From www.lds.org: "An instant city on the plains, Winter Quarters served as the headquarters of the Church for less than a year, until the leadership moved west in 1847. By Christmas 1846, Church members had constructed a large stockade and about seven hundred homes ranging from solid two-story structures to simple dugouts in the bluffs. For many, however, the rigors of the Iowa crossing, exposure, and poor nutrition and sanitation proved too much, and several hundred saints died during the winter of 1846–1847."

From www.signaturebooks.com: "The memorialization of Winter Quarters Cemetery at Florence, Nebraska, is more than a monument; it is an expression of a people that the sufferings of their pioneer ancestors were not in vain nor will they be forgotten. Since three of the sculptor's great-grandparents lie huried in this cemetery, one can understand the great pains he has taken to create a tribute for those who lie resting in the hallowed ground. Many others who helped plan and work with him toward the same goal have ancestors interred in the same cemetery. Together the sculptor, the stonecarver, and the landscape designer have achieved a deep feeling of awe and reverence for this sacred ground."