The story of the Mormon Battalion is closely connected with the history of California. In 1846, the 496 men of the battalion journeyed west to fight in the war with Mexico; instead, they became a significant force in the exploration, settlement, and prosperity of California and the western United States.
Using their expert skills, the men helped establish San Diego and San Francisco, helped instigate one of the most famous gold rushes in history, and blazed the trail across the Sierra Nevadas that thousands of gold prospectors would follow on their way to California. These contributions of the Mormon Battalion and other early Latter-day Saints have left a legacy "more precious than gold."

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