Old Nauvoo

This last week Maria, her baby, and I got to go to Nauvoo. We got to leave the boys behind and have a little time to ourselves (although I would have loved to have my hubby with me). Old Nauvoo was so cool. I learned so much about our church history. We were lucky enough to be there during the Nauvoo pagent. It was so awesome! I didn't post all my pictures because I took so many but here are a few of the better ones. Sorry they are out of order.

This is the Mansion House. The Smiths lived there and then they leased out the rest of the house because they couldn't afford it. The person that leased it out used the rest of the rooms as a hotel.


This Joseph Smiths house. The Community of Christ (RLDS) owns this and the mansion house and didn't allow us to take pictures inside. They had tons of original stuff that belonged to the prophet and his family. The well on the side has a cool story about using dynamite to make it deeper and the rocks from the blast almost hitting Joseph. I don't want to tell you all the stories that they told me because I want you all to go there and experience them yourself!


This is the cemetery. There aren't any gravestone markers. It's a very peaceful place. Originally the bodies were hid/buried under the bee shack. They were later exhumed and buried in this cemetery.


This rocking horse belonged to John Taylor's son. When the saints were forced out of Nauvoo the Taylor's left this rocking horse behind. His son was so upset about it that John Taylor (3rd president of the church) risked his life to go back under disguise and get the rocking horse. I don't know how far they had traveled before he came back to get it. That is the actual rocking horse.



This is Brigham Young's house. Most of the houses looked like this on the outside. John Taylor's house, the Browning home (yes the guy who started making the Browning guns), the post office (operated in a families home), Lucy Mack Smith's house (Joseph's mom), and many other places all look like this place outside. Each place you go into has a different story with a few original family items. You learn about their way of life (wheelwrights, blacksmiths, carpenters....etc)

The Nauvoo temple at night with the Joseph and Hyrum monument to the right.


I thought that these wild flowers were really pretty. This is also were the boats would come in directly to main street. You can kind of see the Mississippi river in the background.


The headstones of the prophet, his wife, and brother. This is on the edge of the graveyard next to the smith's house.


The side of the Nauvoo temple in the day time.

Here is the Joseph and Hyrum Smith monument. Thats the Mississippi River in the background. I believe that monument was brought here in 2003.

The Nauvoo temple again. It was just so beautiful! I couldn't stop taking pictures of it.


This is a hibiscus flower. They have them everywhere in Nauvoo. They are HUGE and BEAUTIFUL!! This one is about the size of a seedless watermelon.

This is a statue inside the visitors center. I loved it. There were tons of cool shows and places to see. I learned so much about the places and the people. I can't wait to go back with my Hubby sometime!