Editing Nauvoo, Illinois (section)

==History==
{{Main|History of Nauvoo, Illinois|Nauvoo Historic District}}
[[File:Nauvoo1859Schroder.jpg|thumb|left|1859 painting by Johann Schroder of Nauvoo from a vantage point of eastern bluffs on the opposite side of the Mississippi River]]
The area of Nauvoo was first called '''Quashquame''', named in honor of the [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] chief who headed a [[Sauk people|Sauk]] and [[Meskwaki]] settlement numbering nearly 500 lodges. By 1827, white settlers had built cabins in the area, and by 1829, it was sufficiently settled to warrant a post office. In 1832, the town, by then called '''Venus''', was one of the contenders for the new county seat. However, the honor was awarded to a nearby city, [[Carthage, Illinois|Carthage]]. In 1834, the name Venus was changed to '''Commerce'''.<ref name="Blum">{{Cite book | last=Blum |first=Ida |date=1969 |title=Nauvoo—An American Heritage |location=Carthage, IL |publisher=Journal Printing Company}}</ref><ref name="BeautifulNauvoo" >{{cite web |url=https://beautifulnauvoo.com/early-mississippi-native-americans-and-nauvoo/ |title=Early Mississippi Native Americans and Nauvoo| author=<!--Not stated--> |publisher=Beautiful Nauvoo |access-date=13 August 2022 |quote=There were many plans and dreams for Commerce and Commerce City, but the great Panic of 1837 put an end to them all.}}</ref> 

In late 1838, [[Apostle (Latter Day Saints)|Apostle]] [[Brigham Young]] counseled [[Israel Barlow]] and 32 other Latter-day Saints to leave [[Far West, Missouri]], to search for a place for more than 12,000 homeless Saints to find refuge. While journeying in exile, Barlow would separate from the group and eventually make the acquaintance of Dr. [[Isaac Galland]], the owner of land near [[Montrose, Iowa]], and Commerce, Illinois. After hearing of the dire plight of the Saints, Galland offered Barlow to sell the Saints the properties on good terms, an offer that Barlow relayed to Church leaders. The Church purchased the property from Galland in 1839 and the dispersed Saints once again began to gather together, particularly along the [[Mississippi River]] at Commerce.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

In April 1840 Commerce was renamed '''Nauvoo'''<ref>{{Cite book |title=Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Hancock County, Vol. II |publisher=Munsell Publishing Company |location=Chicago |date=1921}}</ref> by [[Joseph Smith]], who led the Latter-day Saints there to escape [[1838 Mormon War|conflict with the state government]] in Missouri. The name Nauvoo is derived from the traditional [[Hebrew language]] with an [[anglicization|anglicized]] spelling. The word comes from [[Book of Isaiah|Isaiah]] 52:7, "How beautiful (נָּאווּ, ''nâwû'') upon the mountains..." By 1844 "Nauvoo's population had swollen to 12,000, rivaling the size of [[Chicago]]" at the time.<ref>''American Experience: The Mormon's''. "Act 3 - Persecution"; Chapter 5. PBS Documentary. (2006) DVD, 240 minutes.</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Hoyt |first=Homer |title=One Hundred Years of Land Values in Chicago |year=1933 |publisher=University of Chicago |isbn=1-58798-016-9 |pages=49–50}}</ref>

[[File:Nauvoo3b24766u.jpg|thumb|left|Engraving of Nauvoo, {{circa|1855}}]]
[[John C. Bennett]], Smith's Assistant President and first commander of the [[Nauvoo Legion]], was elected mayor of Nauvoo in 1841. He was replaced by Smith himself in 1842. After [[Death of Joseph Smith|Smith's death]] two years later, continued violence from surrounding non-LDS members forced most Latter-day Saints to leave Nauvoo.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mormons-begin-exodus-to-utah |title=Mormons begin exodus to Utah - Feb 10, 1846 |work=History.com |access-date=May 10, 2018}}</ref> Most of these followers, led by [[Brigham Young]], emigrated to the [[Salt Lake Valley|Great Salt Lake Valley]]. 

In 1849, [[Icarians]] moved to the Nauvoo area to implement a [[utopian socialism|utopian socialist]] [[commune (intentional community)|commune]] based on the ideals of [[France|French]] philosopher [[Étienne Cabet]]. The colony had nearly 500 members at its peak, but the community disbanded in 1856. Cabet and 175 followers relocated to St. Louis in Nov. 1856, and Cabet died two days later.<ref name="Blum">{{Cite book | last=Blum |first=Ida |date=1969 |title=Nauvoo—An American Heritage |location=Carthage, IL |publisher=Journal Printing Company}}</ref>

After the departure of the Icarians, Nauvoo became the largest German-speaking community in Illinois and remained so for fifty years. German was spoken widely in town and in the Catholic, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Methodist churches.<ref name="Blum" /> During this period, wine-making and fruit production thrived in Nauvoo. Notable residents from this era included the Swiss memoirist [[Heinrich Lienhard]]. During [[World War I]], most of Nauvoo's native-German speaking residents stopped using German in public, and the use of German had entirely faded away by [[World War II]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://beautifulnauvoo.com/nauvoo-german-icarian-history/ |title=Nauvoo German-Icarian History| author=<!--Not stated--> |publisher=Beautiful Nauvoo |access-date=29 July 2022 |quote=The most German speaking town in Illinois}}</ref>