DEPARTS October 5-13, 2026 – In the fall the mountains in the Eastern US burn with color so rich and beautiful you must see it in person at least once in your lifetime. Combine that thrill with the spiritual side of an LDS church history tour that will share with you intimate and in-depth details of the Prophet Joseph’s early life in Sharon and Palmyra. See the sites that shaped a young man of faith into the prophet of the restored gospel. On this tour, we will open this history to you in a way that your love and testimony of the prophet will never be the same.
Experience Church History With Fall Colors
Join Morris Murdock Escorted Tours and Kay Godfrey on a picturesque tour including Maine, Vermont, and upstate New York, which is one of his signature tours and a beloved itinerary by all.
Tour ID# 9226J05
Please note that, due to the nature of this tour, you must be able to climb stairs and walk unassisted at a moderate pace. You will walk an average of 1-3 miles each day. The days are full of touring from breakfast to dinner time, with “downtime” only in the evening
To book this tour contact your favorite Morris Columbus Travel Advisor or the Group Tour Manager listed below:
Dani Edmunds, Tour Manager
Tel: (801) 483-6114
Highlights
- Hosted by Kay Godfrey for the whole tour along with local guides
- 1 tour-bus experience for the whole tour!
- Licensed, insured, and bonded travel agency with 65 years of experience!! It matters who you travel with!
- Meals as outlined in the itinerary
Our journey begins as we fly to Boston, Massachusetts. Upon arrival we board our motorcoach and travel to our welcome dinner and hotel in Danvers, MA.
After breakfast we tour various LDS Church history sites, including the Smith Family Homestead and Pine Grove Cemetery. Afterwards, we begin our scenic drive to Boothbay Harbor, Maine where we board the “Pink Lady” and enjoy a picturesque cruise near rocky shores, quiet coves, islands, lighthouses, and yachts at anchor in the busy marinas. Later this afternoon we have time to wander and shop this quaint town before dinner.
Our tour today includes spectacular fall foliage as we travel through Vermont. As we travel, we see various Church history sites such as the Smith Home in Norwich, Vermont and the Smith Homesite in West Lebanon, New Hampshire.
This morning, our tour begins at the Joseph Smith Memorial in Sharon, Vermont, the birthplace of the Prophet Joseph Smith. We then continue on to visit several significant Church history sites, including the Tunbridge Village Store, the historic Tunbridge Covered Bridge, and the charming town of Royalton, Vermont.
Today we depart for Binghamton, NY. En route we visit the Battle of Bennington and the grave site of the poet, Robert Frost. We continue to Colesville, New York where the first branch of the Church was organized. We then visit the Josiah Stowell home, Joseph Knight home, and the Baptist Church.
Our day of touring brings us to several deeply significant locations in early Church history. We begin along the Susquehanna River, where we visit the Priesthood Restoration sites and the McKune Cemetery, resting place of several members of the Hale and Smith families.
We continue to Joseph and Emma Smith’s first home, a humble but sacred dwelling where their first child was born and where much of the Book of Mormon translation took place. Nearby, we visit the Isaac Hale Home, an important setting in Joseph and Emma’s early life together.
This afternoon, we travel toward the Palmyra, New York area. Along the way, we stop at the Peter Whitmer Farm in Fayette, the site where the Church was formally organized on April 6, 1830.
Following Sacrament meeting, we begin our tour in Palmyra at the Sacred Grove, taking time to reflect on the profound events that occurred in this holy place. We then tour the Joseph Smith Sr. home and farm, including the restored log cabin where the Angel Moroni first appeared to Joseph Smith. Our day continues with a visit to the E.B. Grandin Building, where the first edition of the Book of Mormon was printed. Our last stop will be the Hill Cumorah and its visitor’s center.
Today we journey to Niagara Falls, America’s oldest state park. You will have free time for sightseeing and pictures. After our free time, we travel to Kirtland, OH. Upon arrival, we visit the newly restored Joseph Smith home and the Morley Farm.
