Morianton was a land and a city on the east seashore, bordering the land of Lehi, in the territory of the Nephites during the reign of the judges. In the twenty-fourth year of the judges its people, led by a man named Morianton, claimed part of the neighboring land of Lehi and took up arms to seize it; the people of Lehi fled to Captain Moroni’s camp and asked for help (Alma 50:25).
Fearing Moroni’s army, Morianton planned to move his people north to a region covered with large bodies of water. He beat one of his maidservants, who fled to Moroni’s camp and reported the plan; Moroni sent an army under Teancum, which intercepted the people of Morianton at the narrow pass near the land Desolation. Teancum killed Morianton in the ensuing battle and took his people prisoner. They covenanted to keep the peace and were restored to the land of Morianton, in union with the people of Lehi (Alma 50:35-36).
In the following year the Lamanite leader Amalickiah captured the city of Morianton along with the cities of Nephihah, Lehi, Omner, Gid, and Mulek, all on the east seashore (Alma 51:26). Its surviving inhabitants gathered with refugees from the cities of Moroni and Lehi at Nephihah (Alma 59:5). Under Lamanite control the city was fortified into a stronghold (Alma 55:33). In 63 B.C. Moroni prepared to attack and retake the city of Morianton; the record does not give the outcome (Alma 55:33).