From the Green Mountains to the Rockies

Main Street, Nauvoo, III., 1922. Oriental Hotel at Left From the Green Mountains to the Rockies By JOHN D. GILES Member of the General Board of Y. M. M. I. A. II A Travelogue describing visits to import- ant places in the history of the Church and giv- ing impressions gained and information secured in connection therewith. THE trail between the Green Mountains and the Rockies is marked by many historic shrines. During the jour- ney one is constantly re- minded of events connected with Wherever the Latter-day Saints the restoration, or organization were Hocated for any length of and development of the Church time, they have left evidences of of Jesus Christ of Latter-day stability, culture and intelligence. Saints, and there are still many A visit to Kirtland, Ohio, near an impressive manner. It follows, of course, that from the tower or upper floor one gains an excellent view of the surrounding country in every direc- tion. monuments to the loyalty, faith and sacrificing spirit of the early members and their leaders. In the first article of this series, the Improvement Era for Novem- ber makes reference to the historic (COMPARED with the temples ^ erected in the West in later years, the edifice at Kirtland is modest indeed. But compared with structures in that section in the days in which it was built, and judged by the best rules and tradi- tions of architecture, the temple at what is now the great city of Cleveland and in the heart of a choice agricultural community, em- phasizes this truth. Invariably those who have had Kirtland is truly a monument of the responsibility and privilege of more than ordinary distinction to places where the Church had its in- selecting sites for our temples have the Prophet Joseph Smith and his ception and passed through its chosen the most appropriate and faithful followers whose zeal and early struggles for existence. This ideal locations possible. The spot sacrifice and skill made it possible, installment of the travelogue takes selected for the Kirtland temple is the reader to some points of inter- no exception. As one approaches TJ UILT nearly a hundred years est that were prominent in the de- the village, for it is nothing more ■ ago, it stands today, well pre- velopment of the Church and its than that today, the tower of the served, dignified and impressive, migration westward. temple looms up on the hilltop in and is in regular use. Of unusual

132 The Improvement Era for December, 1929 interest, I feel sure, is the comment of a recent visitor to the temple. Under the caption, "Unmatched in American Architecture," the fol- lowing article was printed early this year in the Birmingham (Ala- bama) News: 'The American people as tourists are famous for seeking out the most unique and interesting spots to visit, be those spots in Europe or this country,' said Mrs. Thomas J. Bissett, of New York, but formerly of Birmingham. 'There is one place which, while visited by thousands of tourists annually, yet is relatively un- known to a vast majority of Americans and that is the old temple of the Latter- day Saints at Kirtland, Ohio, which was built by Joseph Smith and his followers in 1833-36. This temple is unique in architecture and impressive in the extreme. Its dimensions are 59 feet by 79 feet and its walls of three stories, rising 60 feet, are of hewn native stone covered with plaster without and within. "The tower is 120 feet high. But if the exterior is impressive, the in- terior is positively delighting. Here the guilloche is of the purest Greek type and most exquisitely carved, while the four pulpits and hand rails are of black wal- nut and stained black in the front, with the remainder finished in native white wood, painted white. The pews, all white, are boxlike inclosures, so that when wor- shipers are seated therein only the heads are visible. * * * The structure, cap- ping a lofty hilltop, is declared to be unmatched in American architecture." HTHE foregoing does not exagger- ate. It hardly does justice. The exquisite handwork on the pulpits, the substantial founda- tions, the symmetry of design and the skill, precision and accuracy in every detail are subjects of com- ment among the many visitors who journey to this old "Mormon" shrine each year in increasing num- bers. The temple is used regularly by its present owners, the "Reorgan- ized" church, and tourists are escorted through the building in groups under a guide-lecturer much the same as tourists are shown through the Tabernacle and As- sembly Hall on Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Other interesting places in Kirtland are Hyrum Smith's home, the old cemetery where many of the early martyrs of the Church are buried, including Thankful Halsey, first wife of Par- ley P. Pratt, who died at the birth of her first child, a son who had been promised to his parents in a prophecy by Heber C. Kimball. The old hotel and other buildings, from the days of the Prophet, are still standing. IKE so many other eastern vil- lages, Kirtland has made little progress. Much smaller now than in the days when the Saints were there, it is still a quaint, country village, moving along in "the