At the funeral for her father, Everett H. Belcher, all of the nine Belcher siblings were assigned to speak to a different subject about his life.
Above: Sister Verna Belcher and Elder E. H. Belcher
Brother Belcher had thought out his funeral and had picked the subjects he wanted shared in his service. My wife, Lou Dene Belcher Hunt, was assigned “Saving the Coolidge House”. She was really baffled about this request. She knew little about the place. She said, “I didn’t know enough about the Coolidge House to talk about it. I wanted to talk more about my personal relationship with my father so the Coolidge House seemed ‘kind of our there’.”
That was back in July of 2004. Now twenty plus years later, Lou Dene says, “Looking back, and with events that have happened since, I wish I had talked with him more about the place. There is much that I would or should have asked him.” Sister Hunt said, “I did come up with a little bit about the place (with help from Dad!).
This is what Lou said in her talk about her father:
“I have a brown bag, because this is going to be a brown bag talk [in the tradition of her father].
We had an apple orchard on our place when we were growing up and my Dad didn’t like us to waste apples. And if he found a half-eaten apple, he would make sure you finished it core and all. My Dad made us pick all the apples and put them in the cellar to keep. We could eat as many apples as we wanted to as long as we ate the ones with the brown rotten spots first. I have a poem that I will read to you about our apple eating days.
We brought them from the cellar, The apples with the spots.
Of the good ones left behind, by tomorrow some would rot.
“Bring the apples that are spoiling”, our mother used to say.
“We’ll always eat those first, and I’ll pare the spots away.”
In the evening by the fire, we had story and we had song,
And we had rotten apples all winter long
We ate a lot of rotten apples. One year my Dad had us can all our apples at the church cannery. And this was a big family project. And we canned a lot of applesauce before we were finished. We figured my parents could feed us a can of apple sauce each and every day and it would last them 3 years. That was a lot of applesauce. Like in the church movie “Johnny Lingo and Mahana, the eight-cow wife”, my Dad offered 5 cases of applesauce when you got married. This was a great family tradition and we had a lot of fun with this. I was a three-case applesauce wife. I guess we had eaten all of the applesauce over the years. I don’t have the original can, but I have pictures out there on one of the tables. This is the applesauce.
“My husband and I tried to carry on this tradition with our family. We have had 3 girls get married and when their husbands came to town, because our last name is Hunt, we have offered their husbands 3 cases of Hunt’s Tomato Sauce. We have kept it in the family. So, they have enjoyed their tomato sauce.
“Like the story of the rotten apples my Dad didn’t want any of us to get spoiled or go rotten and he did this by keeping us very busy working, a lot. We grew a garden each summer. We had to prepare the soil, plant the seeds, weed and water, and the water was often a late-night irrigation. We grew a lot of corn in our garden, and we would sell it at the end of our lane at 50 cents a dozen. We would use the money to buy our school clothes and one year we used it to add to our church’s building fund.
“We had a lot of family traditions growing up. Much like the tradition of the applesauce we had the tradition to read scriptures, go to church, pay tithing, and have family Home Evening. As the book of Mormon says, “they were taught in the tradition of their fathers[DKB1] .” We to were taught in the tradition of our father. We were taught to work hard and trust in the Lord. Thank you, Dad, for these traditions.
“And in closing my Dad wanted each of us to talk about his accomplishments. When my Dad was serving in Nauvoo on a mission. He took it upon himself to save the Joseph Coolidge House that was going to be torn down. Its foundation was rotten, like all the rotten apples that he saved growing up. My Dad saved the Coolidge house, and I have a picture of it right here.
Above: Vintage photo of the Coolidge House (before the time of Elder Belcher)
It was turned into a craft house with candle making, barrel making and pottery and this now houses missionary couples. Good job, Dad.
“A month ago, when we were visiting my Dad, he told us what he wanted us to talk about at his funeral.
Finally, my husband said “Don’t worry Gramps, all your accomplishments will be sitting in the benches in front of you. And there you are, a whole chapel full of his posterity. My Dad was very proud of his family. He told me many times that he was blessed with a wonderful family and he said, “How could a person be so lucky to have every member of his family active in the church?” We are following in the footsteps of our father. I am thankful for a father who believed in us and taught us the ways of the Lord. I am thankful that my Dad can be reunited with my mother. What a grand reunion that must be. They have both blessed my life and that of my family. I love you Dad. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.”
Little did Sister Hunt realize that the Coolidge House would impact her life personally 20-plus years later.
Sister Hunt and I came to Nauvoo in April 2024 to serve as “Site Missionaries”. We were assigned to live in the historic home of Simeon A. Dunn at the SW corner of Hyde and Parley Streets. This home is located “kitty corner” to the Coolidge House (on the NE corner).
Above: Sister Lou Hunt standing in the drive between the Dunn Home (on left) and the Coolidge House (on the right)
So, we literally look at the Coolidge House and think about it many times a day as we go to and from our house. It is such a beautiful place and seems so majestic. And the German writing on the place is interesting and intriguing.
One of our favorite sites where we serve with our tours is the Family Living Center.
This is a place of joy and happiness for children (and adults who get to act like children). It really is a FUN place. In the place, we give “hands on” demonstrations on candle making, bread making (though COVID killed the actual bread making demo), wool and spinning, looms and weaving, packing the wagon to go west, barrel making, and rope making.
And of particular interest – in at least a snippet of the Belcher tradition, we also get to talk of and demonstrate the Belcher perfected art of brick making. We talk of brick-making in general in Nauvoo and often the kids get to “throw their own brick” by pressing Nauvoo clay into a small mold box. Though not in the script, Sister Hunt almost always gets to share the historic story of the souvenir Nauvoo Brick which all Nauvoo guests get to take home. It is so fun for her to say, “My dad started this brick and designed the imprint.” This comes as an initial shock: “Yeah, right …” but then by the end of her presentation about him and bricks, the folks are in total awe and say, “Wow! That is just so cool!” She makes sure that each guest leaves with a small brick in hand.
The Family Living Center of today with all of its craft demos got its start from the Coolidge House here in Nauvoo. Elder Belcher did not build the Coolidge house, but the place owes much to the efforts and vision of Elder E. H. Belcher. He literally saved the house from the demolition ball.
Joseph Wellington Coolidge (1814-1871) was born 31 May 1814 in Bangor, Hancock Co., Maine. He was the son of John Kittridge Coolidge and Rebecca Stone Wellington. He married Elizabeth Buchannan on 17 Dec. 1834; participated in plural marriage. He was baptized before Jan. 1838. He was a member of the Nauvoo Legion and on the Council of Fifty in Nauvoo along with Wilford Woodruff. He died 13 Jan. 1871 in Coonsville, Mills Co., Iowa.
BACKGROUND HISTORY OF THE COOLIDGE HOUSE
Joseph W. Coolidge built this house himself in 1843. This is the date shown on the outside of the house. He was from Maine and was a cooper, carpenter, and building contractor. He lived in the front part of the house and used the other part for his shop. He was a trusted friend to Joseph and Emma Smith. At Emma’s request, he became the administrator of Joseph’s estate three months after the prophet was killed. He asked to be released from that duty in the spring of 1846, to go west with the main body of the Latter-day Saints.
