Nauvoo Trip Part VII: Carthage Jail

When we first got to the Carthage Jail site we ended up running into our Stake President and his wife who were there with one of their sons and his wife. It was so fun to see them.
It was amazing to be at Carthage. I wasn't sure how I would feel about visiting the place where our beloved prophet was murdered but there is a peaceful feeling there now. We learned that the building that is there is still the original building. We learned that a few years after the prophet was killed a family bought it and lived there with their 7 children and the church bought it after that and restored it back to what it looked like when it was the jail.

 This is where the inmates ate all their meals:

 This is where the jailers wife cooked the meals for her family and the inmates. I thought it was so strange that they had their family living in the jail with the inmates there.

 This is the cell downstairs that Joseph Smith and seven others were put when they got to Carthage.

 This is the room where they were when they were killed. It was actually the jailers room but he had them stay in there because he thought they would be safer there when the mobs were outside.

 The mobbers broke into the jail and came up the stairs and tried to get into the room where they were. They stood behind the door trying to hold them back and the mobbers shot through the door hitting Hyrum first and killing him. This bullet hole is where the bullet came trough the door. This door is over 100 years old.

After Joseph Smith was shot he fell out of the window and the mob ran down to see if he was dead. And the two other inmates Willard Richards and John Taylor were able to be saved and they were able to go on and tell the story of what happened. 

I am so grateful to Joseph Smith and his family for all they sacrificed to bring forward the work of Christ. It was so amazing to be able to walk where they walked and see what they saw and know that they did it all so that I could be saved and know my Savior and be able to return to him. I am so grateful to my Pioneer ancestors for the sacrifices they made to make sure my family knew the truth. What an amazing experience it was to be here. I am so glad we came and I hope we can make it back there again and be able to see more and learn more! If you would like to know more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints please visit: mormon.org or you can always ask me any questions you have.