Nauvoo ( ; from the ) is a small city in

Hancock County, Illinois Hancock County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it has a population of 17,620. Its county seat is Carthage, Illinois, Carthage, and its largest city is H ...

, United States, on the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

near Fort Madison, Iowa. The population of Nauvoo was 950 at the 2020 census. Nauvoo attracts visitors for its historic importance and its religious significance to members of several groups:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...

; the

Community of Christ Community of Christ, known legally and from 1872 to 2001 as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS), is an American-based international church, and is the second-largest denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement ...

, formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (RLDS); other groups stemming from the

Latter Day Saint movement The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the LDS movement, LDS restorationist movement, or Smith–Rigdon movement) is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded by ...

; and the Icarians. The city and its immediate surrounding area are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

as the Nauvoo Historic District.

History

The area of Nauvoo was first called Quashquame, named in honor of the Native American chief who headed a Sauk and

Meskwaki The Meskwaki (sometimes spelled Mesquaki), also known by the European exonyms Fox Indians or the Fox, are a Native American people. They have been closely linked to the Sauk people of the same language family. In the Meskwaki language, th ...

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 Carthage was an ancient city in Northern Africa, on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classic ...

. In 1834, the name Venus was changed to Commerce. In late 1838,

Apostle An apostle (), in its literal sense, is an emissary. The word is derived from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (''apóstolos''), literally "one who is sent off", itself derived from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (''apostéllein''), "to se ...

Brigham Young Brigham Young ( ; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second President of the Church (LDS Church), president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1847 until h ...

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

at Commerce. In April 1840 Commerce was renamed Nauvoo by

Joseph Smith Joseph Smith Jr. (December 23, 1805June 27, 1844) was an American religious and political leader and the founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. Publishing the Book of Mormon at the age of 24, Smith attracted tens of thou ...

, who led the Latter-day Saints there to escape conflict with the state government in Missouri. The name Nauvoo is derived from the traditional

Hebrew language Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and remained in regular use as a first language unti ...

with an

anglicized Anglicisation or anglicization is a form of cultural assimilation whereby something non-English becomes assimilated into or influenced by the culture of England. It can be sociocultural, in which a non-English place adopts the English language ...

spelling. The word comes from

Isaiah Isaiah ( or ; , ''Yəšaʿyāhū'', "Yahweh is salvation"; also known as Isaias or Esaias from ) was the 8th-century BC Israelite prophet after whom the Book of Isaiah is named. The text of the Book of Isaiah refers to Isaiah as "the prophet" ...

52:7, "How beautiful (נָּאווּ, ''nâwû'') upon the mountains..." By 1844 "Nauvoo's population had swollen to 12,000, rivaling the size of

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

" at the time. Nauvoo3b24766u

John C. Bennett, Smith's Assistant President and first commander of the

Nauvoo Legion The Nauvoo Legion was a state-authorized Latter-day Saints Militias and Military Units, militia of Nauvoo, Illinois, United States from February 4, 1841 until January 29, 1845. Its main function was the defense of Nauvoo and surrounding Latte ...

, was elected mayor of Nauvoo in 1841. He was replaced by Smith himself in 1842. After Smith's death two years later, continued violence from surrounding non-LDS members forced most Latter-day Saints to leave Nauvoo. Most of these followers, led by

, emigrated to the Great Salt Lake Valley. In 1849, Icarians moved to the Nauvoo area to implement a utopian socialist commune based on the ideals of 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. 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. 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 World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, 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 World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

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 The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the LDS movement, LDS restorationist movement, or Smith–Rigdon movement) is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded b ...

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. The

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 Red Brick Store in Nauvoo, Illinois, was a building constructed and owned by Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Original building Smith constructed the Red Brick Store in 1841. The building became a center of economic, p ...

, the 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. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also owns most of the other historic sites in Nauvoo, including the homes of

, 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. View of Nauvoo by John Schroede

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. He was the president of Nauvoo Restoration, Inc. from 1962 to 1986. 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

missionaries A missionary is a member of a religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Miss ...

and historical guides. 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 was organized with headquarters at Nauvoo in 1979. In addition to the many homes that had been restored, the

Relief Society The Relief Society is a philanthropic and educational women's organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It was founded in 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois, United States, and has more than 7 million members in over 1 ...

Memorial Garden was dedicated in 1978, featuring statues designed by Dennis Smith and Florence Hansen. In June 2002, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints completed construction of a new

temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...

on the site of the 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 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 The angel Moroni () is an angel whom Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, reported as having visited him on numerous occasions, beginning on September 21, 1823. According to Smith, the angel Moroni was the guardian of the gold ...