THE COOLIDGE HOUSE AFTER JOSEPH WENT WEST
The next owner of the place was Johann George Kaufmann. He made the house into a hotel. He painted the quaint German saying on the front of the house. The lettering (by translation) says, “This house is mine, and yet not mine. For him who comes after me, it will also so be. I have been here. Whoever reads this will also have been here.”
So, kind of odd … what does it mean? Maybe it reminds us how temporary our hold is on earthly possessions. Local tradition gives it a meaning of hospitality … and since the house was a hotel when Mr. Kaufman had it, that would be appropriate.
The place was remodeled to be a restaurant sometime after 1932. In the 1970’s Nauvoo Restoration acquired the house.
THE COOLIDGE HOUSE BEFORE RESTORATION
Collidge House in 1975 – Photo taken by Kevin Hunt as a young missionary in Nauvoo
It is no secret that I (Elder Hunt) served in Nauvoo as a young missionary – literally 50 years ago in 1975. While here then, I took a photo of the Coolidge house. It was then still in pretty good shape. Something must have happened to it before 1980 when Elder E.H. and Verna Belcher, my wife’s parents, came to serve in Nauvoo. Elder Belcher describes the building’s state when he was here serving in the Lucy Mack Smith home and the Brickyard.
SAVING THE NAUVOO COOLIDGE HOUSE
The Account by Elder E. H. Belcher as dictated to his grandson, John Bollwinkel
“One day the President [Dr. J. Le Roy Kimball] came by the Lucy Mack Smith home – where I worked – and said he wanted me to look at a house down on the next corner. It was the Coolidge home. It was a big beautiful white lumber home. Most Nauvoo homes that survived from the Pioneer era were brick. Most lumber buildings had gone by the wayside years ago. But this one had been kept up, but the whole wall at the top had rotted out and the roof was sagging and was loose and the ceiling was in bad shape. He said, “Go down with me and see what we have to get out before they bulldoze the house down.” He said, “If someone gets in there it is going to fall down and kill them.”
“So we went down there, and that is when I could see what a beautiful building it was and what beautiful workmanship. Oh man, it just haunted me. So this was Friday night when we went down there. And Saturday morning early I went up to the president’s house and told him “I cand shore it up, I have moved buildings and I know I can shore it up – so it won’t fall down and can use some lumber to get it stabilized.” He said, “Ah Naw, we are going to tear it down.” Then I coaxed and coaxed him, and I must have stayed there quite a little bit and he couldn’t get rid of me.
“And he finally said, “Well go ahead.” So, I went down and tore the siding off of about 5 feet high wall where it was all rotted off. Then I doubled up the timbers and stabilized them and so forth on that whole side. And about 5:00 that afternoon the President came driving by and he drove by slowly and looked and looked and of course, I had this whole side off up about four feet up. And the next morning they had priesthood meeting before we went to work. I woke up in the night and in my mind, the hole kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger and I was about to get out of bed and go down there.
Above: The back (east) side of the Coolidge House while under Belcher restoration efforts
The next morning the President said, “I’m telling you to get down there and either tear it out or patch it up.” I said, “Just hold off and don’t get too excited – just hold off, just hold off.” So, he said “OK”. So, I went back and got that taken care of and then I got to another part of it and worked on it and I worked on one then and another part that needed fixing. And again, I was using material that wasn’t meant for that project. And the project manager was having fits all the time. “It will never stay, because they will have to see what the original foundation was and the architectural and the historical background and that everyone is upset with what you are doing with it. You should go through the right channels. It has to goes through a 2 year process before you can start on anything.”
(John “I remember you calling Vern for your house jacks?”) “Yaw, I had to have them to jack up that wall. I’ve got a picture of the mission president jacking up one of those jacks. I keep a going there and the roof was a saggin’ and I got it straightened up and had part of the plywood on and I decided to get started shingling and try to get it closed in. [Note: We would love to have that classy photo but we don’t who in the family might have it.}
“I couldn’t get any help there because all the other missionaries all said it was a waste of time because they said they were just going to tear it down. Everybody was down on me. (John “What was happening to the brick yard while you were doing this?”) I was fixing the building at night and on my spare time and the slower part of the year and the likes. I couldn’t get anybody to help me. One guy finally agreed to help me. And so he was the one that was helping me to get the building ready.
“When we got ready to put on some shingles on the part that I had to rebuild, I finally got 5 missionaries to help put on the shingles. We got the scaffolding all up there and got it ready and got up there and started putting on the shingles and here comes the project engineer. He said, “You don’t know how far those should come out and you don’t know what kind of a corners to have under that and you haven’t researched the details and you are just wasting your time and we are still going to tear it out.” And he made a big to-do about it, and you couldn’t tell the guys now you just keep on shingling. And he was about to shut it down.
“I said “Well we have got a hole up there and it doesn’t matter, the roof’s going on anyway or the storm will get in. So I lined up some plastic and fixed it so it wouldn’t leak. And I kept plastic on it for about six months. And by that time I got all the other done and got it up so I could go ahead on the shingles and we went from one thing to another like that and we keep going along. In fact this one brother who came there was a finish carpenter when he came there. I was showing him around and he was looking around and he said “Boy this is a beautiful building. I sure would love to work on this.” I said, “Well we will give you plenty of opportunity, you come around and you can help us.” And it went on and he never came around and he never showed up. I finally seen him and said, “I thought you were going to come and help.” And he said, “I didn’t want anything to do with that, that’s the worst thing that has happened since the saints left here.” So you could tell the missionary scuttle butt that was going around from then on.
”So we just kept going and that’s when finally the president cane by and said, “Don’t let them stop you, don’t let them stop you.” So then they asked us to stay another six months and another six months to finish all these projects, it was great. We stayed for two and half years. And the first carpenter stayed with me all the way and it wasn’t quite finished when I left, and he stayed and finished it up.
Above: Back side of Coolidge home – after Belcher restoration – and as it looks in 2025
“What a beautiful mansion – and a complement to the original builders and to Joseph Coolidge [who also built Joseph Smith’s mansion House – in the same architectural style and of the same white slat wood.] And in spite of all the odds, the restoration was completed. Beautiful white pine was used on the frame of the building because the Saints didn’t have streams to harness for power to be able to saw lumber and also the pine wasn’t too available in the area. Arrangements were made by the saints to use a sawmill located up the Mississippi River and East – on a tributary towards Chicago – and where Chicago had obtained a lot of their lumber.
“Beautiful white pine located there was sawed and then placed on the ice in the winter. They shaped a barge by bowering holes and putting small piles down through it to tie it all together. When the ice melted the barge began to float down the river into the Mississippi and then on to Nauvoo. This was some of the lumber that was used in the Coolidge Home. The floor joists had two-inch holes irregular in them indicating where the small poles tied them together to make them into a barge.”
Above: Coolidge House 2024 from view looking out from the wagon ride
SOME INTERESTING PHOTOS OF THE CURRENT COOLIDGE HOUSE
Above: Look at this lovely woodwork color in the current Coolidge Home (Upstairs apartment) … we think this remodel was completed after the time of Elder Belcher
Above: Cut-out of wall from downstairs apartment looking upward to upstairs of Coolidge house
(John “So what happened to the Coolidge house?”)
