Nauvoo
Hancock County, Illinois

Nauvoo
Residents

                                                                                                 Crossing From Nauvoo, C. C. A. Christensen

History

Nauvoo, Illinois rose from the swamplands of the Mississippi River to become a thriving settlement that once rivaled 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.
                                                                                        Source: http://www.historicnauvoo.net

Maps

"Take a trip back to the 1840s. Walk the gardens of the newly reconstructed Nauvoo Temple, and discover the arts of blacksmithing, coopering, weaving, candle-making, printing, brick making, and more. Explore a historic bakery equipped with a bustle oven, examine the gun collection of the Browning family, or review the stirring history of the early settlers at the visitors center. There's so much to see and do, and it's all free.
Once home to thousands of settlers, Nauvoo rivaled its neighbor Chicago in size. Over two dozen historic sites have been returned to their former stature and refurbished with period furnishings by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."

Source: http://www.lds.org/placestovisit/location/0,10634,1838-1-1-1,00.html