even tenor of its way," except at in- tervals when religious gatherings Carthage Jail, Carthage, Missouri, as it Appears Today are held there. Then thousands assemble from the surrounding country for a celebration or "re- union" lasting several days. We happened into Kirtland during one of these occasions. Tents had been pitched on the temple grounds and in adjoining lots, and every home was filled to capacity. Refresh- ment stands lined the walks, the whole scene being strongly sug- gestive of circus day. The meet- ings are held in the temple which is used as a chapel or meeting house and not for temple purposes. Kirtland is in Lake County, Ohio, not far from the shores of Lake Erie, and certainly every Church member who is in the vi- cinity of Cleveland at any time should make an effort to visit the temple. If motoring from the west, one travels eastward from Cleveland on Highway 30 (the Lincoln Highway) to the town of Willoughby, about ten miles. Here the course turns south at the sign marked "Kirtland" and, in some three miles or so, reaches the temple. The carline from Cleve- land to Willoughby has been abandoned but buses run reg- ularly, making it convenient to reach Willoughby. From this point, however, it is necessary to provide a private conveyance, un- less one chooses to walk through the beautiful and interesting coun- try along the road once used by the Saints. TN the early move- •^ ment toward the West, two scenes of unusual importance in the history of the Church take their place in the march of events — Nauvoo and Carth- age. Both are located in Hancock county, Il- linois, Carthage being the county seat. Their history is inseparable from that of the early Church. The Carthage of to- day is a thriving, progressive town of prosperous stores, im- posing churches and excellent schools. Nau- voo is tragically run- down, dilapidated in the older section, and but a shadow of the city of twenty thou- sand and more inhabi-

The Improvement Era for December, 1929 133 tants in the days of its prosperity. Its principal industry, grape grow- ing, is carried on in the yards of the homes of former Church leaders and prominent members. HP HE center of interest in Carth- age, in fact the only point of interest as far as Church history is concerned, is the old jail, of tragic memory, where "the best blood of this generation" was shed in the martyrdom of the Prophet and Patriarch and the wounding of John Taylor, who later became president of the Church. The main building, its walls, rooms and stairway much the same as they were at the time of the martyrdom, still stands in a well preserved condition. The cells and other indications of jail at- mosphere have all been removed; and the building, now owned by the Church, is used as a residence and lodging house. When you visit Carthage, if you so desire, and have the modest price required, you can rent a room for the night and sleep within the walls of this his- toric building. You may even sleep in the martyrdom room if you choose, provided, of course, no one else has made reservation ahead of you. The old cell room is also used for lodging purposes. '"THE martyrdom room, of great- *■ est interest, still carries mute evidence of the terrible tragedy enacted within its walls. The door shows the hole made by the bullet that killed Hyrum Smith, the first of the brother martyrs to the latter-day cause. The story is still told of Hyrum, big and pow- erful, using his great strength to protect Joseph and his associates from the mob. With his right shoulder against the door, he had successfully foiled the attempts of the mob to enter the room until a bullet, fired through the door, struck him in the cheek, shattering his cheek bone and jaw and caus- ing his immediate death. A short distance from the door, doubtless either where Hyrum fell to the floor or where John Taylor lay, he having been seriously wounded a moment later, blood stains are still visible in the soft wood of the floor. The old well against the curb of which the body of Joseph was propped after he had fallen, fa- tally wounded from the second story window, while the mob fired four additional bullets into his body, has been filled in; but the Martyrdom Room, Carthage. Handkerchief on Door Marks Bullet Hole depression in the ground clearly marks its location. The frame section of the building, shown in the accompanying photograph, has been added in comparatively recent years, as has also the front porch, although the earliest pictures show a small lumber room on the same ground as the later addition. The north wall still shows the location of the jail bars over the windows of the cell room. (CONTRARY to a belief that ^ seems to be quite general, the Prophet and his associates were not confined in cells, but were in an upper room of the jail which was fairly comfortably furnished. Had they been in the cell room it doubt- less would have been much more difficult for the mob to reach them and carry out their murderous designs. From its platting, Carthage might easily have been laid out by the Saints. The streets all run at right angles and the blocks are of uniform size as in our Western "Mormon" cities. In the center of town, with