Nauvoo
The City Beautiful
by Jamie Lawson

The beautiful city Nauvoo rests on a slow bend in the mighty Mississippi. Its exquisite temple, magnificently restored homes, and old-fashioned mercantile establishments paint a charming, authentic scene that draws you back to a time where the early Saints diligently toiled to create a peaceful and prosperous life in Zion.

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Also referred to as the City of Joseph, Nauvoo is a tiny, picturesque town that rivals major cities in the number of visitors it attracts each year. Forged by courage, sacrifice, and faith, the city of Nauvoo flourished from 1839 to 1846 as a result of the early Saints’ hard work and ingenuity.

Nauvoo quickly grew to become one of the largest cities in Illinois. But persecution soon followed with ever-increasing intensity, and seven years later the Saints had no choice but to abandon their beloved city. Today, visitors are drawn to the area because of its deeply tragic past and great importance in Church history. Should you choose to make the trip, you are sure to have a faith-promoting experience you will not easily forget.

Activities

At the Historic Nauvoo Visitors’ Center, you can gather information on the dozens of homes, shops, and demonstrations, as well as pick up tickets to performances such as Just Plain Anna-Amanda, High Hopes and River Boats, and Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo (go to historicnauvoo.net for more information). You can also watch the films Remembering Nauvoo and The Restoration. Below is a list of many of the historic sites you can look forward to learning about during your visit.

Wagon Tour of Old Nauvoo

This little tour is a definite must-do. Senior missionaries drive horse teams on a tour through the restored town. Make this your first stop so you can make a note of which buildings or areas you’d like to spend more time at later. Similar tours are also available via carriage or oxen rides. Or, if you prefer, tour Nauvoo in an air-conditioned “horseless carriage.”

Family Living Center

Kids in particular will love this stop. Help create rugs, jugs, candles, rope, or barrels and finish it off with homemade bread straight from a brick oven.

Pioneer Pastimes

Located next to the Family Living Center, here you and your kids will be able to play a variety of old-time games and activities (open only during the summer months).

Shops

Stoddard Tin Shop

The townspeople relied on the tinsmith to furnish them with lanterns, candleholders, pots and pans, buckets, and many other items. Come learn how so much could be created from tin.

Riser Boot Shop

This quaint shop was one of thirteen boot shops in the town. At the time, having a sturdy pair of shoes was essential to the labors of the day. Learn how pairs of shoes (which then cost $1.75) and boots (which cost $5.00) were created.

Scovil Bakery

Everyone walks out of the Scovil Bakery with a fresh gingerbread cookie after learning about baking methods and goods of early Nauvoo.

Lyon Drug and Variety Store

This little shop provided most everything Nauvoo residents needed. Here you could have your teeth pulled by a druggist (who also served as the dentist) and purchase china or even a beehive.

Browning Gun Shop

Whether you’re a gun aficionado or not, this stop is a fascinating glimpse into the early work of one of America’s most influential inventors, Jonathan Browning. Jonathan invented one of the first repeating rifles, and his posterity continued the trade until the Browning name became synonymous with gunsmithing. Here you’ll see a display of some of Jonathan’s early guns.

Offices

Printing Office

A favorite with visitors, this building was the printing office that published the Times and Seasons, the Nauvoo Neighbor, and other publications. Learn how pages were typeset and the history behind common terms and phrases such as “mind your p’s and q’s” and “upper case” or “lower case.”

Land and Records Office

If you have ancestors who made their home in Nauvoo, then this office can provide you with a wealth of information about former residents. Missionaries are there to assist you as you search for your ancestors’ property locations, family histories, and personal diary entries. You can also fax information (217-453-2257) to the office before your trip and they will try to have your information ready for you by the time you arrive.

Homes

The Mansion House

Joseph Smith built this home in 1843, and later added a wing with additional rooms because he had so many visitors. It is from this home that Joseph and Hyrum left for Carthage Jail.