DEMONSTRATING CRAFTS IN THE COOLIDGE HOUSE
A few months ago, Sister Hunt and I met a local worker in the Facilities Maintenance area of our sites (an emmployee named Jodi). She grew up in Nauvoo and remembers coming to the Brickyard. She remembers Elder Belcher saying that he wanted to find a way to engage young children more in Nauvoo – and so he wanted to start craft demonstrations. Wow! So cool.
Elder Belcher continues: “One brother – wanted to get coopering or barrel making going. He thought it would go well with my brick making that was going over so well, but the president said that we didn’t have any place to do it. So I was pushing to get this building for that. So I took one of the carpenters down to the barrel making place [somewhere south of town)and he got the idea of the barrel making. It is still there.”
“And I got rope making, barrel making and pottery making in there.
“Then in a few years I noted that President Hinckley went back there and dedicated the Coolidge House.”
Today – in 2025, the Coolidge House is home to two senior missionary couples. There is a downstairs apartment and also an upstairs. An outside door and immediate stairs lead to the upstairs unit.
In another record, Elder Belcher said, “Before our mission was completed, and due to the enthusiastic reception of the brick making demonstration, I approached the President and expressed the hope that other crafts – such as potters (which was, like the bricks, made of clay) and barrel making. The barrel was the shipping container of the past. Barrels will roll to relocate them and they will stack to store. They can contain liquids or slats to ship solid commodities.
“The President was sympathetic to the idea, but indicted he didn’t have an available building to demonstrate them in. I pursued the idea a little further and found what one of the missionaries was a potter. He located an older gentleman who was a cooper or barrel maker. I checked around with the Nauvoo missionaries for anyone that might be interested in learning the old barrel techniques from the old gentleman cooper. Two of the missionary couples expressed some interest. Arrangements were made to visit the old cooper where we were taught the fundamentals of taking the rough lumber and fashioning it into a barrel.
“One brother, Elder Harold Ericlson, was intrigued with what we had learned and felt he could master it. After much practice he found he could make a barrel, then the major part of the problem still existed – the need for a building where the skill could be demonstrated. A unique opportunity presented itself. That’s about the time the time that the President asked me to check out the Coolidge building.
“So, we finished the restoration of the outside of the Coolidge Home. And then as we needed a place for the crafts, I of course thought of the inside of the Coolidge House as a potential place.”
CRAFTS IN THE COOLIDGE HOUSE AND BEYOND
For many years after Elder Belcher began demonstrating crafts in the Coolidge Home, the demos continued. This was to the delight of all who came. Now there was a place to help children enjoy more the charm and Spirit of old Nauvoo.
The Family Living Center is located just west of Nauvoo’s Main Street (at White Street) behind the Cultural Hall and the Scovil Bakery. It is a very large facility with plenty of room for all of the crafts displayed there. As in all of Nauvoo, the pioneer skills are demonstrated by missionaries (young sisters and senior missionaries) in period costume.
Sister Hunt and I have often been assigned to serve in the Family Living Center. We and the other missionaries strive to learn all of the skills. But we each kind of have our favorite stations. My own personal favorites are rope, barrel and bread making.
Most folks who come here are surprised at the facility and all that it has to offer. It is the perfect place for parents to come when their children are tired of all of the more adult tours. Children love the demonstrations and it is fun to watch the adults as they slowly let their hair down to also enjoy the magnificent place.
The Family Living center is on the “must see” list for many school field trips in the fall and mid-Spring. School teachers have come to recognize the great opportunity the Center affords their students.
It is interesting that even Google can’t seem to pinpoint when the Family Living Center was constructed. My own guess is that it was about 2002 – about the same time that the Nauvoo Temple was reconstructed. The time frame really doesn’t matter. What matters is that the place is there.
In the busy summer season, there could be as many as a dozen missionaries on duty at the center. Missionaries enthusiastically greet the many people come. Folks of all ages come but families with children – young and teens enjoy it most. Kids love dipping candles as pioneer children and families did in the 1840’s.
Barrel making or “coopering” is a fun activity for all. When I teach at this station, I begin by telling folks that to be a journeyman cooper, one needed to be an apprentice for SIX YEARS. Wow! I tell my guests that “I am going to teach you all that I know in about five minutes – but you will soon see that there is a lot more to the trade than what I can teach them.
At the beginning of the demo, I say, “Someone famous was a Cooper!” I give the folks a minute to digest this and then say, “Joseph Smith, Sr. was a cooper … so that probably means that young Joseph spent some time in the cooper shop.” People are amazed at this.
We teach the guests how individual “staves” were created out of long boards that are cut to be about 1” x 16 or 20″ (depending on the barrel size). Then these staves are formed with both concave and convex angles on each. The carving is done on a “bench” that is called a “Schnitzel Bank”. (Hmmm … That sounds very German!)
This is kind of like a saw horse. The person demonstrating sits astride of this bench with their feet pressing against a moveable “pedal”. And when pressed, this becomes a vice to hold the stave into tight position as it is carved with straight, concave and convex draw knives.
“Tradition” has it that this “Schnitzel bank” came from the old Coolidge House. Okay … now we are getting somewhere. As Sister Hunt and I have looked at the bench, it seems clear that this was used by long-time missionaries in the Coolidge House. My own personal opinion is that it was made by none other than Elder Belcher himself. (I will have to ask him about it the next time that I see him!) I then reach into a tall barrel and for the children, I slowly pull out … you guessed it … a string from the old “barrel of monkeys”. This brings a smile to the adults – who can remember such simple and wonderful games of their youth. The kids just kind of give me funny looks, “Like, what?” (You had to be there – 40 years ago … but the “barrel with the monkeys is actually still available in stores.)
Above: Elder Kevin Hunt showing “barrel of monkeys” in the barrel making demonstration in the Nauvoo Family Living Center
Next, I sit the participants two to a bench to put together a barrel. I say, “You will soon see why it takes two people to do this.” I then demonstrate the art of barrel making and then turn the folks loose to implement their new skills. And yes, they too soon learn “why is takes two people” – one to hold the staves up and the other to put them into the metal rings.
To make rope, six strands of twine are strung between two parts of the apparatus (two strands together strung on a wheel with hooks – on one end – and a twirling gig on the other end. Participants get to spin this gig at various speeds until the whole “sled’ on the other end – moves about two feet – from one blue tape to the next.
Then once this milestone is reached, the twine on the hooks is secured and the wheel is twirled rapidly by one or two people (usually kids) to twist the now three strands together into one rope. Again, the “sled has to move another two feet to get fully twisted together. Then the dads and grandparents get to practice their old Boy Scout skills as they get to whip each ends of the rope (so that it can be cut off of the gig). Often now, the Boy Scout in the folks has long since departed (especially now since Scouting is not as vibrant – at least in the LDS Church – as it once was). I enjoy teaching this skill to the dads and then hand them the small string so that they can teach the skill to their kids. (A teaching skill I learned in my old Scouting Woodbadge courses.)
I have fun with folks at the “packing the wagon” station.
This was not a station in the Coolidge House – but it is fun. There is a list posted on the wall – called the “Bill of Particulars” and using the list, participants find those items (like 1,000 pounds of flour, etc.) in the adjacent shelves and they pack these items in the wagon for the trek west. And when the wagon is packed, we invite young and old to join in on a parade around the wagon as they gaily sing, “Pioneer Children sang as they walked, and walked, … and walked.”
