After we left Carthage Wednesday morning late, we went to Nauvoo 's Historic area that the Church has reconstructed/restored over the past decades. Many homes and Businesses are manned by full time missionaries, young and old, every day from 9 until 5. They all rotate through each of the homes daily. One day they'll be making horse shoes, the next day, people shoes! Or bread.
Wednesday afternoon we had time to view a number of sites and enjoyed a lunchtime picnic on the park-like grounds.
Each place shared facts, quotes, stories of the people who lived there. We really enjoyed it a lot.
Wednesdays sites were:
* Smith Family Homestead
* Nauvoo Mansion
* View of Nauvoo House
* Seventies Hall
* Webb Blacksmith Shop AND Wainwright Shop
* Riser Boot and Shoe Shop
* Calvin and Sally Pendleton Home ( school)
* John Taylor Home
* Scoville Bakery
* Family Living Center
* Lucy Mack Smith Home
WOW! That was a lot of places!!
Thursday the 14th, we had a 10 am Temple session appointment, and we got there on time and enjoyed it very much. I was surprised to find that the session moved through rooms with murals representing the creation, garden, world. But that's how the endowment was first introduced in the latter days. It was the first place the endowment was offered to most members, but then they had to leave their beautiful new temple! They sacrificed so much!
After the temple session, we drove all around the teeny tiny town of Nauvoo. We kind of wanted to eat lunch there. But there's nothing in this tiny town of 1,100 souls. We drove down the long dirt road to our cottage in the Hayfield to change clothes, but first we drove down to the river! Saw people fishing and a dead end road.
After we changed, we thought we'd find something in the next spot on the map. Nope. Tinier, still. There was ONE eatery in Nauvoo that had cars parked at it, even after the usual noon hour lunch. ( Another place had zero customers). So we went back there, grabbed a burger and fries. It was good, AND the first time in our four day road trip that we've bought food. Other than an ice cream bar. We also wandered thru the few open shops and I bought us a refrigerator magnet. And Bee soap!
We also spent some time with Randy Douglas on the phone to find out where their home and businesses were when they lived in Nauvoo several years ago. But we didn't talk long before the poor cell phone service cut us off. We did find them, though. I wish I would have known he still owned Nauvoo Vacation Villas. We would have rented from him! They are much newer and nicer than what I got ! ( AND on a paved street, instead of a dusty gravel road). At least it looked that way on the outside. I'm sure they are! And he'd said we would have been given a really great discount. <sigh> Next time?
By then it was after two, so we headed down to the historic area and visited the following sites:
* Red Brick Store
* Lyon Drug Store
* Orson and Marinda Hyde Home
* Heber and Vilate Kimball Home
* William and Caroline Weeks Home
* Edward and Ann Hunter Home
* Stonecutter Pavilion ( only brief)
* West Grove
* Monument to Women
It was after 5 pm by then, so we headed back to our rental, mailing birthday cards on the way.
I think we will try to see just a few more things tomorrow before we leave Nauvoo. Randy said we should go to the land and title office, but that doesn't exist any longer. But there's a family search center that will help us find any relationship of people who lived in Nauvoo. And the Woodruff home will have a nice presentation, too. Live actor portraying Phoebe Woodruff. And I think that's it! Maybe the Kimball home, too. If we're there by nine am, that should work.
We'll have to wash our truck ( tiny Nauvoo DOES have a car wash!) when we leave this rental place. The dust from the white gravel road has really done a number on the exterior AND the enclosed/covered truck bed.
Some photos from the days:
Our first view of the Mighty Mississippi River on the Illinois side, heading up to Nauvoo.
A garden is at this rental. The gardenER was there weeding or harvesting when we returned.
Kinda weird to have some there. I felt like we were being checked on.
There's flowers in their garden.
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