What to Expect When You Visit the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial

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The Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial, located in South Royalton, Vermont, welcomes visitors year-round. Joseph Smith, the prophet through whom Jesus Christ restored His gospel, was born in a small farmhouse once located on this site.

Guided tours are available to visitors at no charge. Some features of the historic site are self-guided. Plan to spend between 45 minutes and 2 hours visiting the site. The visitors’ center and monument are ADA accessible. Vehicles can access the other areas of the site, except for the walking trail to the top of Patriarch Hill.

Trained service animals are allowed at the Church’s historic site in Vermont. However, emotional support, therapy, comfort, or companion animals and pets are not allowed. Please refer to the Church’s Service Animal Guidelines for more information.

Core Experience

1. Visitors’ Center

Your experience at the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial begins at the visitors’ center. Here you will learn about Joseph Smith’s family and about his early life in New England and his role and contributions as a prophet of God. You will also see the original hearthstone from the home where he was born.

2. Monument and Original Home Site

A short walk from the visitors’ center is the centerpiece of the property—a 50-foot granite monument. Built in 1905, the monument commemorates the life and mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Near the monument is a small space outlined with stones. These stones mark the location of the home where Joseph was born. Some of the stones are from the home’s original doorstep.

Other Options in the Area

1. Historic Foundations and Other Features of the Site

By following the road to the north of the monument, you can drive into a wooded area and see the original foundations of homes that once belonged to Solomon Mack and Daniel Mack—Joseph Smith’s grandfather and uncle, respectively. As you travel down the historic roadway, be sure to stop and see the remains of a historic stone bridge and rock wall.

2. Patriarch Hill

If you would like to see more of the landscape, you can take a 1¼-mile round-trip hike to the top of Patriarch Hill, the highest point at the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial. That spot offers a sweeping view of the monument and the Vermont countryside.