Conditions at the settlement remained primitive the first month, with pioneers living in tents while the men put up hay, found water and managed the cattle.

Due to arguments among the Oto and Omaha tribes over use of the land, the Latter-day Saints moved their camp three miles east to a site overlooking the Missouri River.

It consisted of thirteen adjacent cabins, with the homes of church leaders Heber C. Kimball and Newel K. Whitney at either end.

Even with trade, diet in the camp was mainly corn bread, salt bacon and a little milk, with occasional fresh game or domestic meat.

Missouri potatoes and horseradish found at old Fort Atkinson helped ease the level of disease, but all residents lacked fresh vegetables in their diet.

Church member Louisa Barnes Pratt recalled in her memoirs: I hired a man to build me a sod cave.

I paid a five dollar gold piece for building my sod house, 10 × 12 ... A long cold rain storm brought more severely again the chills and fever.