I also enjoy teaching bread making – probably in honor of my mother – who made lucious bread two or three days every week for years and years. COVID stopped the making of real bread, but we can still share the mechanics of how it is done – in the old oven. People just have to use their smelling imagination.
Above: Elder Hunt doing bread demonstration
The Pioneers had a challenge to make bread. They had to first start a fire in a nearby fireplace. Fire was also built in the brick oven – to fill it to capacity. The oven would have to be “pre-heated” with the fire until it burned down to coals completely. The coals were then removed from the now hot oven. Corn meal was sprinkled in the oven – and on a large paddle on which the bread dough was placed – so that the dough would not “stick”.
Above: Cooking fireplace at bread making station in Family Living Center
And as the oven was heating, water would be heated on the big fire. Hot water would be placed in a large bowl and this would be placed inside of a wooden “proofing box”. And during all of this, the bread dough would be created. Then a container of dough would be placed in the proofing box along side of the hot water.
AFter ten minutes, the dough would be punched down. And after the second 10 minutes, it would be punched down again and the water bowl would be replaced with more hot water from the fire. The 10 and punch, 10 and punch routine be repeated. The dough would be formed into loaves, rolls, or whatever and then placed in the prepared oven. Quite a process but I am sure that the bread was fabulous!
Once for a mission activity, we actually cooked bread using the above method and it was so great!
Sister Hunt likes to teach candle making and of course, brick making. At the candle making station, kids enjoy dipping candles into the hot wax to enlarge the candle. She is also good at the fibers and spinning station.
AN ENDURING LEGACY OF ELDER BELCHER
Well, it is sure amazing to review and remember the ongoing legacy of Elder E. H. and Sister Verna Belcher certainly left their mark on Nauvoo … and in so many ways.
One blessing to me is their daughter who got adopted into the Nauvoo blood. Now it runs in her veins.
As a review … They served for two and a half years in the Lucy Mack Smith home. 30 months in one little house! That alone is unbelievable. We work in 28 different sites and get moved around to a new house every day. This means six different homes in a single week. We love this.
Sister Verna Belcher at the Lucy Mack Smith Home
Then there is the brickyard and the creation of the Nauvoo brick. He was challenged by the Lucy Mack Smith arrangement and he researched brick making. Then he created the brick yard – across the street from Lucy’s place. And soon thereafter, he created the Nauvoo brick. And this has been a mainstay for all Nauvoo visitors for over 45 years now.
And then there is the Coolidge House. He literally saved this grand building from destruction. And in this building, he began demonstrations of various pioneer trade skills. Those skills were presented for many years in the Coolidge House. And then 20 or so years later, those same skills were transferred to the new Family Living Center. The trade demonstrations continue even to this time and generations of guests come there to enjoy them together.
Above: Sister Lou Dene Belcher Hunt and Elder Kevin Hunt in front of the brick kiln built by Elder E H Belcher
His daughter, Lou Dene, my wife, AKA Sister Lou Hunt … is now here in Nauvoo as a senior missionary. She has been a dedicated advocate in the greatest of the Belcher (and Hunt) tradition. Great job, Sister Hunt!
So amazing. We are grateful to this great man and his supportive wife. They truly did leave a heavy mark and a lasting legacy that will continue on for many more generations. Thanks, Elder Belcher!
So great to be on the Nauvoo trail behind Elder Belcher. We have to run to keep up with him.
Yes, it’s “full circle” for me relative to missionary service here in Old Nauvoo, As you might have surmised, I am here in Nauvoo in 2024 serving as a site missionary. It is “full circle” for me – since I was also here in 1975 – doing exactly the same thing as I am now doing in the present here and now moment of 2024. Forty-nine years later? How is that possible?
Serving here in 2024 I am serving with my own companion – my wife, Lou. This is one of the greatest moments of my life. It is great to be serving here with her. I am so grateful for the opportunity to return to serve in these times in this sacred and holy place of Nauvoo. In being here, I recognize the hand of the Lord in my life and in my being here – again! And as I put it all together, I stand in total amazement. It is really very fantastic to see how the Lord has and continues to pull everything together for me to serve and to accomplish his purposes – on behalf of myself and others who come here to this holy ground. I marvel at how the Lord pulls together time and space, people and circumstances – to make them all come together in continuing miracles. It’s a big WOW!
Sister Walters is half of a senior missionary couple here in Nauvoo. (Her husband is a teamster!) She is charged with the task to create an annual mission history for our Illinois Historic Sites Mission. This is reminiscent (for me) as I recall having that assignment to create such a history – as I did this for eight years for the Mesa South Stake “of Ziion” in Arizona. I remember well, the Church’s charge to create such historical documents (and I remember the Lord’s charge of such to Nephi (3 Nephi 23:6-13) and again through the Prophet, Joseph Smith in our day (D&C 85:1-2). The charge remains the same! So, I appreciate Sister Walter’s efforts.
Sister Walters somehow discovered that I had been here before – and that I have come “full circle” by being here once again to serve in Nauvoo. She suggested that I write my feelings about that coming “full circle” phenomenon. I readily agreed to her invitation.
My mind was filled with the “dash” – the many years and Nauvoo memories and even miracles that have come together for me here in this special and sacred place. To my mind came many images (and a fistful of 3×5” notecards) of people and experiences to write about – really filling the details of that “full circle”. I soon saw in the invitation a full blog. And with so much coming to me, I decided that I should reread her invitation – to see what she really wanted. I knew that I could feed her more than she wanted (you know me!).
I went back and reread her original message to me. She wrote: “Hi there! Elder Hunt … I had talked to you earlier about doing a page in the history called ‘full circle’. I would like to feature you on that page. Would you please send me a short paragraph on how you feel as a returning missionary to Nauvoo?” (She said she already had sleuthed some photos of me – one as a young missionary and one with my beautiful wife). She continued, “It seems like such a special and unique thing to be able to minister in the same place at different stages of life. How cool is that??? Would you be able to do this within a week or so?” (I had previously missed the “short” part of the directive – so I had to rethink my approach.
She said it so well … beautiful. I could have just let her say it for me. After re-reading the invitation, I realized that my volume of thoughts probably extended way beyond her hopes and expectations. But she already had me going. I quickly created a “short” (for me) rendering of the facts and sent it off to her. I was off and running, however, so I decided to just keep going – for my own sake – and that of posterity (and possibly other interested parties).
I have spoken and written about some aspects of my “full circle” in previous blogs and I apologize if I repeat myself or if I will bore you with more than you want. But, it is a great story and so I guess I will just continue with my expanded vision of that “circle”. It will actually be great to have all of the material together in one space and blog. So, here goes …!
First, about my initial (1975) call to serve in Nauvoo (and I note that I have a daily journal entry for every day of my mission – and every day hence) so I can go back to document the facts and memories:
MY ORIGINAL CALL TO NAUVOO IN 1975
When I first arrived in the Alabama-Florida Mission (later renamed to the Florida-Tallahassee Mission), I heard of some missionaries who had a few months before, been sent to serve in old Nauvoo. Their story was fascinating to me. And the Spirit told me specifically that I would later have such an assignment. I knew in my heart that I would somehow end up there. I didn’t know how it would happen, but I knew that it would.
