Nauvoo By Day

U.S. Road Trip 2013

Part Seventeen

We spent a day and a half in Nauvoo, Illinois. This city was the setting for an amazing five years in the history of our church. I have always wanted to go and see this place, so rich with history. I really had no idea how meaningful it would be. I'll cover it in two parts. 

Nauvoo was, for a long time, Commerce, Illinois, made up of a half dozen log cabins. It was principally made of swampy land right alongside the Mississippi River. When the prophet Joseph Smith chose this spot for their settlement (after running for their lives from Missouri, which is sadly not an exaggeration), they worked to drain it and settle here, renaming it Nauvoo. Its beginnings were humble. Most families started and lived in humble log cabins.

But within five years it had grown to become a truly beautiful city of 15,000 mainly made up of Mormon families, many who had come from eastern states or Europe after converting to the Church there. Larger than Chicago of that day, it was the biggest city in Illinois. 

Many of the larger homes have been preserved and restored. I love touring historic homes, and I was in heaven here. These were homes of families of faith who spent their whole lives trying to be better disciples of Christ and helping others to do the same. Children were nurtured in these homes and they learned and grew up in these streets. 

In addition to a beautiful city, they built a beautiful pioneer temple up on the hill. After the Mormon people abandoned Nauvoo the temple was destroyed, but ten years ago it was rebuilt. I can't imagine it looking more stunning and white.

Last year I was able to see another of the sunstones from that first Nauvoo temple at the Smithsonian in Washinton, DC. It was just as exciting to see this original on display in Nauvoo where it belongs.

The Mormons were seeking religious freedom in Nauvoo, having been chased by mobs from Missouri and from Ohio, but they were an industrious people as well, raising their families in spite of the political turmoil.

We toured the tradesmen's shops and learned all about tinsmiths, blacksmiths, wainwrights, and more. 

 We learned about the church leaders of the time, many that were prophets and presidents of our church. They came from such different backgrounds. John Taylor had been a lay minister in the Methodist Church in England before joining our church. He felt like this home was slightly opulent when compared to his humble background. He only lived here for seven months before the Mormons fled Nauvoo.

 The stories of life in these homes were the best part of this place. We learned all about the woodwork in Brigham Young's home. We heard about the china set that was found shattered in his root cellar and assembled 150 years after it would have been used by the Young family.

Our tour guides were the second best part of the tours. They were retirees, here for the summer season as historical missionaries for the church. I loved their crisp white aprons or suspenders, and I loved their familiarity with and love of the history of this place and its founders. 

 I had to admire the rag rugs, woven with rags there in the family living building in Nauvoo while we visitors look on.

 The Mormons of the early 1840s were also a fun-loving people, enjoying singing, dancing, and theater. It's hard to believe that the Cultural Hall has made it through all of these years.

We were big fans of Nauvoo's current entertainment. It's all free and first-class in every way. A whole other (younger) group of missionaries, who are serving a unique type of performing mission, impressed us with their talents by day and night.

Of course, they don't just put on plays and sing in patriotic programs. (Look at all of those awesome senior missionaries spanning the stage.)

 They also dance and play some pretty amazing bluegrass, swing, and country music. This "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" number brought down the house. Even hard-to-impress Dan loved it.

It was hard to head back to our campsite in the local state park that night--we would have loved to stay for another show. They were spectacular. As fate would have it, we were able to stay another half day and fit in a few more homes and many more stories which will have to wait for the next post.