Nauvoo July 18, 2016

We got up at 6:30 this morning so we could get to Nauvoo and make the 8:00 session. We left the hotel just after 7:00 figuring we had plenty of time to make it since we were about 25 miles away. Unfortunately, I forgot to plan in the lower speed limits and once we were on the road, I noticed on the gps that we were scheduled to arrive at 8:01 a.m.  They only have sessions once an hour, so the next session didn't begin until 9:00. We really debated what to do.  We didn't want to miss the temple session but we didn't want to miss the sites either. In the end, we decided that we can attend the temple at home, but we can't see the sites at home. So, we visited the outside of the temple

The Nauvoo temple looking from the South

We were on the west (front) side of the temple

and then went down to the visitor center thinking we could just wait until it opened at 9:00 and then visit the sites around Nauvoo.

When we got there, it was open and had been since 7:30. The church web site had said 9:00 to 5:00 for all the sites. We talked to a missionary there and she told us all about the sites around Nauvoo. She told us about a 1/2 hour wagon tour that they had to give a good overview of the town and then we could visit the sites we wanted after that. Hey had tickets still available for the 9:20 ride, and we had about 5 minutes to get there so we headed there first. The missionaries drive the team and give the tour info. It was great and free to boot. That is one of the things we really appreciate about the church history sites.  We learned good information about the town.

After the wagon ride, we ended where we began near the Family Living Center.  So, we decided that would be a good place to start.  In the Family Living Center, they teach you about how the pioneers lived and how they did things.  We learned how to make Rope, barrels, pottery, bread, (they gave us a sample. Yum!), candles and how to weave a rug.  We loved getting a glimpse of pioneer life.

When we left there, we walked to the bakery and with that tour, got a gingerbread cookie. It was yummy. Then we went on down main street and visited the tinsmith home and shop, and the print shop and John Taylor home

This rocking horse actually belonged to John Taylor's family.  When they left, they left it behind, but he came back for it since it was so important to his son.

and the post office.  We walked on further and visited the boot maker shop.  Going back the other direction we stopped at the Browning gun shop.  We then returned to our car and went into town and grabbed a sandwich at a bakery there.

After lunch we stopped at the brickyard, the blacksmith shop

A replica of the Blacksmith shop

and then went down to the Mississippi river where the saints probably crossed when leaving Nauvoo.  They have a monument there

The monument at the Mississippi river.  It depicts Joseph Smith and Brigham Young with a map of the way to Utah.

The site the saints would have seen as they left Nauvoo.

and a wagon on a raft to show what it was like when they left.

This wagon is the size of the wagons the saints used and the raft like t

We then walked back along the road towards the blacksmith shop along the path of faith.  Along this path are 28 plaques that have statements of the saints about leaving Nauvoo.  This visit made the stories we have heard about this history of the church more real.

Looking down the trail of Faith

We went to the visitor center after that and enjoyed the displays and watched a film called "Remembering Nauvoo".  We then walked out and visited the women's garden.


 For most of the day, we were with small groups of people.  When we went into the visitor center it was really crowded, but by the time we came out of the movie, it was cleared out and the garden was empty except for just a couple of young women.

For Julie

Caption for the above picture

Caption for the above picture

Overall it was a very pleasant day.  We were worn out by that time and returned to our hotel and sat in the hot tub for a while.  It was nice and relaxing.

Our Nauvoo souvenirs: our brick and our prairie diamonds

We travel to Kansas City tomorrow, making a few stops on the way, so we will get on the road fairly early in the morning, but will be the end of the day when we get to our hotel.