▁was ▁the ▁site ▁where ▁early ▁church ▁members ▁settled ▁after ▁they ▁were ▁driven ▁out ▁of ▁Nau vo o , ▁Illinois . ▁It ▁was ▁also ▁where ▁many ▁L atter - day ▁Sain ts , ▁including ▁many ▁who ▁came ▁from ▁Europe , ▁camp ed ▁before ▁crossing ▁the ▁pla ins ▁to ▁the ▁Salt ▁Lake ▁Valley . ▁The ▁area ▁has ▁many ▁gra ves ▁of ▁M orm on ▁pione ers ▁who ▁died ▁on ▁their ▁journey . ▁More ▁than ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁church ▁members ▁died ▁at ▁Winter ▁Qu arters ▁because ▁of ▁heavy ▁storm s , ▁sc ur vy , ▁mal aria ▁and ▁in ade qu ate ▁food ▁and ▁shelter . ▁ ▁The ▁new ▁temple ▁was ▁built ▁next ▁to ▁the ▁M orm on ▁P ione er ▁C emetery ▁and ▁M orm on ▁Tra il ▁Center . ▁During ▁the ▁ground bre aking ▁ceremony , ▁conducted ▁by ▁Tr uman ▁F . ▁Cla w son ▁on ▁November ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁he ▁said , ▁" Now ▁today ▁on ▁this ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁hill , ▁we ▁will ▁take ▁sh ov els ▁in ▁our ▁hands ▁to ▁dig ▁not ▁a ▁grave ▁but ▁the ▁foundation ▁of ▁a ▁special ▁building , ▁a ▁temple ." ▁ ▁In ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁the ▁open ▁house , ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁church ▁and ▁the ▁community ▁of ▁Florence ▁worked ▁together ▁creating ▁hand craft ed ▁flowers ▁for ▁store front s ▁and ▁decor ating ▁historic ▁sites ▁and ▁markers ▁with ▁bal lo ons . ▁Over ▁ 6 1 , 0 0 0 ▁visitors ▁tou red ▁the ▁Winter ▁Qu arters