Its clear that the Heartland Model is mostly laid out wrong. Even so, the American Heartland is part of the Book of Mormon’s authentic literary setting. Part of what we now call the American Heartland, fits the Book of Mormon “south country” or “south countries”. (Mormon 6:15; 8:2) South of where? South of Amherst Ohio where Joseph Smith delivered the revelation contained in Doctrine and Covenants section 75. In other words, south of Lake Erie - the "west sea". (LDS Doctrine and Covenants 75:8, 17) The Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants “south countries” are one and the same.

The American Heartland is definitely not where the Book of Mormon lands of Nephi, Zarahemla, and Bountiful are. These important lands are inland a short distance from the coast of “the west sea”. Sister Phyllis Olive, heeding scriptural details, got it right:

Textual Near Cumorah Setting

The Desolation – Bountiful line, according to Olive’s scripturally loyal Near Cumorah Setting, was a 35 to 40 mile span along a Native American trail above the Onondaga Escarpment, western NY. The line ran from the watery eastern borders of the land Bountiful (near present day Batavia) to “the west sea” (Lake Erie). See Why Lake Erie, and not Lake Tonawanda, is the Western Terminus of the Land Bountiful.

The eastern borders of Bountiful situated near the present day Tonawanda Creek bend. In ancient times a chain of lakes stood in the vicinity of the northward flowing creek. (Bulletin of the Geological Society of America, Vol. 10, Tonawanda Valley, 32-34) One of these long, finger-like lakes formed the eastern borders of Bountiful. The belief that many North American rivers were once large inland seas or lakes was discussed in Joseph Smith’s day. (Josiah Priest, American Antiquities (1833 edition), pp. 360-367)

Even though Olive’s map labels the land of Desolation on the east of “a small neck of land” (the Batavia Moraine), Olive should be credited with proposing that Desolation is “the  land” (singular in Ether 10:20) divided by “the sea” (Lake Tonawanda, an extension of Lake Erie).

“...on the line Bountiful and the land Desolation ...” - “...the line which was between the land Bountiful and the land Desolation”, running nearly parallel to the Onondaga Escarpment. (Alma 22:32-33, 3 Nephi 3:23)

Desolation’s shores ran from the east all the way to Niagara, northward of the natural Onondaga Escarpment line. The Onondaga Escarpment was therefore literally “between” Desolation on the north and the elevated land Bountiful  on the south. (3 Nephi 3:23) Thus, the shores of Desolation ran parallel to, but at lower elevation than the inhabited land of Bountiful. The wilderness of Bountiful is immediately southward and above the linear rise of the Onondaga dividing line. (Alma 22:31) According to scripture the Nephites inhabited the land Bountiful from “the east unto the west sea” (Lake Erie). Hence the description “the line Bountiful and the land Desolation”. (Alma 22:32-33)

The linear Onondaga Limestone Formation

A more detailed depiction of the Onondaga Limestone Formation and Escarpment

Desolation on the north, and Bountiful “up” on the south of the linear escarpment. (Alma 22:31)

Sidon river, east of Zarahemla, fits northward flowing Buffalo Creek. The creek flows northward and then turns westward out to “sea” as Buffalo River. The biblical equivalent of Sidon river is the brook Kishon - the northward flowing creek, that according to the Bible swept away dead enemies of Israel. (Judges 5:21, 1 Kings 18:40, KJV)

Israel’s northward flowing “river Kishon”

Imagine that. The Book of Mormon’s authentic core setting in the general vicinity of the land Cumorah. We are talking about the one and only Cumorah designated in LDS scripture; convenient to the boyhood country of Joseph Smith. (LDS Doctrine and Covenants 128:20)

Sadly, many Mormons are so conditioned by unscriptural geographic portrayals that they are dull to certain facts - even when read aloud directly from scripture. Take for instance the fact that a search party sent northward to find Zarahemla, arrived instead in the vicinity of a land among many waters (proximal to Cumorah). The search party thought they had found Zarahemla! Zarahemla cannot possibly be thousands or even hundreds of miles from Cumorah! (Mosiah 8:7-8; 21:25-26, Mormon 6:4)

Consider also the fact that a fortified line between the land of Zarahemla (on the south) and Bountiful (on the north) was only a day’s journey inland from the “west sea” to the eastern borders. (Helaman 4:5-7)

How about the fact that the minimum possible distance between the environs of the city of Lehi-Nephi and the land of Zarahemla was only 12 – 8 = 4 days on foot - if you knew the way! (Mosiah 23:2-3; 24:25)

Hello - it was little more than a night’s march northward from the elevated “course of the land of Nephi” down to Gideon which was east of the river Sidon (east of Zarahemla). (Alma 2:23-27; 50:7-8) Note that traveling between Gideon and Zarahemla required crossing the river Sidon - apparently on foot. (Alma 2:34; 6:7)

It was about a day’s wearisome march from the southern city of Mulek “in the land of Nephi” (Alma 53:6), to Bountiful in northern Nephite territory. (Alma 52:16-39)

These facts and others, show that the core setting of the Book of Mormon is geographically very compact (comparable in size to the Bible’s core setting), and must situate in the region of Cumorah.

