Nauvoo and Carthage

The Nauvoo Temple

I'll finish off the month with a few more details of our Spring Break. The lake house we stayed at was about 30 miles away from Nauvoo, Illinois. We've visited Nauvoo in the past, but it's been a few years and neither Soren nor Sadie remembered it.

Spencer, Soren and Sterling in front of the Nauvoo Temple

On Wednesday morning (March 16), Sadie and I dropped the boys off at the Nauvoo Temple where they were able to do some baptisms for the dead for some family names that Grandma Stowell sent them. The girls strolled around town visiting the Fudge Factory (Yum!) and a cute gift shop. We picked up a few postcards for Sam then walked up to the post office for stamps so we could mail them from Nauvoo. We finally headed to the Visitors' Center and looked around at the many displays while we waited for the boys. We were able to watch a movie about Old Nauvoo and what it was like at its peak.  Sadie thought that was fun because we were the only ones in a huge auditorium.

Joseph and Hyrum's Last Ride

Once the boys were finished, we did the Nauvoo tour. There are a LOT of things to see and do in Nauvoo. Here is a list, in no particular order, of what we were able to see in about 5 or 6 hours:

• The Lands and Records office where we found information about a few of our relatives.
• The Old Nauvoo Burial Grounds - we were looking for a marker for one of my relatives. We were unable to find it, but it was a beautiful morning and we enjoyed exploring the cemetery. 
• The Blacksmith Shop where we each got a "Prairie Diamond."
• The John Taylor Home/Printing Office/Old Post Office
• The Browning Home and Gunshop - one of the highlights for Sterling. ;)
• The Smith family Cemetery where Joseph and Hyrum are buried.
• The Riser Home and Shoe Shop
• The Lucy Mack Smith Home
• The Brickyard where we received a Nauvoo brick.
• The Scovil Bakery
• The Stoddard Home and Tin Shop
• The Family Living Center

Our Nauvoo Brick and "Prairie Diamond" rings

Old Nauvoo Burial Grounds

It was a busy day. The weather was perfectly mild and comfortable, and we enjoyed seeing our old favorite sites and exploring some new ones. As much as we crammed in, there is still more to see on our next trip to Nauvoo. :)

A pretty view of the Mississippi River on our drive back to the lake house. 

The next day we drove into Carthage for a quick tour of the jail before heading home. This is where Joseph and Hyrum were shot and killed. We watched a film about Joseph Smith's life and got to walk through the home/jail where he spent his last days. We walked where we had walked and felt that we were on hallowed ground. 

Statue of Joseph and Hyrum outside of Carthage Jail

This is the window that Joseph Smith jumped out of when he was shot and killed.

Carthage was a great way to end our church history tour. Just one more quick stop before we headed home, but that's a post of its own...