Nauvoo Things to Do

Upper level dissenting Mormon leaders broke with Joseph Smith Jr over his revelations concerning polygamy. Smith had kept the concept secret within the top ranks of the Mormon hierarchy. The dissenters printed a tell-all newspaper and their printing press was destroyed at Smith’s orders. This act inflamed Smith’s enemies – he had many – in and especially outside Nauvoo. Riots ensued and to try and calm the situation, Illinois governor Thomas Ford promised Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum protection if they would submit to arrest for charges of instigating a riot. They did so and rode to the county seat at Carthage, where they were to be tried. Three days after their arrival, on 27 June, 1844, an anti-Mormon group charged the jail at Carthage and succeeded in killing both Joseph and Hyrum. John Taylor was also wounded four times but managed to survive. The Jail was built in 139-40 and later became a private house until it was sold to the LDS Church in 1903.

Hours of operation: Summer - Monday through Saturday 8:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M.
Sunday 12:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M.
Winter - Monday through Saturday 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
Sunday 12:30 P.M. to 5:00 P.M

Carthage is about 25 miles southeast of Nauvoo, the first 15 miles are very pretty along the Mississippi River. A couple blocks from the Jail is the city square, a National Historic Site in its own right. The Hancock County Courthouse stands tall in the middle of the square.

Not only was this log cabin home to the Calvin Pendleton family, but also served as a school from which he taught reading, writing and arithmetic to children. Next door, volunteers will demonstrate how bricks were made and something about the role of bricks in Nauvoo.

A restoration of the original 1840’s building, the Printing Office is part of three contiguous buildings – this building, John Taylor’s home and the Post Office. You can learn – from volunteers – more about what exactly was involved with mid 19th century publishing.

Jonathan Browning bought this house in 1843, building on a gun and blacksmith shop. From these humble beginnings, Browning went on to for one of the larger firearm companies of the World. Period guns are on display within. He and his family left in 1846 with the Brigham Young led move to Utah, ending up in Ogden, Utah.

For more on the gun company history: http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/b/BROWNING%2CARMS.html and www.gunsinfo.org/HistBrowning.html

From the Seventies House towards the river along Parley Street are several monuments laid out which recount poignant personal journey entries of different Mormon pioneers regarding their journey west during the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo to Utah.

Within the Mormon Church, the group of men responsible for the missionary effort of the Church, are the Seventies. Proselytizing has always been a major effort of the Church and remains so today. This building, built in 1844, served as their headquarters. It was also a lecture hall, place for worship services and a library.

A regular multipurpose building used for both church and business meetings, drama, music and Masonic lodge meetings. Many feel Joseph Smith Jr ‘borrowed’ from Masonic rites with some of his ‘revealed’ temple rites.

A musical drama, ‘ Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo’, is performed by volunteers nightly during the year. You can get tickets – free – from the Nauvoo(LDS) Visitor Center.

Wilford Woodruff finished this fine brick house in time to live within for about 100 days before joining the exodus to Utah. The house was continuously occupied afterwards until restoration began in 1962. Willford Woodruff, a main mover in the Mormon’s very successful mission in the Midlands of England, became the Church’s fourth President and officially ended polygamy in 1890 – as sanctioned by the official Church.