Why Do Mormons Believe the Garden of Eden Is in Missouri?

LDS Perspective

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that the Garden of Eden was located on the American continent, and specifically that the area now known as Missouri is a significant location in that sacred history. This belief is derived from modern revelations given to the Prophet Joseph Smith, who received direct instruction from the Lord on this matter. In a revelation recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord declared that the city of Zion—the New Jerusalem—would be built in Jackson County, Missouri, and that the spot of the Garden of Eden itself was located in that region. This is a distinctive doctrine not found in the traditional Judeo-Christian understanding based solely on the Bible, but it is a core element of Latter-day Saint theology concerning the latter-day gath

Historical Perspective

The Latter-day Saint (Mormon) belief that the Garden of Eden was located in what is now the state of Missouri originates from the revelations and teachings of Joseph Smith, the founding prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. According to historical accounts, Joseph Smith explicitly identified the area around Jackson County, Missouri, as the site of the Garden of Eden, with the nearby Daviess County location of Adam-ondi-Ahman (meaning "the place or land of God where Adam dwelt") being the place where Adam resided after being expelled from the garden. This doctrine was articulated by Joseph Smith during the 1830s when the church was establishing settlements in western Missouri, and it was reinforced by his successors, including Brigham Young, who declared that "Joseph h