Nauvoo Historic District facts for kids

Nauvoo Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Joseph Smith Homestead
Location in Illinois Show map of Illinois Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Nauvoo, Illinois
Area	3,850 acres (1,560 ha)
Built	1839 (1839)
NRHP reference No.	66000321
Quick facts for kids Significant dates
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1966
Designated NHLD	January 20, 1961

The Nauvoo Historic District is a special area in Nauvoo, Illinois. It's like a time capsule of the city as it was in 1840. This district is so important that it's called a National Historic Landmark District. It even includes the old Pioneer Saints Cemetery. This cemetery is the oldest one for early members of the Latter Day Saint movement.

Historic Buildings and Sites

The Nauvoo Historic District is home to many important buildings. These structures help tell the story of Nauvoo's past. They show what life was like when the city was first settled.

Here are some of the historic places you can find in the district:

Carving at the LDS Temple Quarry

While many old buildings remain, there are also newer buildings in the district.

Why Nauvoo is Important

The Nauvoo Historic District was named a National Historic Landmark in 1961. It is very important because it was the main home for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from 1839 to 1846. It also shows how early communities were planned by the Latter Day Saint movement.

Nauvoo was once the largest city in Illinois. This happened for a short time in the 1840s. Even with many modern changes, you can still see the city's original plan. It had wide streets laid out in a grid pattern. There are also many old archaeological sites from the early settlement period. One important site is where the original Nauvoo Temple once stood. The temple was burned in 1848 and later destroyed by a tornado in 1865.

Nauvoo's Later History

Most members of the Latter Day Saints left Nauvoo in 1848. However, some, like Emma Hale Smith and her children, stayed behind. In the mid-1950s, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began buying and restoring many properties. They wanted to share the history of the 1840s.

In 2024, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bought the Joseph Smith Historic Site. This site was previously owned by the Community of Christ. The Community of Christ still owns the Smith Family Cemetery. This cemetery's upkeep is paid for by the Smith Family Foundation.

See also

• History of Nauvoo, Illinois
• List of National Historic Landmarks in Illinois