on the land above. In order to capture the water a large ditch and/or canal was dug to divert the water to the river.
This ditch can now be seen from the "Old Stone Bridge" site on the southwest side of Nauvoo.