We spend the morning visiting the Kirtland Temple and Historic Kirtland Village which includes the Church Visitor’s Center, Whitney Home and Store, Ashery, and Sawmill. Our tour concludes with a greater appreciation of the life of the Prophet Joseph and all those who have made their mark in the early years of the church.
Pricing Information
Pricing Options:
- Double Occupancy: $2,189 per person
- Single Occupancy: $2,890 per person
- Triple Occupancy: $2,139 per person
- Quad Occupancy: $2,089 per person
- Cash Discount: $75.00
Payment Terms:
- $250 per person deposit due at booking time
- Final payment due August 5, 2026
- We offer A CASH DISCOUNT of $75 per person! Please inquire for more details!
- 1 tour-bus experience for the whole tour
- 8-night's hotel accommodations
- Meals as specified on itinerary
- Meal gratuities on included meals
- Group transfers
- Ground transportation via deluxe air-conditioned motorcoach
- All Admissions and activities as specified in itinerary
- Taxes on included services
- Tour Guide/Church Historian Kay Godfrey
- Airfare to Boston, MA, and back from Cleveland, OH
- Additional transfers when not arriving or departing with group
- Meals not specified in itinerary
- Items of a personal nature
- Trip cancellation and baggage insurance
- Checked baggage fees
- Bus Driver and Historian gratuities
About Kay Godfrey
Kay Godfrey is a period historian of the life of the prophet Joseph Smith.
He is a graduate of Brigham Young University. He holds degrees in Historic Archaeology and Anthropology as well as Law Enforcement and Justice Administration.
He has studied and researched the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith for over 45 years. He has done extensive “on-site” research in New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois and Missouri. He has spoken to the issue of the “Trials of the Prophet Joseph” at numerous symposiums in Nauvoo, Il. and Independence, Mo. He has edited books and videos for various authors on the historical accuracy of materials pertaining to Joseph Smith. Kay serves on numerous boards and foundations such as Ancient American Archaeology, Missouri Mormon Frontier Foundation, the Foundation for Indigenous Research and Mormonism and the Nauvoo, Illinois, and Topsfield, Massachusetts Historical Societies.
Kay lectures regularly to missionaries on the topic of modern-day restoration, most recently speaking to the missionaries and investigators of the New Hampshire Manchester, Oklahoma Tulsa and Portland Oregon Missions. He has conducted firesides from Calgary, Canada to Fort Smith, Arkansas.
He has authored a comprehensive four-part DVD presentation detailing the life of Joseph Smith. This history is entitled: “Following the Footsteps of Joseph”. Kay’s material has been requested by such institutions as Oberlin College Archives, (Oberlin, Ohio) to be filed with the Spaulding Manuscript documents, Brigham Young University, in celebration of the bi-centennial celebration of Joseph Smith’s birth, the Joseph Smith Memorial Site, (Sharon, Vermont) as a teaching tool for new missionary couples and the archives department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Kay has been conducting domestic Church History tours for Morris Murdock and Legacy Travel since 1990. He also takes groups to Israel and European (Apostle) destinations. He speaks Hebrew and can read Egyptian hieroglyphs. His wife, Debra speaks French. He has served in numerous ward and stake callings including the High Council of the Meridian South Stake, Meridian, Idaho.
Kay and his wife Debra recently served a mission to Sharon, Vermont, where they were involved in numerous historical preservation endeavors including having secured permission from Topsfield, MA, to have a monument erected in Pine Grove Cemetery as a tribute to five generations of the Topsfield Smiths.
Kay has been asked by LDS Media to present a series of 25 podcast on the history and life of Joseph Smith. This podcast cast is to enhance the continuing study of the Doctrine and Covenants and can be viewed at www.comefollowme2021.com or on YouTube, search Kay Godfrey Podcast.
Kay retired in 2012 after serving 35 years with the BSA. He retired as Director of Development/Finance, Support Services, and Public Relations for the Great Salt Lake Council, Boy Scouts of America. He and his wife, Debra, live in Kaysville, Utah, and are the parents of five children. Kay is dedicated to sharing his knowledge, research, and testimony with groups of all ages.
