The Heartland Model of Book of Mormon geography proposes that the primary events described in the Book of Mormon took place in what is now the eastern and central United States, particularly within the Mississippi River and Great Lakes region. While the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has no official position on Book of Mormon geography, many researchers find the Heartland Model compelling because it relies heavily on early prophetic statements, internal scriptural consistency, and archaeological patterns that align closely with the Book of Mormon narrative.
One of the foundational strengths of the Heartland Model is its reliance on the testimonies and statements of Joseph Smith and early Church leaders. Joseph Smith consistently identified the Hill Cumorah in New York as the place where he received the plates from Moroni. Early leaders such as Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and others also spoke plainly of Cumorah in New York as the location of the final battles of both the Nephites and the Jaredites. The Heartland Model takes these statements at face value rather than redefining Cumorah as a different hill elsewhere. Supporters argue that accepting these early testimonies provides a stable geographical anchor that any model should account for.
From that anchor point, the Heartland Model observes that the Book of Mormon describes relatively short travel distances between major locations, often measured in days rather than months. This fits more naturally within a limited North American geography than a hemispheric or Mesoamerican one. Rivers, narrow necks of land, plains, and fortified cities described in the text correspond well with the river systems and terrain of the eastern United States.
Another key component of the Heartland Model is archaeology. Proponents point to the Hopewell culture, which flourished in the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys from roughly 200 BC to AD 500. This timeline overlaps significantly with the Book of Mormon period. Hopewell societies built large earthworks, defensive structures, roads, and ceremonial centers, and they engaged in long-distance trade using metals, stone, and shells. Supporters argue that these features are consistent with a literate, organized civilization like the Nephites described in the Book of Mormon.
In addition to physical evidence, the Heartland Model emphasizes scriptural prophecies describing the “Promised Land.” The Book of Mormon repeatedly refers to this land as a land of liberty that would become a powerful Gentile nation in the latter days. Heartland researchers believe these descriptions align uniquely with the rise of the United States, including its founding principles and its role in the Restoration. Doctrine and Covenants passages about the New Jerusalem being built in Missouri further reinforce this connection for those who accept modern revelation as relevant evidence.
While no geographical model answers every question, proponents of the Heartland Model argue that it succeeds in harmonizing scripture, early prophetic statements, archaeology, and latter-day revelation in a way other models struggle to do. For many, its strength lies not in claiming absolute certainty, but in offering a cohesive framework that takes both the Book of Mormon text and early Church history seriously.