Whence all the erroneous, exaggerated geographic notions? Sadly, they come from not paying enough attention to, or accepting scriptural details. In fact, the Lord once condemned the “whole Church” for treating the Book of Mormon “lightly”.  (LDS Doctrine and Covenant 84:54-59, Enos 1:10)

What does the Book of Mormon actually say about the river Sidon, and the Desolation - Bountiful Borders?

29 And also there were many Lamanites on the east by the seashore, whither the Nephites had driven them.  And thus the Nephites were nearly surrounded by the Lamanites; nevertheless the Nephites had taken possession of all the northern parts of the land bordering on the wilderness, at the head of the river Sidon, from the east to the west, round about on the wilderness side; on the north, even until they came to the land which they called Bountiful.

30 And it bordered upon the land which they called Desolation, it being so far northward that it came into the land which had been peopled and been destroyed, of whose bones we have spoken, which was discovered by the people of Zarahemla, it being the place of their first landing.

31 And they came from there up into the south wilderness.  Thus the land on the northward was called Desolation, and the land on the southward was called Bountiful, it being the wilderness which is filled with all manner of wild animals of every kind, a part of which had come from the land northward for food.

32 And now, it was only the distance of a day and a half's journey for a Nephite, on the line Bountiful and the land Desolation, from the east to the west sea; and thus the land of Nephi and the land of Zarahemla were nearly surrounded by water, there being a small neck of land between the land northward and the land southward. (Alma 22:29 - 32)

Thus there was an eastern shore. This doesn’t have to mean an Ocean coast. It’s obvious from the KJV Bible, that Israelites called lakes, “seas”. In fact, the “east sea” of the Old World Promised Land is a lake. (Ezekiel 47:18, Joel 2:20)  

The head of the river Sidon was near the east to west running boundary dividing Lamanite and Nephite territories.

The Nephite land Bountiful etc. was “up” (at higher elevation) relative to the more northern land Desolation.

The line Bountiful was only a 1.5 day journey across – “from the east to the west sea”.

The west sea bordered the land of Bountiful on the west.

The small neck of land was between the land northward (Desolation) and the land southward (Bountiful etc.). The small neck of land was therefore near the 1.5 day Desolation - Bountiful line.

11 And thus he cut off all the strongholds of the Lamanites in the east wilderness, yea, and also on the west, fortifying the line between the Nephites and the Lamanites, between the land of Zarahemla and the land of Nephi, from the west sea, running by the head of the river Sidon—the Nephites possessing all the land northward, yea, even all the land which was northward of the land Bountiful, according to their pleasure. (Alma 50:11)

27  …bordering even to the sea, on the east and on the west, and which was divided from the land of Zarahemla by a narrow strip of wilderness, which ran from the sea east even to the sea west, and round about on the borders of the seashore, and the borders of the wilderness which was on the north by the land of Zarahemla, through the borders of Manti, by the head of the river Sidon, running from the east towards the west—and thus were the Lamanites and the Nephites divided. (Alma 22:27)

Thus we see that the west to east dividing line between the land of Zarahemla (on the north) and the land of Nephi (to the south), ran from the west sea, passed the head of the river Sidon (by the borders of Manti), to the east wilderness which was near an eastern “sea” (body of water).

The coast of the west sea was on the west of Bountiful. The coast ran along the west of the land of Zarahemla, and along the west of the land of Nephi in the south.

25  Neither durst they march down against the city of Zarahemla; neither durst they cross the head of Sidon, over to the city of Nephihah. (Alma 56:25)

26  …the city of Nephihah, …on the east borders by the seashore. (Alma 51:26)

7  …Alma …in the city of Zarahemla, …went over upon the east of the river Sidon, into the valley of Gideon… (Alma 6:7)

1  …Alma was journeying from the land of Gideon southward, away to the land of Manti, behold, to his astonishment, he met with the sons of Mosiah journeying towards the land of Zarahemla. (Alma 17:1)

6  …the Lamanites will cross the river Sidon in the south wilderness, away up beyond the borders of the land of Manti.  And behold there shall ye meet them, on the east of the river Sidon…. (Alma 16:6)

22 …in the wilderness, away by the head of the river Sidon, that they might come into the land of Manti... (Alma 43:22)

Thus we see that the city of Zarahemla was “down” (at lower elevation), and northward from a position near the dividing line between the land Zarahemla and the land of Nephi. From this position, the city of Nephihah (near the east sea) was “over” on the eastern side of “the head of Sidon”.