On April 25, 1975, I recorded in my journal: “It has been an interesting day. All of us in the office received word on forthcoming transfers My transfer was a real mind blower. I will leave May 10th – along with Elders Moffat, Howard, and Rich, to go to the Nauvoo, Illinois Mission. I will spend the rest of my mission there. This means that I will have been here in Florida [Alabama and Georgia] for exactly 18 months. I am really excited about this. I have felt sure (by the Spirit)- that I would get there sometime. I heard parts of the phone call to President Spencer H. Osborn on Wednesday. He received a call from President [J. LeRoy] Kimball of the Nauvoo mission. Two seconds later, after he hung up, he called his Assistants into his office. I’ve known since then that something was up. We already had a transfer in progress for the week.”
Elder Kevin Hunt as Mission Recorder –
Florida Tallahassee Mission 1975
I knew after the call that I was on my way to Nauvoo – but I didn’t say anything to anyone about it. I just sat back and watched it go “through the process”. The mission leaders later told me that when they went into the transfer session, they knew immediately that I was to go to Nauvoo – but they fought it. They had plans for me to become the new secretary to the mission president – and that I was to then “train” the new mission president who would arrive in June. They thought that they had this all orchestrated and were beginning to implement the plan to make that happen. They finally “gave in” to the Spirit and went forward with the Lord’s plan to ship me out. And I was soon on my way.”
Florida Missionaries on way to Nauvoo –
Elders Howard, Rich, Moffat, and Hunt
MY 2024 RETURN TO NAUVOO
It was Tuesday, February 6, 2024. We knew that our mission call would likely arrive today. Our family gathering was set to start at 6:00 PM. (And Elders’ Quorum President, Doug Ford, had already cancelled our presidency meeting for the night). We let all family members make a guess as to where we were going. The guesses varied around the world. Katelyn made the guess of “Nauvoo”. After the guesses, we opened the large envelope that had been sitting on our counter all day (without us peeking into it). I tried to get Lou to be the voice – but she deferred to me. I read the full letter that was signed by President Russell M. Nelson, our prophet.
Here is a part of the my mission call letter:
Receiving this new mission call brought back memories of the mission call of my youth – issued in 1973 (50 years ago) to me by then President Harold B. Lee. And I note that we have had six prophets since that time: Spencer W. Kimball, Ezra Taft Benson, Howard W. Hunter, Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, and Russell M. Nelson. Interesting.
We were all jazzed with the call all so exciting! It was so great to be returning “home” to Nauvoo.
TRAINING FOR THE MISSION
There was no MTC in 1975. All missionaries reported to the Salt Lake “Mission Home” – which was housed in a remodeled grade school located across the street from the church headquarters building. We were there for just five days. We ate all our meals in the church headquarter cafeteria. I then flew from Salt Lake City to Tallahassee.
Salt Lake City LDS “Mission Home” 1973
In 2024, I attended the MTC (Mission Training Center) in Provo, Utah with my wife. We had had a long drive from Arizona up to Salt Lake City – and then back down to Provo. We were there for ten days of training. The training format was quite different. This was such a grand experience. (And I have written a blog just on the subject of the MTC.)
The Modern Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah – 2024
WHERE WILL WE SERVE IN NAUVOO?
Many of the Nauvoo missionaries that we were with us in the MTC had already received assignments as to where they would serve upon their arrival. Many also had advance notice from an assigned “trainer”. We had neither. We kept wondering where we might be assigned. The thought gave us something to think about at the MTC and on our long trek east to Nauvoo.
Then as we were on the road on that long Thursday (and were somewhere out in the flats of Nebraska.) I checked my phone at a rest stop (and I must say that Nebraska has absolutely fabulous rest stops). And there it was … the mysterious and illusive e-mail that we had been anticipating. I snuck a peek at it. And I chuckled. Funny! And when we got back on the road, I mentioned to Lou that we had received THE BIG MESSAGE about where we would be serving. Like me, she was full of anticipation.
I said, “Guess where we are going?” I let her think about it for a few seconds before I made the big reveal. “Lucy Mack Smith home”, I told her. Sister Hunt almost went into shock. It took her a few seconds to comprehend and to process that. Her folks had served in Nauvoo (circa 1979 to 1981), and they spent their entire mission in the Lucy Mack Smith Home. (More on that later.) They were called initially for a year and a half, and they extended an additional year – and they served in this home literally the entire time.
Elder E.H. and Sister Verna Belcher serving at the Lucy Mack Smith Home
My wife was completely speechless. When she came to, she said, “Well, I certainly wasn’t expecting that!” (We later learned that today’s senior missionaries get moved around to different homes – DAILY– so they do not remain in a single home forever like the folks.) But Lucy Mack Smith … how cool is that to follow in the footsteps of the in-laws. It was pretty exciting. (Current scheduling leaders had no idea of our past connection to the place when they made the assignment!)
My wife finally got her mind settled over the assignment and sent a message out to our posterity. Everyone was elated! Coincidental? Hardly! The folks (now angels) likely had a bit to do with the assignment. We knew that they would be very pleased to have us follow in their footsteps.
Elder E. H. and Verna Belcher – Nauvoo Missionaries 1979-1981
ARRIVAL METHODS IN GETTING TO NAUVOO
The travel distance from Tallahassee, Florida (where I was serving in the mission office) to Nauvoo was right at 1,000 miles. I flew from Tallahassee to Atlanta, Georgia. The four of us then flew from Atlanta to Chicago. Then we boarded an old and quite small “prop” plane which took us from Chicago to Burlington, Iowa. On that last flight leg, I was afraid that we would drop and hit deer on the way.
In 2024, Sister Hunt and I packed a van with a large collection of our stuff. The mini van was literally full. We drove from our Maricopa, Arizona home up to the MTC in Provo, Utah. We then drove overland going east – for another 1,200 miles. Altogether, we drove about 2,300 miles to get to Nauvoo.
OUR FIRST DAY ON THE JOB IN NAUVOO
As noted above, we thought that we were on our way to the Lucy Mack Smith home and were excited about being there. Then just a couple of days before our projected first day, we received a message from the mission scheduler. We had been moved to the Browning Home and Gun Shop for our first day. We had not yet been on the tour thee and had not had a mentor to teach it to us.
That morning, Elder and Sister Turner were there with us. They took the first tour and then it got busy. As they were engaged with their group, another group came in the front door. The Turners were too far into their tour to bring the new folks into it. Sister Turner showed a look of panic. I said, “No worries, I can take this group!” She looked at me as if I were crazy. She gave me a look of “how is that possible?” I went to our group, introduced ourselves, and it was then that the Holy Ghost took over … and “brought all things to my remembrance”. It was a neat experience as I literally remembered the script that I had given at the same house 49 years before. I was in awe – and expressed gratitude.
SERVING AT THE HEBER C. KIMBALL HOME
Heber C. Kimball Nauvoo Home as Restored by Dr. J. LeRoy Kimball
Within a short time, we were assigned to serve at the Heber C. Kimball Home. This was exciting for me – since I had fond memories of the place from former times. As I stood to give the tour, my mind was taken back to the first day I served there back then.
Nauvoo Restoration visionary – Dr. J. LeRoy Kimball
On my first day of arrival Dr. J. LeRoy Kimball, the Nauvoo Restoration visionary, showed us new missionaries around the whole city – and specifically to his favorite home. In my mind (in the current 2024 moment), I could see him there – even then kind of an old guy – with his funny hat and his cane. He told us of his great-grandfather, Heber. He shared things that are not in our current missionary site guides – and which only he would know.
