Who can resist a reference to Zelph?
Reed Russell writes, “I just got back from a trip back East in which, on the way back, I stopped at “Zelph’s Mound” (otherwise known as Naples Mound #8). Before I left, I remembered to print and clip out a seer stone.”
Reed is referring to the effort of Mormon History Association President Ron Romig (background here) to photograph the MHA “presidential seerstone,” a symbol passed from one MHA president to another, in interesting places. Keepa readers have without doubt taken this “seerstone” (or a paper copy thereof) to the most exotic places, from Alaska to Bahrain, from a Salt Lake City FLDS rally to the tops of an Idaho mountain range.
The MHA conference will be held in Independence later this month and the stone’s travels will probably no longer be tracked. If you are traveling between now and then, or even if you’re passing some interesting background in your own neighborhood, won’t you please consider snapping a picture of this stone and sending it to me or to Ron Romig to fill out his picture album? (Print out a paper copy here.)
And now, after all my propaganda, here’s Reed’s picture of the MHA presidential seerstone at Zelph’s Mound. Thanks, Reed!
I didn’t know Zelph’s mound was marked. I remember learning about Zelph while reading HoC as a missionary. It captured my imagination then, and still does now 🙂
You and all of us, Dane!
Goodness. I seem to remember hearing about Zelph in my first year of seminary, but haven’t heard anything about him since then. (And I won’t say how many years ago that was!) I wonder if the seminary teachers here talk about Zelph when they teach the Doctrine and Covenants.
Oh my. Say what you want about LDS Church history, but it is not boring.
So, Reed, since I can’t resist my native curiousity, what is the provenance for the identification as Zelph’s mound?
I had heard of others visiting the site before and although there is no shortage of Zelph discussion on the blogosphere, I couldn’t find any “directions.”
These sites make the link between Naples Mound #8 and Zelph’s mound.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zelph
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naples_Mound_8
http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/IL/Pike/state.html
http://www.museumstuff.com/learn/topics/Zelph
http://www.freebase.com/view/en/naples_mound_8
And – this site gives the coordinates. (It’s virtually out in the exact middle of nowhere.)
http://toolserver.org/~geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Zelph¶ms=39.68995_N_-90.647249_E_
Thanks, Reed. It appears to be widely accepted as the correct place.