Brigham Young Home

A tour through this home will showcase Brigham Young’s extraordinary carpentry skills. Here, upon assuming leadership of the Church after Joseph Smith’s martyrdom, Brigham added a wing to his home where he could hold meetings with the apostles.

Wilford Woodruff Home

The fourth president of the Church lived in this home, which he built with the intent that it would be comfortable and cozy. Consequently, there’s a fireplace in each room—eight in all!

Heber C. Kimball Home

Although this home was occupied for just five months before persecution forced the family to flee Nauvoo, the Heber C. Kimball home is furnished with many beautiful antiques. Before the home was built in 1845, the Kimballs lived in a small log and brick home on the back of their property.

The Nauvoo Temple

On April 6, 1841, Joseph Smith placed the cornerstone of the Nauvoo Temple. Even after his death in 1844, the Saints valiantly pressed forward to complete the temple’s construction only to leave it behind on the eve of its final dedication in 1846. Tragically, most of the temple was later burned by arsonists in 1848, and what remained was destroyed by a tornado in 1850.

President Hinckley, however, announced in April 1999 that a Nauvoo Temple would stand again as a memorial to those who built the first. This new temple—a nearly exact replica of the original—was dedicated on June 27, 2002. If you are able, don’t miss the opportunity to attend a session in this beautiful temple.

Four Places You Must See

In addition to a visit to the Nauvoo Temple, these four sites will help make your visit to Nauvoo one that is inspiring and enjoyable.

Parley Street and the Trail of Hope

Parley Street was the location of the main ferry the Saints used to cross the Mississippi as they left Nauvoo, and dozens of wagons lined this street as heartbroken Saints waited for their turn to cross the ice-covered river. This is why Parley Street is considered to be the start of the Trail of Hope. In the concluding dedicatory session of the Nauvoo Temple, President Hinckley asked those in attendance to “walk down Parley Street to the waterfront” where the Saints left their beloved Nauvoo and began their arduous journey west. As you walk along the Trail of Hope, take time to read the plaques along the way. They contain excerpts from journals and letters of early pioneers who took part in the exodus.

Smith Family Cemetery

Come pay your respects to the Prophet Joseph Smith. He is buried here with his wife Emma, his parents Joseph Smith, Sr., and Lucy Mack Smith, his brothers Hyrum, Don Carlos, and Samuel, and at least seventeen other relatives and friends. One large granite headstone marks the graves of Joseph, Emma, and Hyrum. A visit to this site is a definite must.

The Historic Hotel Nauvoo

Located just one block from the temple, the historic Hotel Nauvoo dates back more than one hundred and fifty years. It has been gloriously refurbished to preserve its original style, but has the luxury of modern conveniences. The hotel’s famous nightly buffet features outstanding cuisine, including southern fried chicken, channel catfish, carved roast beef, turkey, ham, and delicious homemade breads. It’s no wonder that it draws crowds from miles around.

In addition to the delectable dishes, patrons have the unique experience of dining in one of five dining rooms, each reflecting a different period of Nauvoo’s history. For reservations, call (217) 453-2211.

Zions Mercantile

In the heart of Nauvoo, across the street from the spectacular Nauvoo Temple, is Zions Mercantile. This remarkable building was painstakingly constructed to reflect the spirit of Nauvoo and represent the beautiful architecture of the 1800s. Inside, you’ll find an old-fashioned store where you can purchase authentic antiques and beautiful artwork, as well as old-fashioned replicas of everything from hand-dipped candles to first-edition copies of the Book of Mormon.

Zions Mercantile also includes Emma’s Pantry—a great place to savor specialty soups, fresh sandwiches, and a variety of homemade baked pies and breads. There are also charming rooms for rent at The Inn at Nauvoo, located above the Mercantile. Rooms are modeled after historic homes, and they offer breathtaking views of the Nauvoo temple.

Mysteries and Local Legends

For well over a century, the city of Nauvoo has been explored by millions of tourists and countless scholars. And while nearly every historic artifact and detail of everyday life in Nauvoo has been painstakingly documented, there may still be aspects of the city that remain undiscovered.