In the Heber C. Kimball home, we talk about Dr. Kimball – who started all of the restoration in Nauvoo. He is truly a legend for his great work. He restored the Kimball home and then began to purchase other homes – Wilford Woodruff, Brigham Young, and Lucy Mack Smith. That is part of the story told in the Kimball home. I had served in 1975 in each of those homes. It was very interesting for me as I told of Dr. Kimball and then told folks that he was actually my youth mission president in Nauvoo. Wow! “How cool that you were here and served with him – and that you are back now!” Yes, it was very cool, indeed! Wow!
DR. KIMBALL SHARED SLIDES OF HIS WORK OF RESTORATION
Also, on my first day in Nauvoo (ancient history), Dr. Kimball gathered the newly arriving Elders. He showed us a rather lengthy collection of his slides about the Restoration of Nauvoo. I remember these as being super fascinating and wonderful.
After being here in Nauvoo in modern history, I was working on a project. How I wished that I had those slides of Dr. Kimball. I knew that they had to exist somewhere – even though Dr. Kimball died in 1992 – at age 91. I got on-line and began a search for them. I located them at the Church History Department. It said that the slides were available for research but only in person at the Church History Library in Salt Lake City. (That was great – but not very convenient since I was in Nauvoo – and would be for another while.)
I completed the document request form (found with the collection notice for the slides). The form had me tell who I was and why I wanted the slides. I noted that I was a missionary in 1975 under Dr. Kimball and back again now in 2024 as a Senior Missionary. I said that I wanted to do a comparative photo presentation showing the results of Restoration over those 49 years.
I received a note back from a historian. They sent me a short list of some sub collections and asked if there was one that I was particularly interested in. I picked one – not sure what it contained.
Then a month or so later, I received another message from the historian. The person informed me that “after long discussion … the department has decided to digitize the full collection” (and said that I would later be able to access it all. Wow!
“A NAUVOO WALK DOWN HISTORY LANE …”
While here in Nauvoo as a young buck, Elder Shaltes and I went around everywhere and took photos of most of the old houses – any that we could identify. Many of the homes had “Nauvoo Restoration” signs identifying the pioneer resident. Some of the homes had current residents and could not be identified.
Anyway, the photos that I took were slides. And for years, these slides seemed doomed to an ignominious death (being buried where old slides get buried). Then a couple of years ago, our Grandson, Brodey, helped me digitize all of my old mission slides – including Nauvoo. All of the slides were converted to images that could be saved, moved around, used in publications, etc. This was truly amazing that we had done this and that the images were ready and waiting for a future project. And it is interesting that the digital images are actually better than the originals. Wow! But, even still, the slides then “slept” on my computer – not being used.
(And a Google search shows that if you just type “A Nauvoo Walk”, the link comes right up.)
It is amazing how this book came together. First, I took the photos as a youth. They sat dormant and undisturbed (almost dead) for years, I finally got them scanned, had them available in Nauvoo on my computer, and then I was able to use them – and the new photos to document the history of pioneer homes and the Restoration of Nauvoo over that many years. A few miracles came together.
COMPANIONS IN NAUVOO
When I was here when younger, I was assigned a companion, but we really did not have to remain with the companion. We went alone to many places and sometimes as a group. Elder Shaltes and I enjoyed being together. We have returned to Nauvoo a couple of times together and this was great to be with him again.
Kevin Hunt and Former Nauvoo Missionary Companion – at a 1997 reunion – in front of the “Red Barn” Missionary Home
Of course, now in 2024, I have my own companion, Sister Hunt – and I am hoping that neither of us get transferred.
LIVING QUARTERS IN NAUVOO
There were six of us young Elders who lived in a big white house – flanked by a giant red barn. We thus called ourselves the “Red Barn Elders”. Eight more Elders lived around the corner in “The Stone House” and six more lived in “The Lyon Drug Store”.
“Red Barn Elders” – Elders Anglesey, Buckley, Phelps, Shaltes, Hunt and Heighton
When I was here in 1975, the Lyon Drug Store had not yet been restored – but it was an original building (needing some help). Sister Hunt and I have served in the Lyon Drug on our present tour. It is now a wonderful place (almost an 1840’s Walmart) – as is the magnificent garden back behind the home.
While in Nauvoo back in the day (and still) I kept a daily journal. I had forgotten this, fact but in reading my 1975 journal, I was surprised to find that I spent my first night in Nauvoo in the Lyon Drug Store building.
Photo: Above Lyon Drug in 1975 before Restoration and below 2024
When I first saw the Simeon Dunn home in 1975, it was not overly impressive. It was kind of “worn” and “hammered” looking and had obviously sat vacant for many moons. Elder Shaltes and I took photos of the place.
Simeon Dunn Home in 1975 Prior to Restoration
Never did I think that I would one day live in this place. Gratefully, the place has been remodeled to be quite comfortable inside with its modern renovations.
Elder Kevin and Sister Lou Dene Hunt at Restored Simeon Dunn home in 2024
THE RED BARN HOME TODAY
In today’s world, they have “subdivided the Red Barn home (the white building) into two apartments for senior missionaries. Our friends the Reeds live on the top floor of the building and the Walters live on the bottom floor. Elder Brian Reed and I were friends in grade school in Mesa, Arizona and rode the same bus to the old Lehi School when we were in second and first grades (I was a year older than he was). We were then together in the old Mesa 1st ward.) Elder Walters is the veterinarian for the ramada of giant horses, the oxen, etc…
A few weeks ago, I met Elder Walters at a dinner gathering of missionaries. I had known who he was and where he lived but we had never talked. His wife (the Historian) introduced me to him and told him how I had been a missionary here – shortly after the Restoration. He found this interesting and asked me where we then lived. He was very surprised when I said, “I lived where you now live!”
We talked about what is there now. They have residence on the bottom floor – which like the 1975 home, has a small living room, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a single bedroom. When I was here before, there were four bedrooms upstairs – and I guess they have added a kitchen up there. So they have done some remodeling, I guess. The stairs have since disappeared. All very interesting!
Someday, I hope that we will have an occasion to go into both up and downstairs to jar the old memories and to see how things have changed.
Nauvoo “Red Barn” above – 1975 and below – in 2024
If I look hard, I can still see the original red barn in the new barn structures (also red) that now reside there. And across the street to the west (with fabulous view from my 1975 corner window), is the Mississippi River and another new large red building – that is HQ for the whole horse operation. In pioneer days, this lot belonged to my own ancestor, Nathan Calhoun Cheney. It was so cool that I could see his property each day from my own window. Wow!
Photo: Property of Ancestral home of Nathan Calhoun Cheney – 3rd Great Grandfather in Nauvoo
And presently there is a large pasture to the north of my 1975 window – where the horses are pastured.
Another 3rd great grandfather, Horace Strong Rawson lived on this lot. Again, it was great to look out of my north window to this property. Ten years or so down the line, the progeny of these families married each other. (And in the same pasture was the then run-down wood home of Francis Lee (ancestor of the Prophet Harold B. Lee. This place has since gone the way of all the world and is no longer there.)
