Sunday, September 11, 2016 – Sacrament Meeting, Jail Tours

Today was our first full day with Sis. Johnson’s parents, Jim & Betty Burk. We were on our way to Nauvoo by 7:10am to attend our Sunday services. When we arrived we were surprised to see the chapel full and the overflow and cultural hall filled halfway to the stage. We discovered that there were two full tour buses of visitors to this morning’s sacrament meeting. 

Usually Sis. Johnson and I are “On Call” on Sundays.  Once or twice a month we are assigned to give tours on Sunday in Nauvoo at one of the historic sites. Today was different, for the first time we were assigned to give tours right here in the Carthage Visitor’s Center. Our shift started at 12:30pm and ended at 5:00pm.

 The very first tour of the Carthage Jail was with Sis. Johnson’s mother & father, Jim & Betty Burk. Our good friend, Sis. Bowler, gave the tour since Sis. Johnson and I were in training. Both of us had already read and studied the tour material. Watching and listening to Sis. Bowler was really helpful for us to see how it was done.  By the end of the day Sis. Johnson & I were giving tours on our own and I think we did a pretty good job of it.

It was a busy afternoon in the Carthage Visitor’s Center and Jail tours. In addition to the families that came to Carthage for tours of the jail, the same two buses full of tourists that attended our Sacrament meeting this morning also showed up for tours of the Carthage Jail. We were very busy.

CARTHAGE JAIL HISTORY

1839       Work began on the building of the jail in the county seat of Hancock County, ILL. at a cost of $4105. It was  the same year the Mormons arrived in Nauvoo.

1844       Joseph and Hyrum Smith were martyred in the upper room.

1866       The jail was auctioned to Bryant F. Peterson for $1100.

1871       James Browning (nephew of the gunsmith Jonathan Browning) purchased the building for $1500. And his family lived in it for over 30 years.

1903 Joseph F. Smith, President and trustee-in-trust for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased the building for $4,000, approximately the cost of its original construction.

1903 – 1938 The jail was leased or rented for individuals for residential use.

1938       Joseph and Eunice McRae were sent to Carthage to supervise the restoration of the old jail to its 1844 appearance.  They stayed and gave tours for 20 years.

1963       With restoration projects taking place in Nauvoo, a visitors’ center was constructed at the Carthage Jail site.

1989       Major renovations were completed to the property and dedication services for the Carthage Jail block were held on June 27, 1989, the 145^th anniversary of the Martyrdom of Joseph & Hyrum.

Every tour of the Carthage Jail ends in the room where Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were martyred. No other place in all of Nauvoo is as hallowed as this spot. Each time I gave a tour today I stood in that room and I became very emotional as I told the guests about the significance of this place. I explained that this is the very spot where Joseph and Hyrum sealed with their blood their testimonies that God the Father and His son Jesus Christ did indeed appeared to Joseph Smith.  I explained that this is the very spot where Joseph and Hyrum seal with their blood their testimonies of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And, this is the very spot where Joseph and Hyrum seal with their blood their testimonies that the Book of Mormon is indeed the word of God.