The Sunstone Tunnel

For generations there’s been some mention, even rumors, of a very old, secret tunnel somewhere near the temple in Nauvoo. It’s been described as having red Nauvoo brick arches and walls that are lined with carved temple stones. Some versions of the story even state that there is a sunstone on one end looking down the length of the tunnel. During the reconstruction of the temple the tunnel was not discovered and the story seemed to fade as perhaps just a legend.

Last year, during the construction of the Zions Mercantile building (right across the street from the temple) again some interest was expressed as to whether a tunnel would be uncovered as they dug their basement. The building was completed last fall, and no such find was forthcoming. That is, until a single sprinkler head needed adjusting.

When the building was all but done, landscapers were installing the final sprinkler heads. One work had some trouble getting one of the heads low enough to avoid mowers. When he tried to dig the hole a little deeper, he hit a block of white stone with carvings on two sides. After some struggle, the stone was pulled out. Removal of the stone revealed an opening. The call came to Salt Lake City, “There seems to be some kind of tunnel. All we can see are brick arches. . . but it’s very deep.”

The stone was replaced and the tunnel covered up, but not before several photos were taken of the inside. It appears to be eight feet deep and about six feet wide. It disappears in both directions so there is no word on how long it is. Photos reveal that there are red brick arches supporting the ceiling and the walls are actually lined with the same carved stone used for the old temple.

Researchers have plans to open the tunnel this summer. Several enlarged prints of the photos that were taken are on display inside the Zions Mercantile. Once the research is complete, there will be a full feature article in a future issue of LDS Living Magazine.

Adventure Zone

Van Dyke said, “It’s nice to see the crumbling castles and statues of kings, but now I think I’ve had enough of antiquated things.” As it was with the poet, so it goes oftentimes with our children. There’s no better way to jolt your little ones back to the future than to spend a long afternoon at Nauvoo’s Adventure Zone.

Located less than two miles from historic Nauvoo sites, Adventure Zone offers plenty of fun for the entire family. It features go-carts, mini paddle boats, a giant indoor playground, an arcade, a game room, edited movie rentals, and the best pizza around. Find it at 885 East Highway 96.

Branson, Missouri

Nestled in the heart of the Ozark Mountains, about 350 miles from Nauvoo, Branson is known as “The Live Entertainment Capital of the World.” World-class shows, as well as spectacular lakes, championship golf courses, thrilling theme parks, outlet malls, and eclectic restaurants make Branson a remarkable vacation destination for visitors of all ages and a worthwhile side trip after touring Nauvoo.

Performances

With more than fifty theaters and one hundred live shows, Branson features all types of live entertainment. Choose from country to comedy, magic to celebrity shows, there is sure to be something everyone in the family can enjoy.

Looking for laughs? Try Jim Stafford or Yakov Smirnoff. Relive memories of decades past with one of Branson’s tribute shows like The Road to Rock or Lost in the 50’s, or be dazzled by a master illusionist like Siegfried & Roy’s protégé Darren Romeo.

Attractions

For a day of family fun, visit one of Branson’s three exciting amusement parks. Step back in time to the late 1800s at Silver Dollar City, enjoy fireworks and laser shows at Celebration City, or beat the heat by shooting down the waterslides at White Water.

You can also have a great time in Branson by zipping around one of the dozens of go-cart tracks, riding the bumper boats, or playing a round of miniature golf. For those looking for something more adventurous, there is also bungee jumping and parasailing.

The Great Outdoors

In addition to the entertainment in Branson, take time to enjoy the beautiful scenery. Branson is home to three pristine lakes—Table Rock Lake, Lake Taneycomo, and Bull Shoals Lake—where you can enjoy bass and pontoon boats, jet skis, and wave runners. The lakes also boast clear waters filled with large mouth bass, crappie, walleye, catfish, and trout that are sure to lure in those who love to fish. There are also spectacular hiking trails throughout the Ozark Mountains, with plenty of magnificent caves to explore.

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