Editing Nauvoo, Illinois (section)

==Nauvoo today==
On the city's higher ground are the temple, residential areas, and the business district along Mulholland Street (Illinois Route 96), much of it devoted to the needs of tourists and those interested in [[Latter Day Saint movement|Latter-day Saint]] history. The flatlands are occupied by a small number of 19th-century brick houses and other buildings that have survived the city's vicissitudes, with large empty spaces between them where houses and whole neighborhoods have disappeared.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

The [[Community of Christ]] previously owned much of the southern end of the flatlands as well as several key historic sites in and around Nauvoo, including the Joseph Smith Homestead, the [[Nauvoo House]], the [[Red Brick Store]], the [[Joseph Smith Mansion House|Mansion House]], and the [[Smith Family Cemetery]]. On March 5, 2024, it was announced that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had acquired all of these properties with the exception of the Smith Family Cemetery as part of a larger transfer of historically significant properties and artifacts from the Community of Christ.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/frequently-asked-questions-clarify-the-transfer-of-sacred-sites-and-historic-documents | title=Frequently Asked Questions Clarify the Transfer of Sacred Sites and Historic do | date=March 5, 2024 }}</ref>

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also owns most of the other historic sites in Nauvoo, including the homes of [[Brigham Young]], [[Heber C. Kimball]], and other early members of the church, as well as other significant buildings. Most of these sites are open to the public, with demonstrations and displays, and there are self-guided driving tours as well as wagon tours. These tours are free, as are the stage and riverside theatrical productions. There is a large visitors' center complete with two theaters and a relief map of 1846 Nauvoo.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

[[File:View of Nauvoo by John Schroede.png|upright=1.25|thumb|left|From Map of Hancock County published in 1859]]
The creation of Nauvoo as a historical tourism destination was largely a result of the work of J. LeRoy Kimball (1901–1992). Kimball was a descendant of early LDS leader [[Heber C. Kimball]], and bought his ancestor's home in 1954 with the intention of restoring it.<ref name="Nauvoo84">{{cite book |first=Janath R. |last=Cannon |title=Nauvoo Panorama: Views of Nauvoo before, during and after its rise, fall, and restoration |location=Nauvoo |publisher=Nauvoo Restoration, Inc |date=1991 |page=84}}</ref> He was the president of Nauvoo Restoration, Inc. from 1962 to 1986.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/254347/DEATH--J-LEROY-KIMBALL-MD.html?pg=all |title=Death: J. Leroy Kimball, M.D. |date=October 20, 1992 |newspaper=Deseret News |access-date=September 24, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927003524/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/254347/DEATH--J-LEROY-KIMBALL-MD.html?pg=all |archive-date=September 27, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite encyclopedia |editor-first=Donald Q. |editor-last=Cannon |editor-link=Donald Q. Cannon |title=Nauvoo |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of LDS Church History |page=823}}</ref>

A Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints congregation was established in Nauvoo in 1956, from its inception consisting largely of elderly LDS couples serving as [[Mormon missionaries|missionaries]] and historical guides.<ref name="Nauvoo84" /> The ''City of Joseph'' pageant, an outdoor musical produced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, began to run each summer in 1976. A [[Stake (LDS Church)|stake]] was organized with headquarters at Nauvoo in 1979.<ref>Cannon (1991), p. 86-97.</ref>  In addition to the many homes that had been restored, the [[Relief Society]] Memorial Garden was dedicated in 1978, featuring statues designed by [[Dennis Smith (sculptor)|Dennis Smith]] and Florence Hansen.<ref>Cannon (1991), p. 87.</ref>

In June 2002, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints completed construction of a new [[Nauvoo Illinois Temple|temple]] on the site of the [[Nauvoo Temple|original temple]]. The exterior, and much of the interior, is a copy of the original. The exterior matches the original exactly except in three ways: The temple was positioned {{convert|12.5|ft|m}} south to allow for parking on the north side, there are two new exterior doors (with an entrance on the north for disabled persons and emergency exits in the basement on the east) and there is a standing [[Angel Moroni]] as is seen on most modern temples; the original was an unspecified flying angel, also with a horn in hand but in a horizontal position with the compass, square and flame above.<ref>''Perrigrine Sessions Journal'', January 30, 1846, Church Archives</ref>

The rebuilding of the Nauvoo Temple was an occasion of great joy and enthusiasm for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During the public open house prior to its dedication, 331,849 visitors toured the building.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/nauvoo-illinois-temple/ |title=Nauvoo Illinois Temple |access-date=May 28, 2013 |website=Church of Jesus Christ Temples.org}}</ref> Following 
Church custom, the temple is now used only by Church members.

[[File:Nauvoo flooding 2008.jpg|thumb|Nauvoo House during the 2008 flood]]
The work to renovate various sites of historical significance in the area is coordinated by ''Nauvoo Restoration, Incorporated''. NRI is a nonprofit organization supported by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Community of Christ, as well as others interested in Nauvoo's history. Due to the work of NRI and its members, Nauvoo has been dubbed the "[[Colonial Williamsburg|Williamsburg]] of the Midwest." In March 2007, Nauvoo was nominated to compete as one of the Seven Wonders of Illinois.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.enjoyillinois.com/sevenwonders/ |title=Enjoy Illinois : Seven Wonders |website=Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208185101/http://www.enjoyillinois.com/sevenwonders/ |archive-date=2007-02-08}}</ref>

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints sponsors numerous activities throughout the year in Nauvoo including The Nauvoo Pageant (July/August). The 2020 pageant was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/camps-youth-conferences-pageants-2020 |title=Church Cancels 2020 Treks and Pageants |date=30 April 2020  |website=LDS Church}}</ref> The community sponsors the Grape Festival (Labor Day weekend) and Pumpkin Walk (October).

Because most of the city is well above flood level, Nauvoo has not historically had problems when the Mississippi River has risen. In both the floods of 1993 and 2008, very little damage was sustained within city limits.  Topography maps show a unique feature of Nauvoo with main street starting at the edge of the Mississippi River on the south side of town and ending at the Mississippi River's edge on the north.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

Nauvoo has many places of worship, among them: United Methodist Church, St Peter & Paul Catholic Church, Cornerstone of Zion Church, Living Hope Church (non-denominational), a Community of Christ (formerly known as The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), and three [[Ward (LDS Church)|wards]] of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.beautifulnauvoo.com/churches/ |title=Nauvoo Churches |website=Historic Nauvoo Chamber of Commerce |access-date=March 30, 2019}}</ref>