Latter-day Saint Re-Interest in Nauvoo

While the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints utilized the Smith family properties in Nauvoo, Illinois, their religious siblings in the American West, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism), maintained a fascination of their own with their former home. This chapter examines the Mormons’ slow return to the area in the early twentieth century, first as visitors to familial sites and later through the acquisition of significant properties, including the nearby Carthage Jail and the Nauvoo temple lot. It examines initial forays into commemoration, including cooperation with the Reorganized Church in the building of a memorial, but the conflict that eventually ensued over rival interpretations, especially as rumors circulated regarding the reconstruction of Nauvoo’s temple.