The head of the river Sidon (northward from the land of Nephi, and southward from Zarahemla) was “up” at higher elevation relative to Zarahemla. Sidon must therefore have flowed northward as it ran down along the east of Zarahemla.

Was the Desolation - Bountiful line also bordered on the east by water?

22 And it came to pass that the voice of the people came, saying: Behold, we will give up the land of Jershon, which is on the east by the sea, which joins the land Bountiful, which is on the south of the land Bountiful; and this land Jershon is the land which we will give unto our brethren for an inheritance. (Alma 27:22)

26 And thus he went on, taking possession of many cities, the city of Nephihah, and the city of Lehi, and the city of Morianton, and the city of Omner, and the city of Gid, and the city of Mulek, all of which were on the east borders by the seashore.

27 And thus had the Lamanites obtained, by the cunning of Amalickiah, so many cities, by their numberless hosts, all of which were strongly fortified after the manner of the fortifications of Moroni; all of which afforded strongholds for the Lamanites.

28 And it came to pass that they marched to the borders of the land Bountiful, driving the Nephites before them and slaying many.

29 But it came to pass that they were met by Teancum, who had slain Morianton and had headed his people in his flight.

30 And it came to pass that he headed Amalickiah also, as he was marching forth with his numerous army that he might take possession of the land Bountiful, and also the land northward.

31 But behold he met with a disappointment by being repulsed by Teancum and his men, for they were great warriors; for every man of Teancum did exceed the Lamanites in their strength and in their skill of war, insomuch that they did gain advantage over the Lamanites.

32 And it came to pass that they did harass them, insomuch that they did slay them even until it was dark.  And it came to pass that Teancum and his men did pitch their tents in the borders of the land Bountiful; and Amalickiah did pitch his tents in the borders on the beach by the seashore, and after this manner were they driven. (Alma 51:26 - 32)

Thus we see that the eastern borders of Bountiful were near an eastern shore, and there was at least one body of water on the east by the land Bountiful.

9 And he also sent orders unto him that he should fortify the land Bountiful, and secure the narrow pass which led into the land northward, lest the Lamanites should obtain that point and should have power to harass them on every side. (Alma 52:9)

Thus we see that the narrow pass was near the land Bountiful. The entrance to the narrow pass was described as a “point” (not a line), but was proximal to the 1.5 day Desolation – Bountiful “line”. Olive interprets "the narrow pass" and "the narrow neck" as referring to the same geographical feature.

5 And it came to pass that I did cause my people that they should gather themselves together at the land Desolation, to a city which was in the borders, by the narrow pass which led into the land southward. (Mormon 3:5)

5 And it came to pass that Hagoth, he being an exceedingly curious man, therefore he went forth and built him an exceedingly large ship, on the borders of the land Bountiful, by the land Desolation, and launched it forth into the west sea, by the narrow neck which led into the land northward. (Alma 63:5)

Thus we see that the narrow neck and pass were by the Desolation - Bountiful borders. Scripture does not indicate that the Desolation - Bountiful borders were within the narrow neck (as represented in the Mesoamerican Tehuantepec Model).

34 And it came to pass that they did not head them until they had come to the borders of the land Desolation; and there they did head them, by the narrow pass which led by the sea into the land northward, yea, by the sea, on the west and on the east. (Alma 50:34)

Thus we see that the narrow pass near the Desolation - Bountiful line, passed through the bed of an inland “sea”. This “sea” (singular) situated on the west and on the east of the narrow pass. The narrow pass was so small that a single sea was at once perceived "on the west and on the east" of the entrance to the small land-bridge. The "small neck of land" passed though, and above the inland body of water. 