Above: Former home of Frances Lee – ancestor of Prophet, Harold B. Lee
GARDENS OF OLD AND NEW NAUVOO
When I was a young missionary, each couple planted and tended a lush garden behind the homes where they were assigned to work. Many also had their own personal gardens behind the homes where they lived. Even us young missionaries in the Red Barn had our own garden – and we worked it most p-days. Eating from these many gardens was truly wonderful. That really was a big WOW.
Photo: Elder E. H. Belcher missionary garden
In those days, the Church had an apple orchard. I remember going to work there to pick apples several days as a missionary. One of the great benefits of this job was getting a bunch of apples from which we made a plethora of apple pies (as a Red Barn team). We put these in the freezer and enjoyed them together as the urge hit us. It was a great WOW each time that we dined on one of our wonderful pies. And we found a pear tree near the Stone House – and we made more pies of the pears.
I remember back when – the Church sent an old guy out to manage greenery at the various restored homes. I wish I could remember his name. It seems that he was about 75 years old – and maybe he was even 80 or 85. He was a gardener deluxe. He was most impressive in his work and the gardens that he produced.
Today, only the Facilities Maintenance missionaries do gardening. And they do a fabulous job. The gardens here are so gorgeous.
At a recent zone training meeting, our Heber Zone was privileged to hear a presentation staged by Brother Richard Hancock (my 4th cousin). He is the head gardener and designer for all of the beautiful gardens in Nauvoo. He had never heard of a church apple farm. His PowerPoint presentation featured the beautiful gardens he and his FM team have created at the Lyon Drug home and store, the Browning home, the Women’s Garden (adjacent to the visitors’ center, and at the Wilford Woodruff home. All of these gardens are spectacular, and it is fun to capture great photo ops in these colorful and majestic gardens. Each garden is a special WOW!
Magnificent garden at Jonathan Browning Home – 2024 Navuoo
TOURS OF THE ORIGINAL NAUVOO RESTORATION HOMES
It is interesting that the tours to the original homes of Nauvoo Restoration seem to be immortal. The tours at Lucy Mack Smith, the Heber C. Kimball, Wilford Woodruff, Jonathan Browning and Brigham Young homes are almost identical now as compared to what they were in 1975. This makes me feel stability and strength through these places of the pioneer greats.
I do still love going to the Brigham Young home and posing with him (with or without a beard) since I still look very much like him. I like to show the photo of me with a gray beard and standing beside the bearded Brigham. I enjoy telling people “that’s me on the left!” Har Har … this always brings a chuckle from the photo viewers.
SERVING IN THE LUCY MACK SMITH HOME
It is a special privilege to teach and testify of Lucy Mack Smith, the mother of the Prophet Joseph Smith. It is interesting to view the current rooms and to compare them to the way they were back then. I don’t think any of the furnishings have changed from that time. There is a little bathroom in the back corner – now – and I am trying to figure out where this came from. It was not there when I was there.
Lucy Mack Smith Home – 1975
I look at the china on the shelf. We used to say that it belonged to the family of John Smith (brother to Joseph Smith, Sr.). Now there is no mention of this.
Outside, we show people Lucy’s carriage shop. We just calmly point out the beautiful carriage inside – without comment. Back in the day, we clearly said that “This is Lucy’s own 1790’s Boston Carriage.” And that is what Dr. Kimball taught us. And he should know!
1790 Boston Carriage of Lucy Mack Smith – in Nauvoo
When I served originally at the Lucy Mack Smith home, there was no brickyard across the street. The Belchers had not yet hit that scene. They would not arrive for another five years. We have visited Nauvoo several times through the years and have seen the development of the brickyard over time. It has changed dramatically. And as we have come each time, we have enjoyed getting one of Grandpa Belcher’s bricks. We love telling people who come today about the brick yard and how Lou’s father, Elder Belcher, created the brickyard, learned the process, and created the now famous Nauvoo brick souvenir. People are just amazed when Sister Hunt tells the story of her parents. They cannot believe that it was her father who did this – and that his daughter is back here in this modern age – carrying on the enduring legacy that Elder and Sister Belcher created. We are proud to be here in their footsteps.
TOURS IN RESTORED HOMES
When here in 1975, I was a “Site Guide” and that is my exact duty here again in 2024. We then had only eight places in which to take tours. These included the Wilford Woodruff, Heber C. Kimball, Lucy Mack Smith, and Brigham Young Homes. We had the Jonathan Browning Home and Gun Shop, the “Times and Seasons Building” (with a tour very different than today and the John Taylor Home, the Blacksmith Shop and the 70’s Hall.
Above: Nauvoo Restoration Map 1975
Above: Nauvoo Restored Homes – 2024 Map
Today in 2024,there are 26 homes and shops where we take tours. There is a plethora of “Main Street Trades” that we demonstrate. I needed to learn the eight tours then, and we learn and rotate through the 26 places today. Wow!
In 1975, couples were assigned to specific homes, and they remained there through most of their missions. Today, we have nearly 30 site missionary couples and we rotate to different homes virtually every day. It is pretty normal that we rotate to serve in six different homes within a single week.
OPEN HOURS OF SERVICE IN RESTORED HOMES
In 1975, each of the restored homes were open from 9 Am to 8 PM. Us “young ‘elders” would go and relieve the senior couples for lunch. We would go to one home for an hour and then when they returned, we would move to a second home for another hour. Then the couples left their homes at 5:00 PM. The Young Elders would relieve the seniors and take over their homes until closing time.
Today, in 2024, the homes are open at 9:00 Am. And they all close at 5 PM. Getting a lunch break is always a trauma. We serve the entire day with no replacement personnel for breaks. And often, there are so many visitors who come that taking a break is impossible – even with multiple couples or young sister missionary pairs serving in a single home. The Mission President has mandated lunch breaks – but the reality of making them happen is challenging at best.
THE NAUVOO MISSIONARY FORCE
Nauvoo “Young Elders” Serving in 1975
When I served here anciently, I was one of 20 “young Elders”. We came from five different missions “east of the Mississippi” (and this was a “part of our way home” since we all lived west of the Mississippi.) We had about a dozen senior couples. Two couples were “roving couples” and spelled off the others so that all could have “p-days). There were no young sister missionaries.
Full Nauvoo Mission Photo – 1975
When I was here back then, us young Elders all left for home within a couple of months of each other. We finished up our missions here in Nauvoo. I do not feel that I ever got “trunky”. However, most of the young Elders were definitely very “trunky” for a couple months before their departure for home. This was not a good scene – 20 missionaries all departing at once for home.
After I returned home from my mission, I was working one afternoon at the flower shop of my brother-in-law (who married my sister while I was on my mission). I received a phone call from a General Authority. And that call still baffles me. There was no one at home to give the caller my work phone number. Somehow they found me at the flower shop. The GA (General Authority) asked if I had “a few minutes” to talk about Nauvoo. Of course I was pleased to do so. He wanted to know anything and everything that I could tell him about life as a Nauvoo missionary – as well as to hear my suggestions for change.
I suggested that it would be much better to pull missionaries to Nauvoo from neighboring missions – and to bring missionaries who had served for six to eight months in their own missions. I suggested that they bring the missionaries to Nauvoo for just four months – from April or May through about mid-September. I then suggested that these missionaries then be returned to their original missions to serve the remainder of their two years. And that is exactly what they did – beginning the next year. The missionary department and Nauvoo operated in this mode for several more years.
