Why such a fixation in the Church on handcarts, when they were not the norm?

MY Ward's Sacrament meeting program (for July 21, 2019) carried the prominent drawing of a handcart, used by Mormon pioneers.
For history's sake, I think handcarts are way over emphasized in the LDS Church. Handcarts have very incorrectly become the iconic symbol of pioneer Mormonism.
First, consider that no more than 4 percent of the estimated 70,000 people who immigrated to Utah Territory between 1847 and 1869 (when the railroad was opened) came by handcart. Thus, handcarts are NOT anywhere near the norm in numbers.
 Why so much focus on what a lesser number of people did?
(I guess they are sort of the "Titanic" of disasters among all the pioneers ... And, they overrule most Church members' proper understanding of history.)

-Also, handcarts didn't carry everything such pioneers had. All handcart companies traveled with supply wagons that carried tents, extra food and other provisions, too. One wagon was usually allocated for about every 100 members of a handcart company.

-And the well-known Willie and Martin handcart companies are dwelled upon way too much. There are other such handcart companies that came across the plains with few deaths -- but they are rarely mentioned.

-PLUS, the Willie and Martin companies were warned before they left that their departure was TOO LATE IN THE SEASON, but such advice was ignored. 


NOTE: This article and all of the NighUntoKolob blog are NOT an official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They are the author's conclusions and opinions only.