"I want to steer any blame away from Brigham Young and Franklin D. Richards as other historians have suggested," Woods said. "I think there were other factors we need to look at carefully on these issues."

Ships bringing the emigrants from Europe in the spring of 1856 were hampered by unusually bad weather, and the end of the Crimean War meant available vessels were in high demand by soldiers returning home, he said. Richards was "constantly talking about the importance of setting sail" early in the spring, he said, so emigrants would arrive early enough to make the trek to Salt Lake City safely.

Meanwhile, church agents in the United States were working to make arrangements for the travelers but were hampered by the death of a key leader in St. Louis. Woods lauded the efforts of LDS leaders in dealing with circumstances that were often out of their control.

Trail historian Don Smith said at least one historian has said top LDS leaders were "criminally careless" in making arrangements for the Willie and Martin companies, noting that some returning LDS missionaries that year also faulted church leadership.

"They fail to see that many obstacles faced the assigned leaders," he said.

Some have charged that an unexpectedly large number of emigrants arriving in Iowa led to hasty construction of handcarts using green wood, which was more susceptible to break-down. Smith said he believes the carts were built with green wood by design, not out of desperation.

The church's emigration fund lacked sufficient money, hampering church agent Daniel Spencer in Iowa City who was trying to contract for handcart construction and supplies, he said. Other delays had to do with finding an adequate camping spot for arriving emigrants where facilities for handcart construction could be set up.

"Those who denigrate leadership know little about Daniel Spencer," a seasoned leader who had proven his abilities for years before being assigned to help the emigrants, Smith said.

The three-day anniversary events began Friday morning in Mormon Handcart Park, set on the site where handcart emigrants prepared for their journey west. Dozens of local youths dressed in period costumes set off with handcarts along trails in the park to inaugurate the commemoration, which continues through Sunday.

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