Nauvoo, Illinois rose from the swamplands of the Mississippi River to become a thriving settlement that once rivalled Chicago in size. After 1839, Nauvoo provided a refuge for the Prophet Joseph Smith and the early members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Between 1839 and 1846, Nauvoo became the religious, governmental, and cultural center for the Church. More than 2,000 homes built of brick, frame, and logs housed the growing population, as members gathered to rejoice in the newly established city. Difficulties increased, however, and in 1846 the Saints left their homes behind and began a monumental westward trek to the valley of the Great Salt Lake.

Today, visitors can explore more than 40 authentically restored historic homes and businesses of early Church leaders and craftsmen and the landscaped grounds of the reconstructed Nauvoo Temple, all of them free of charge.