Conclusion:

The east to west running Desolation - Bountiful line, extended from the east (likely from an ancient shore, river or watery barrier) to the shore of the “west sea” (Lake Erie, west and south of scriptural Cumorah). Notice that scripture does not say the “line” started from the body of water called the “east sea”. Scripture only says the “line” extended “from the east to the west sea”. Evincing Olive’s model, there really and truly was an ancient “beach” or “shore” (Alma 51:32) near the eastern borders of Batavia NY, in the general vicinity of Tonawanda Creek. (Bulletin of the Geological Society of America, Vol. 10, Tonawanda Valley, 32-34)

Students of the Book of Mormon should be careful not to presume that the body of water on the east of Bountiful was the same as “the east sea”. The “the east sea” situated in southeastern Nephite territory. In Olive’s model, the Nephite’s eastern seas were connected - not unlike Israel’s eastern seas. There is more than one “sea on the east” in the Old World Promised Land, (Joshua 12:3) but only the more southern “salt sea”, east of Jerusalem, is actually called “the east sea” in the Bible. (Joel 2:20, Ezekiel 47:18)

While It’s true that the typesetter for the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon capitalized “East” (implying “East Sea”) in the verse that reads “...from the East to the West sea...” (pg. 288; compare Alma 22:32), yet the Printer’s Manuscript has “east” and “west” in lowercase:

The Printer’s Manuscript reads “... from the east to the west Sea...”

Somewhere near the Desolation - Bountiful line was a small neck of land - a pass or passage that passed through a “sea” (ancient Lake Tonawanda), such that water was seen on the west and on the east of the small isthmus (the Batavia Moraine).

Look at Sister Olive’s map of ancient western NY, and remember scripture places Cumorah in the Finger Lakes region of western NY. (LDS Doctrine and Covenants 128:20) In fact, scripture indicates that Cumorah was southward from the large waters called “Ripliancum”  (Ether 15:8-11 - Lake Iroquois/Ontario with its ancient fenlands), and eastward from the Jaredite seat of power near the land of Desolation and "the narrow pass". (Ether 7:5-6; 9:3; 14:6-7, 11, 26, Alma 22:30-32; 50:34; 52:9; Mormon 3:5)

The head of the river Sidon was near a narrow, east – west strip of wilderness (likely the Cattaraugus River Corridor) that divided the northern land of Zarahemla from the more elevated, southern land of Nephi - matching western NY.

Scripture tells us that the head of the river Sidon was “up” and southward, from the land of Zarahemla. Unlike the mighty southward rolling Mississippi, the Book of Mormon river Sidon flowed northward, on the east of the land of Zarahemla (just as Buffalo Creek does today, near East Aurora NY). In the case of western NY, “down” tends to be northward exactly as the Book of Mormon describes.

These covenant land features are all near scriptural Cumorah, not hundreds or thousands of miles away!

Yes, there is archaeological evidence that parallels the genuine literary settings of the Book of Mormon near Cumorah. There really were Native American earth and timber fortified towns and citadels in the region. There really were mass human burials in western NY - just as the Book of Mormon describes. Mastodons and metal objects really have been removed from local NY sites. But such evidence doesn’t prove scripture to be historical. What do you expect?

“...and there were elephants...” (Ether 9:19)

In his renowned work An Approach to the Book of Mormon, Dr. Hugh Nibley summarized the archaeological problem:

“... Book of Mormon archaeologists have often been disappointed in the past because they have consistently looked for the wrong things... In view of the nature of their civilization one should not be puzzled if the Nephites left no ruins at all. People underestimate the capacity of things to disappear, and do not realize that the ancients almost never built of stone. Many a great civilization which has left a notable mark in history and literature has left behind not a single recognizable trace of itself. We must stop looking for the wrong things.” (The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley: Volume 6, Appendix, “The Archaeological Problem”, pg. 431)

The general literary setting of the Bible’s Promised Land is settled without compelling archaeological proof. Biblical archaeologists today, patiently dig for evidence to see if there really was, for instance, a King David in the 10^th century BCE. If they don’t find a lot of hard evidence right away, this doesn’t change their idea of where the biblical Promised Land is located.

God’s ancient covenant people do not need to wait for archaeological vindication in order to identify their covenant lands by scripture. (3 Nephi 29:1)

It’s time for “Book of Mormon geography” squawkers to walk the walk! Do it or sheket!

I did! I actually put Phyllis Olive's Book of Mormon setting to the test: I crossed the river Sidon (Buffalo Creek) east of Zarahemla (East Aurora, NY), and I walked the line Bountiful along the Onondaga Escarpment in about a day and a half - just as scripture describes.

From Frank Leverett's Glacial Formations and Drainage Features of the Erie and Ohio Basins

The Batavia Moraine (dark tan) passing diagonally through the bed of ancient Lake Tonawanda (a land dividing arm of Lake Erie) now reduced to swamp lands on the west and east of the narrow land-bridge or moraine. In the lower right-hand corner of the geological map, Tonawanda Creek bends westward before spilling over the Onondaga Escarpment at Indian Falls. The westward bend is near the proposed start of the east to west running Bountiful line. The Bountiful line runs above, and parallel to the escarpment. The escarpment is a natural dividing line between hilly highlands to the south and lower northern flatlands approaching the shores of Lake Ontario. (3 Nephi 3:23)