Few people know that there’s an old Mormon town right here in Ilinois. Nauvoo is historic in more ways than one, and you may be surprised that its roots are embedded in the Mormon story. Scroll on to learn all about it.

Few other than Mormons and those who live in Nauvoo know that this town is a sort of mecca for members of the Church of Latter-Day Saints. It was one of the first settlements and by far the largest in the 1830s when Joseph Smith brought his congregation to Illinois.

Flickr/Ken Lund

Mostly settling around Quincy, Mormons overpopulated the town and surrounding areas. They worked with a land speculator and drained a large portion of a peninsula that was swampy and home to malarial mosquitoes.

Wikipedia/Djmaschek

The clearing of the swamp made room for more inhabitable space in a town that was called Commerce at the time. The population was at nearly 3,000 people and grew to 10,000. In 1840, the name was changed to Nauvoo.

Wikimedia Commons/Willjay

This Mormon town was so big in comparison to the rest of the state at this time that it held its own pull in the vote. It also had its own militia as well as a university and was known for its business district.

Flickr/Michael Whiffen

Nauvoo welcomed all who claimed to be of the Mormon faith regardless of how or if they could prove it, and that attracted thieves, pirates, and all sorts of surly folk. Many in the community did not like that this was happening and even Joseph Smith’s closest allies dissented and revolted against him with the power of the press.

Flickr/Ken Lund

Smith decided the paper was a nuisance and had the press burned which put the county on the verge of a civil war. Eventually, Smith surrendered and was jailed.

Wikipedia/G.W. Fasel While being held, Smith was killed when the Warsaw militia stormed the jail.

After the death of Smith, the Mormons agreed to leave the state under the guidance of Brigham Young. By this time, the town had grown to 20,000 residents and would soon shrink to barely 2,000.

Flickr/Ken Lund

Today, about 1,000 people call this river town home. After leaving, most Mormons made their home in Salt Lake City, though many return to this town to visit the grave of Joseph Smith and to pay homage to one of the first and most prominent Mormon towns.

Wikimedia Commons/Ryan Ballantyne

If you’ve ever been to this Mormon town, we’d love to hear from you. Please share your experiences and photos with us below in the comments.

Flickr/Ken Lund

Wikipedia/Djmaschek

Wikimedia Commons/Willjay

Flickr/Michael Whiffen

Wikipedia/G.W. Fasel

While being held, Smith was killed when the Warsaw militia stormed the jail.

Wikimedia Commons/Ryan Ballantyne

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Address: Nauvoo, IL, USA