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. 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. Following Church custom, the temple is now used only by Church members. Nauvoo flooding 2008

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 " Williamsburg of the Midwest." In March 2007, Nauvoo was nominated to compete as one of the Seven Wonders of Illinois. 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. 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. 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 wards of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Geography

Nauvoo is at (40.5446, −91.3803). Situated on a wide bend in the

, Nauvoo has most of the historic district in the lower flat lands (called the ''flats'') that are no more than a few feet above the water line. A prominent hill rises as one moves further east, at the apex of which stands the rebuilt Nauvoo Temple. Beginning with the temple, this elevated land (called the ''uptown'') continues flat for many miles eastward. According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Nauvoo has a total area of , of which (or 70.15%) is land and (or 29.85%) is water.

Demographics

Non-census data indicates that the population of Nauvoo grew from 100 in 1839 to about 4,000 in 1842, 12,000 in 1844, and stood at about 11,000 in 1845.

2020

As of the 2020 census there were 950 people, 313 households, and 245 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 645 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 90.95%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.32%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 1.16% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.11%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 1.26% from other races, and 6.00% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 2.84% of the population. There were 313 households, out of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.41% were married couples living together, 7.67% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.73% were non-families. 17.25% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.27% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.15 and the average family size was 2.88. The city's age distribution consisted of 25.4% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 10.6% from 45 to 64, and 28.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 116.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.9 males. The median income for a household in the city was $50,938, and the median income for a family was $53,224. Males had a median income of $38,500 versus $12,708 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $20,386. About 23.3% of families and 30.2% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 36.9% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

The Nauvoo Blue Cheese company began to produce

cheese Cheese is a type of dairy product produced in a range of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk (usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats or sheep). During prod ...

in the 1930s. It was discovered the cool, moist

wine cellar A wine cellar is a storage room for wine in bottles or barrels, or more rarely in carboys, amphorae, or plastic containers. In an ''active'' wine cellar, important factors such as temperature and humidity are maintained by a climate control s ...

s in the area were ideal for aging cheese. The wine cellars, and the

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...

-making business originally started by the Icarians, saw a decline in use because of

prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic b ...

. In 2003 the Nauvoo Cheese company went out of business when Saputo food company purchased it and relocated to other facilities. Nauvoo is also home to Baxter's Vineyards, a small family-owned

winery A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the cultivation and production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feat ...

begun in 1857 by Emile Baxter that is Illinois' oldest established

. Tourism is the major industry in Nauvoo, with Nauvoo Restoration Inc., employing approximately 30, while an estimated 200 missionaries (unpaid) from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints also provide a boost to local businesses during the tourist season. Due to lack of sustainable industries, the city has lost several key businesses and services including the High School and multiple small businesses.

Government and politics

Nauvoo city government consists of the mayor and five city council members. The position of city clerk is also elected. Additionally, there are appointed positions for city treasurer, chief of police, and public works positions. Tacy Nelson is the acting mayor with the councilmen as follows: Jim Boyles, Brenda Adkisson, Barb Schafer, Ron Grant and Scott Sumner. Separate from the city are the Nauvoo Fire Protection District (FPD) and Nauvoo-Colusa School System. The Nauvoo FPD covers all of the city plus the surrounding five townships. The fire department currently provides both fire and EMS coverage for its district. In 1991 the Nauvoo FPD became a BLS non-transporting agency, relying on the county ambulance service to transport patients to local hospitals. Because of longer response times from county-run ambulances, the citizens of the Nauvoo FPD passed a referendum by 74% on April 17, 2007, for ambulance services that would transfer the ambulance tax money to the FPD that was being paid to the county. The Nauvoo FPD completed its fundraising efforts on November 30, 2007, to purchase its ambulance, which entered service in January 2008.

Education

The Nauvoo-Colusa Community Unit School District 325 runs the local elementary and junior high school. Prior to 2008 high school residents attended Nauvoo-Colusa High School from 1961 to 2008. Since 2008 residents have attended Warsaw Community Unit School District 316's Warsaw High School. Nauvoo is also home to the private Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic School, which provides a faith based education for students from preschool through 6th grade.

Parks and recreation

Nauvoo is home to three parks, one of which is a state park. *Nauvoo City Park *Nauvoo Park District * Nauvoo State Park

Infrastructure

Highway

* Illinois Route 96 (Mulholland Street)

Healthcare

Nauvoo is serviced by Memorial Medical Clinic, whose main campus is approximately 24 miles (38.6 km) east of Nauvoo. There is a walk-in clinic located within the city itself.

Notable people

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * *

External links

* City of Nauvoo
Nauvoo Chamber of Commerce

Historic Nauvoo
– information on historic sites, demonstrations, and calendar of events. * {{authority control Populated places established in 1840 Cities in Illinois Illinois populated places on the Mississippi River Mormonism-related controversies Cities in Hancock County, Illinois Significant places in Mormonism Utopian communities in Illinois Christian communities