Joseph Smith was 17 years old, living on his family's farm near Palmyra, New York, when he reported his first vision at Hill Cumorah. According to Smith, the angel Moroni appeared on September 21, 1823, and told him of golden plates buried in the hill - a record of ancient peoples who had lived in the Americas. Smith claimed to visit the hill annually for four years before Moroni allowed him to take the plates in 1827. He translated them using 'seer stones' and published the result as the Book of Mormon in 1830. Within Smith's lifetime, the book and his revelations would spawn a new religious movement that today numbers 17 million members worldwide.

Hill Cumorah is a drumlin - an elongated hill formed by glacial activity during the last Ice Age. It rises about 117 feet above the surrounding terrain and is roughly a mile long. The LDS Church purchased the hill in 1928 and has maintained it since. A monument featuring a statue of the angel Moroni stands at the summit, and the site is landscaped with paths and visitors' facilities. The Book of Mormon describes Hill Cumorah as the site of a catastrophic battle between ancient civilizations; believers identify this New York hill with that narrative location. Non-LDS archaeologists have found no evidence of ancient battles or civilizations at the site.

The Hill Cumorah Pageant ran annually from 1937 to 2019, becoming one of America's largest outdoor theatrical productions. At its peak, the pageant featured a cast of over 700 volunteer performers on a 10-tier stage built into the hillside. Elaborate costumes, professional lighting, and sophisticated sound systems depicted scenes from the Book of Mormon and early Mormon history. Attendance reached 50,000 over the multi-night run. The church discontinued the pageant in 2019, citing changing entertainment preferences and the desire to emphasize different forms of missionary work. The elaborate stage infrastructure was removed; the hill returned to a quieter pilgrimage destination.

Hill Cumorah exists at the intersection of faith and skepticism. Latter-day Saints revere it as a site of divine revelation; critics view Smith's claims as fabrication or delusion. The golden plates themselves were reportedly returned to Moroni after translation and have never been available for examination. Archaeological evidence for the Book of Mormon's narrative - ancient American civilizations with Middle Eastern origins - remains elusive despite extensive searches. These controversies don't diminish the site's significance for believers or its importance in American religious history. Whatever happened on this hill in the 1820s launched a movement that would shape westward migration, politics, and American religious diversity.

Hill Cumorah is located on State Route 21, approximately 4 miles south of Palmyra, New York. The site is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; admission is free. Visitors can walk the grounds, view the Angel Moroni monument, and tour the visitors' center. Related sites include the Smith family farm and the Sacred Grove (where Smith reported his First Vision), both nearby. The Palmyra area has restaurants and accommodations. Rochester is 25 miles west. Syracuse is 45 miles east. Greater Rochester International Airport provides commercial service. The site is open year-round; spring and summer offer the best weather for exploring the grounds.