The Willie Handcart Company offers new insights into the experiences of this group, which sailed from Liverpool, England, in May 1856 and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley five months later. With limited funds and resources, these faithful Latter-day Saints pulled their belongings in handcarts over the Mormon Trail and endured some of the most severe hardships of all those who gathered to Zion.

On September 7, for example, after the best oxen were lost in a stampede, flour was taken from one of the company's few wagons and distributed among the handcarts, according to each man's strength. James Hurren, age 29, put five of the 100-pound sacks on his handcart, along with his family's baggage and two small girls who were unable to walk. This extra weight burdened his handcart considerably yet he didn't complain. Later, on October 19, a member of the rescue party sent by Brigham Young gave Emily Hill, age 20, an onion because she looked starved. Instead of eating it, she gave it to a man who lay on the ground close to death. The man later said this kindness saved his life. These and other heroic sacrifices offer threads of devotion and courage that have enriched the tapestry of spiritual triumph for generations to follow.

To illuminate the Willie Company's daily experiences, Paul D. Lyman includes portions of journals, personal histories, newspapers, maps, and other historical documents. He also has compiled 89 new, detailed maps that show the company's daily path and campsites. These maps contain modern driving routes and directions for those hardy enough to experience the Saints' journey firsthand.