Carthage, IL

 We left Columbia this morning, drove through the rest of Missouri, in to Illinois.

First stop was Carthage.

Old, falling down house in Carthage.

Inside the visitors center were some lovely paintings and furniture. The whole area was peaceful and park like.

The walls are two feet thick.

This is the well outside the upper-floor window that the Prophet Joseph Smith fell from after being shot to death by a mob.

Park, monuments, benches.

This is a REALLY cool side-board.

The scene in this painting was mentioned during the missionaries' presentations.

Some houses were NOT falling apart. 

Midwest USA has some really pretty towns. And back roads. And rich farm fields, and a really big river. Here's a view of that big river from the bridge at Hamilton. 

And the river as we approached Nauvoo.