As you study the Doctrine and Covenants in Come, Follow Me this year, you can deepen your understanding by exploring the stories and viewing photos of places where sacred events occurred. This is one in a series of articles about key Church history sites.

The Church has preserved the Mormon Battalion Historic Site in San Diego, California, for visitors to enjoy either in person or virtually.

The Mormon Battalion was a group of about 500 Latter-day Saints who joined the United States Army in 1846 during the Mexican-American War to help provide financial support for their families and other Latter-day Saint Pioneers. The site features an interactive video tour, historical artifacts, and demonstrations on gold panning and brickmaking.

Serving under the direction of army officers from July 1846 to July 1847, the Mormon Battalion marched nearly 2,000 miles across the southwestern United States. Although the battalion never engaged in battle, 20 members died during the journey west.

The soldiers of the Mormon Battalion made several contributions to the settlement of the American West. They improved the trails as they moved west, some helped build Fort Moore in Los Angeles, and others helped build Sutter’s Mill and witnessed the discovery of gold there, which prompted thousands of people to migrate to the West Coast. Most battalion members eventually reunited with their family members and friends in the Salt Lake Valley or in Iowa and Nebraska.

The Mormon Battalion Center features an interactive video tour, historical artifacts, and demonstrations on gold panning and brickmaking.

See the page Mormon Battalion Historic Site at San Diego for schedule, photos, and information about visiting. Also see “What to Expect When You Visit the Mormon Battalion Center at San Diego”

Learn more about the Church’s historic sites at history.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.