ILLINOIS           Cities & Places    Map    Photo Gallery 

Dates we were there:    7/8/99    7/18/99    7/19/99    7/20/99    7/21/99

    We first drove through Illinois on our way from St. Louis, Missouri to Washington, D.C.  No stops were made then.  It was part of our 16 hour marathon leg of the trip.  We had planned to stop in Springfield to visit Lincoln's home and tomb but because of circumstances beyond our control in St. Louis, we had to skip that part of our trip.
    On our way back home, we stopped twice.  First in Chicago for 1 day and then in Nauvoo & Carthage for 3 days.
    We had a pleasant drive through northern Illinois from Chicago to Long Grove, Iowa.  The weather was humid but not too hot and the landscape beautiful.

Cities & Places we visited

    CHICAGO
    We arrived in Chicago on the evening of July 17th and went straight to he hotel.  Because of our delay in leaving Detroit, Michigan we did not get there in time to see any sights.  We spent the evening in the hotel (Motel 6 this time) and called to get information on what time church was in the morning.  Having missed the last two weeks (Denver, New Jersey) we were anxious to attend this week.
    Sunday morning we attended sacrament meeting and then went to see the Chicago Temple.  What a beautiful building!  Next to the temple (I think it was church property) was a grassy area where we spread out a blanket and ate lunch.  It was nice to sit and relax near the temple on the Sabbath.
    After packing up our lunch, we headed out toward Long Grove, Iowa

    NAUVOO
        White House Inn
        Nauvoo Temple site
        Horse & Carriage ride
        LDS Visitors' Center
        "Adventures in Old Nauvoo"
        Nauvoo Family Motel
        Shopping on Main Street
        "Remembering Nauvoo"
        Old Nauvoo businesses and homes
            Scovill Bakery
            Lyon Drug Store
            Calvin Pendleton cabin & school
            Post Office
            Blacksmith Shop
            Brigham Young's home
            Mansion House
            Smith Family Cemetery
            Red Brick Store
            Mississippi River

    CARTHAGE
    The morning of the 20th, we drove from Nauvoo to Carthage to visit Carthage Jail, where Joseph & Hyrum Smith were martyred.  After viewing a short movie in the visitors' center, we toured the jail.  It is a humbling experience to stand in the same room that the Prophet and his brother were killed.  As the events of that day were described to us, we were overwhelmed by the thought of what happened that day in this quiet little Midwestern town.  It's truly amazing that anyone survived the mob that attacked them.  As awful as it was, it's a testimony that there was a purpose in it and it was time.
   As we walked back to the car, Jordan decided that he was hot (and I'm sure he was) so he took advantage of the sprinklers that were on and 'had a shower'.  He was soaked from head to toe but was cooler than any of the rest of us!