the Hancock county courthouse the only building oc- cuping it, is the town square, planned very much after the order of the plazas of Mexican cities. The business district is made up almost entirely of stores and other busi- ness buildings that face the square on all sides. T TPON one of my visits to Carth- • age, I met, by accident, the present historian of Carthage township, a pleasant and intelli- gent woman, who is also business manager of the town newspaper, the Carthage Republican. It seems that some years ago the importance of keeping an accurate history of occurrences in that section and of securing information of past his- tory while those who were in a position to supply many of the facts were still living, was recog- nized and each township in Han- cock county appointed a historian for this purpose. The attitude of the Carthage official, even after be- ing told very frankly that she was talking to a member of the "Utah Church," as it is referred to in some parts of the East, was friendly and interested. She seemed as eager to secure information from me as I was from her. A S historian of the township, she ■ is apparently seeking informa- tion from all sources. She told of

134 The Improvement Era for December, 1929 Kirtland Temple hearing the story of the martyrdom from several who were eye wit- nesses. She depicted the conditions in those troublesome days, as she had gleaned the facts from others, as being terrible beyond descrip- tion. The non- "Mormons" who were not in league with the mobs were as frightened as were the "Mormons" who were being at- tacked from all sides. The lurid and frightful stories spread by the mob were designed, of course, to stir up animosity and hatred against the Saints in order that their leaders might be killed and the members driven from the state. The result was a reign of terror throughout all of Hancock and several of the adjoining counties. TN the light of developments of nearly a hundred years, a differ- ent feeling exists today. Every- where an attitude of friendship is encountered and the impression, even though rarely expressed di- rectly, appears to prevail generally that a terrible mistake was made. Since the old jail came into the possession of our Church it has been carefully preserved and thou- sands of visitors, "Mormons" and non- "Mormons" register there each year. Carthage is reached by railroad, most conveniently, from Burling- ton, Iowa, being on a branch line of the Burlington railroad. It is also reached from St. Louis and the south, by a less direct route over the Burlington line, branching off at Quincy, 111., also im- portant in early Church history as the city that be- friended the Saints in time of trouble. Carthage is on the paved highway run- ning east from Hamilton, 111., on the Mississippi, opposite Keokuk, Iowa, the site of the mammoth government dam and power house. pROM Hamilton, north along the Mississippi, the "river road" leads to "Nauvoo, the beautiful," where "the father of wa- ters" makes a horeshoe bend, creating as ideal and beautiful a setting for a city as can well be imag- ined. Another route from Carthage to Nauvoo, lies "cross country," part of the road being that built by the Saints at the time of their settlement in Hancock county. A former county sur- veyor explained to me that when the "Mormons" came to that sec- tion one of the first things they did was to make a road in a "bee line" from Nauvoo to Carthage which was then, as now, the county seat. The "road" was made by plowing parallel furrows at each side. The direction was almost exactly south- east to northwest, a distance of ap- proximately twenty miles. Since then the country has been farmed extensively, having being divided along section lines, making the road follow the section surveys and increasing the distance over two miles. As I walked along this road, in April of last year, taking a full afternoon to cover the twen- ty-two miles, I contemplated the contrast between conditions then and now. A large part of the population had been transferred to Utah, where conditions have changed more rapidly than they have in Illinois, where the people still live on their farms. The towns are frequently not much more than a store, a postoffice and, in these modern days, a garage. At intervals of approximately five miles, along the road, one sees the little old-fashioned white school- house, a small, frame building with one room, all the grades being taught by one teacher, who from my observation is in many cases not much older than some of the pupils. Our own educational fa- cilities and advantages, out here in the West, are so much superior that it is no wonder leading educators compliment us upon our education- al system. But the country is beautiful, the people are hospitable and altogether a visit through this section is very much worth-while. TF one enters Nauvoo with the ■*■ hope of seeing a city of beauty, as it has been described in the past, with prosperous-looking homes, thriving business houses and an air of progressiveness and devel- opment, that hope soon gives way to disappointment and sadness. "LrfBWfcS ^ c Site of Nauvoo Temple. as it Looks Today, the Spot Not a Stone Marks