Levan Homestead

TRAIL OF HOPE: Grandpa and I went in to the visitor's center early on

Monday morning (June 20th) to get tickets and a time slot for the wagon

ride for the group. After getting tickets, our first stop was a more in depth

visit to the Trail of Hope on Parley's street.

Joseph and Brigham over look the sacred spot where the saints crossed

the Mississippi River when they were driven from Nauvoo.

The river would have been narrower in pioneer times because a

dam further down has created a "lake" in the area presently,
.

A Big Barge was moving past that morning.

Ethan, Jason and Ben at the visitor's center.

A sample sun stone from the Nauvoo Temple.

OUR OX CART RIDE:

WAGON RIDE: The wagon ride gave us an overview tour of Nauvoo,

so we could map our priority sites following the ride.

There was more than one wagon and team of horses.

This was our team of horses.

The wagon was big enough to hold us all!

The temple from our wagon ride.

On the ride we learned that some homes, like the Nathaniel Ashby, Erastus Snow
and Samuel Williams homes are now apartments for the Senior missionaries.

This section is a patch of prairie grass, which was the natural vegetation when
the saints arrived. By summer's end it can be nearly 10 feet high. Can you image
how fast a prairie fire fueled by driedprairie grass would travel. This patch is
control-burned each fall and it burns in less than 5 min.

Natural vegetation along the Mississippi River. (Far fewer mosquitoes now.)

Highlights of our visits following the wagon ride.

GUNSMITH'S SHOP

Most of the businesses served as a home on

one end and the business on the other.

On the right is what the Brownings' front parlor may have looked like.

First generation gun maker. Second generation gun maker genius.

Ethan and Malea

Beautiful china owned by the Brownings.

The hide-away cellar in the Browning Home.

THE PRINT SHOP!

This is where we learned that a "dig bat" is a
pretty design used in printing to take up space.

Bins where the lettering, numbers, comas, periods etc. are stored.

Notice the newsprint drying one rack above our heads.

WOMEN'S GARDEN: In this age when the woman’s role in society is being questioned and scrutinized, the gospel of Jesus Christ provides a clear and eternal pattern amid the confused and uninspired philosophies of men. In order to depict the Latter-day Saint conception of the role of women in the gospel plan, the Relief Society created a monument at the visitors center in Nauvoo, Illinois, that illustrates the various stewardships and responsibilities of women in a series of thirteen statues placed in a garden setting.

Anna with Joseph and Emma:The organization of the R.S. Woman

Woman in prayer Woman and her talents.

Woman of compassion Courtship for eternity

In the family circle

In her mother's footsteps. Preparing her son.

Teaching with love. Fulfillment

The model for this "Woman of learning" was

the Levan First Ward's Bishop's wife: Robyn Allred!

Joyful Moment

TIN SHOP:

Making household items from tin was an art.

Items were made and sold from this shop.

Common items began with a pattern like those on the back wall.

Each family had a different pattern on their lantern. Residence were able to

recognize who was coming on a dark night by the pattern of light emitted.

BLACKSMITH'S SHOP:

This shop made me think of Grandpa Allan and Uncle Blaine.

CARRIAGE RIDE:

The carriage ride took us in a more rural part of Nauvoo.

This is an old well house from the pioneer era.

Lovely farms are lived in and farmed in this area.

This little butterfly thought my shirt was a flower. :)

Joseph spend much time on this knoll in meditation and prayer.

It became his "sacred grove" here in Nauvoo.

This ride was filled with stories of people from early Nauvoo.

There was not enough action for Nathan.

COMMUNITY CHURCH OF CHRIST PROPERTY IN NAUVOO:

This is the church began by Joseph and Emma's posterity. It was once

known as the "The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The family organization still owns a few acres in Nauvoo.

This is Joseph and Emma's homestead.

The Mississippi River is seen in the background with natural vegetation

skirting the undisturbed ground where the Joseph and Emma are buried.

Not all of the graves are marked with headstones.

This is the Mansion House

THE JOHN TAYLOR HOME: John Taylor became the 3rd president of the Church.

He was with Joseph and Hyrum in Carthage jail. He sang, "A Poor Wayfaring

Man of Grief" at Hyrum's request just prior to the martyrdom.

The dishes on the table were excavated. from this site.

This rocking horse was made by John Taylor for his son. When they were forced

to leave Nauvoo, this little horse was left behind. The little son could not be

consoled when he realized the horse was not with them. John Taylor risked his life

to return under the cloak of darkness to get this horse for his son. It crossed the plains

with the family and was returned to Nauvoo when the Taylor's home was restored.

Brick Quarry

Many of the homes and businesses were made of the red brick.

The clay for the brick was quarried here in pioneer days.

This is where the brick was formed and fired.

There were no kilns large enough to handle the demand, so the

bricks themselves formed the kiln with the fire inside. The bricks

came out in three colors depending on how far they were from the fire.

PENDLETON HOME AND LOG SCHOOL:

This was home for a family on one side with a school house build on back.

Our math lesson for the day told a lot about the people in early Nauvoo.

There were 1500 log homes, 650 frame homes and 350 brick homes.

Approximately 12,500 people called Nauvoo home in those days.

This Senior Missionary Sister was our teacher for the day.

THE POST OFFICE/MERCANTILE:

The post office served as the mercantile as well.

Grandpa was fascinated by the tools and products available to the pioneers.

Anna and Ethan would have been water haulers in early Nauvoo.

FAMILY LIVING CENTER: This is where you can

learn a little about the essential pioneer crafts of early Nauvoo.

Baking

Pottery

Rug maker

Barrel making (Cooper trade)

Candle Making

Spinning yarn

Making fabric or rugs on looms.

Only the Shirleys did the handcart experience.

They said it was worth it!

PIONEER PAST TIMES

Joshua

Nathan Eliza

Nathan

The Ole BAKERY

SEVENTIES BUILDING

This is the original Angel Moroni used in Nauvoo.

DOWN TOWN NAUVOO:

Anna on guard

TEMPLE TRIPS:

Karrie, Andy, Colton, Malea, Grandpa, Grandma, Laura and Jason

The officiator of othe 4:00 p.m. session was Dad’s first cousin,
Lloyd Burton. To top it off, another of Dad’s first cousins,
Lois Rayl Rice, (Kenison side) was on the session.(She as there

for the wedding of a grandson.) You have to remember that there are
only six sessions per day and each can only hold 40 patrons. It felt
like a miracle because Lois is from Canada!