Come, Come Ye Saints - Corydon

The famous Mormon hymn “Come, Come Ye Saints” was written by William Clayton at a campsite in Wayne County, Iowa. The Mormon Trail and many early settlers passed through Wayne County from Nauvoo to Salt Lake City.

Location: south side of the Prairie Trails Museum of Wayne County, 515 E Jefferson St, Corydon, IA 50060

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”Come, Come Ye Saints”

The Mormon Trail from Nauvoo, Illinois, to Salt Lake City, Utah, cut across Wayne County, and there are signposts throughout the area marking where the trail and various encampments were located. During the spring of 1846, a large group of Mormons camped in Wayne County, struggling with the spring thaw and difficult travel.

William Clayton, a Mormon poet, was at Locust Creek in Wayne County when he received word that his wife, Diantha, had given birth to a baby boy in Nauvoo. He wrote “Come, Come Ye Saints” to give thanks for the news and offer hope to those who were discouraged by the difficulty of the journey. It continues to be an important Mormon hymn today.

You can learn more about William Clayton and the Mormon Trail at the Prairie Trails Museum, which has one of the most important exhibits of Mormon Trail information and artifacts outside of Salt Lake City and Nauvoo. The mural can be viewed outside the museum anytime, but much more information can be found inside during visiting hours.

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about the art

This mural was painted during the Walldog Mural Festival in Wayne County, Iowa, from August 30 - September 3, 2023.

The lead designer was Steve Estes. Steve is one of the original Walldogs from the 1993 gathering in Allerton, and he has painted at dozens of Walldog gatherings. He returned to the 2023 Wayne County event to design this new mural commemorating the Mormon Trail.

This mural features beautiful colors and hand lettering, including gold leaf work. It is approximately 8 feet by 28 feet.

FAQs

  • The Walldogs are an international group of muralists and sign-painters who volunteer their time to create community art. They have painted throughout the US and around the world.

    The Walldog movement started in Allerton, Iowa, in 1993. Local artist Nancy Bennett invited dozens of signpainters to Allerton to paint murals in Allerton’s downtown, and the local community opened their homes to host these artists. Since that first gathering, the Walldog movement has grown tremendously.

    The Walldogs celebrated their 30th anniversary in 2023 by returning to Wayne County, Iowa. They have meets planned for the next several years to continue this community art tradition. You can learn more at thewalldogs.org.

  • In 2023, the Walldogs painted 16 murals. They also painted new signage at the Wayne County Fairgrounds.

    These murals included 12 new designs, as well as 4 restorations of the original 1993 Walldog murals in Allerton.

  • We recommend starting at Prairie Trails Museum in Corydon, Iowa. The “Come, Come Ye Saints” mural recognizes the passage of the Mormon Trail through Wayne County.

    From there, you can drive in an approximate circle to Promise City, Seymour, Allerton, Clio, Lineville, Humeston, and Millerton, before returning to Corydon to see the rest of the murals there.

    Alternatively, you can start at any mural that works for your route.

    The entire route takes approximately 2 hours to drive.

  • Check our main FAQ page for more details and contact info.

Next stop

Visit Promise City to see the “Amy Robertson” mural.

Amy Robertson was a musician, educator, and entrepreneur who made substantial contributions to Wayne County. You can see artifacts from her house and her toymaking business at Prairie Trails Museum.

You can find the Amy Robertson mural on the south side of the Promise City Community Center: 102 N Center St., Promise City, IA 52583

Promise City is 8.7mi east of Prairie Trails Museum on Highway 2.

For the full list of murals and locations, visit this page or download the map.