At some point, and I don’t know when it was, the practice of receiving young Elders was discontinued completely and young sister missionaries were then brought here instead of the young Elders. Today, young sisters begin to serve from mid-March through mid-May. They serve here until about the first of October. They then go serve an “outbound” mission – with a new call – anywhere else in the United States and they serve there for six or so months. They then return to finish up their last six months here in Nauvoo. This seems to be a great system. My Mission President told me that there have been 66 young sisters here this season. Half of the missionaries go home around this time and the other half go out for their outbound service.
Our missionary force increased by many more missionaries in 2024:
Full Nauvoo Mission Photo – 2024
In my former life, there were no kind of performing missionaries. I was brought to Nauvoo purely on my good looks and my natural charisma. If I had had to audition, I would not have stood a chance of coming here.
As already noted, my In-laws were here from 1979 to 1981 as a senior couple. In their day, they were drafted (with or without talent) to perform in the Cultural Hall and out in the fields in the primitive productions of “Night on the Prairie”. They did the best they could.
Elder and Sister E.H. and Verna Belcher in Nauvoo stage production
And nowadays, we have two different casts (summer and fall) of performing missionaries = plus the Nauvoo Bagpipe Band. These folks are absolutely fabulous, and they bring so much spirit and energy to the current Nauvoo scene. They really are a big WOW!
WEARING APPARREL FOR MISSIONARIES
Elders Craig Shaltes and Kevin Hunt in white-shirt Nauvoo missionary attire
When I was in Nauvoo in 1975, all of the men – young and old – just wore white shirts and ties. And now, in 2024, we all wear 1840’s “period” costumes. I really like having and wearing costumes. They help create a special spirit and they help people to better feel the people who once lived here in this “covenant community”.
WORK IN THE VISITORS’ CENTER
When I was in Nauvoo in 1975, each of the 20 “young Elders” reported to work each day at the Visitors’ Center. One missionary was designated as the “zone leader” (or whatever we called him). He created a schedule for the rest of us. Four pairs of Elders were given assignments to man the homes and to relieve the couples for their lunch hours. We were given PM assignments to take over for the couples. One or more Elders were always up at the front desk – with the three senior couples who spent their whole time there. They called the rest of us up (from our downstairs lounge) to give tours in our turn.
When not giving one of the three tours in the Center, we spent our time in the basement under the East Theater. We spent most of our time studying.
Photo: Missionary Lounge in Visitors’ Center – with clipped ties from former missionaries to Nauvoo
They had a large and very interesting history library for us to peruse. While here, I read about 20 biographies (Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, Heber C. Kimball, Lucy Mack Smith, Parley P. Pratt, and many more). This has proven to be a major blessing to me through the years. It gave me a very solid base of Church history knowledge – which I have often been able to share with others. And in addition to study time in the lounge, there was also time to take an occasional nap and even to play ping pong or other games. It was a glorious place of recreation and learning.
I stopped in to check out the old hang-out recently. Now the place is inhabited by the Nauvoo Performing Missionaries and is their “green room” where they prepare for their performances. The place looks very different.
Back then we took tours that gave a general history of Nauvoo – on the first floor of the Center. We gave tours upstairs about The Book of Mormon and the Relief Society.
Today, the center displays are very different. The displays have been changed a few times over the years. Today the displays are mostly self-guided with the help of many electronic innovations and modern graphic opportunities. In the old days, I learned to walk backwards – to maintain eye contact and connection with guests – always facing them. And I got so skilled at this art, that I could even traverse the two flights of stairs in the backward mode. It was funny to have the visitors “warn me” of the coming stairs: “Watch out … there are some stairs”. (“Oh, is that right? I didn’t know they were there! Thanks for the warning!”)
When a young missionary, I was able to use my flower arranging prowess (learned from years of working at Crismon’s Flowers). My brother-in-law, Charlie, sent me a large box of silk flowers and I created four beautiful floral arrangements – at each of the corners of the upper floor of the center. These draped down toward the lower floor below. These were beautiful in their day. It is sad to see the open “holes” of the corners sitting vacant today. I miss my arrangements of yesteryear.
Floral Greenery at Nauvoo Visitors’ Center – Designed by Elder Kevin Hunt
We had a movie in 1975 that told the history of Old Nauvoo. We have a similar movie today – but it is a newer version. The movie still has the “feel” of the old one. The movies have been an introduction to the people and lives of the pioneers of the 1840’s. It gave me a shot of nostalgia as I first went to the theater in the modern time to start a movie. A great memory!
A major function of the current Visitors’ Center is to assist people in locating their own pioneer ancestors. For a while, there was a designated “Land and Records” office. COVID helped to kill that building – and staffing of it – but the function remains.
I enjoy current opportunities to serve in the Visitors’ Center. It is great fun to have close connections with the visitors who come to us. I spend a lot of my time teaching people how to use the Family Tree phone “app” to get to the “My Nauvoo Relative” search resource. Once we find a Nauvoo relative, I (or the young sisters) will print a sheet which shows a map where the ancestor lived. We can then send them off to find the property once inhabited by their peeps. And everyone gets so excited about all of this.
And I might add, that with my extensive historic research of the homes of Old Nauvoo, I know well the whole community lay-out and what historic homes are or are not there now. I have become somewhat of an authority on the process and the old homes. It is great to be a good resource to our visitors.
PERSONAL TOWN TOURS WITH GUESTS
In 1975, if we found a family or people who showed great interest in our message, one of us (not two of us) would get into their cars with them and would take them on a detailed historical tour of the town. We would share the history that we learned from our hours of study in our basement hide-out. We would stop at restored tours along the way. If there were no other visitors, we would let the senior couples take our friends on their tours. And if they were busy with other guests, we would take the folks on the tour – with us as the guides. I had some really great experiences as I was able to give special personal attention (by the Spirit) to the folks. Most of the folks on these personal tours were not members of the Church – so we had some great missionary experiences and opportunities for in-depth discussions.
Note from Kirby Todd after Elder Hunt took him on a personal tour around historic Nauvoo – 1975
We have not yet experienced a winter here in Nauvoo (and we are kind of terrified of it as we anticipate the unknown … not a fun prospect for us “desert rats”). We have heard that in the dead of winter – when it is way too cold and we have few guests, we remain at our homes (doing research or other self-guided projects). All of the site guides will be on-call on a rotation schedule. And when an interested group or individual arrives wanting a tour, the Center will give us a call with about 15 minutes notice to get in our costumes and to report at a specific site to begin a “concierge” tour with the guests – taking them to one or multiple sites on our “tour”. Should be interesting to see how this is managed and how it all works.
THE TEMPLE LOT AND CHANGES THROUGH THE YEARS
In my Young Missionary days, the Temple lot was kind of an enigma. One needed a lot of imagination to envision the former Temple there. The scene was a sunken lawn surrounded by rectangular pieces of Temple stone. There were brick foundations to represent the former spiral staircases. In the center of the lot was a well – that was said to be the original Temple well. This had a metal grate over it. And around the well was some brick and what was said to be a part of the shoulder of a baptistry oxen.
Nauvoo Temple Lot – as it appeared 1975 before reconstruction
With these sparse conditions, we still took people up to the Temple Lot and tried to help them envision the Temple of long ago. We were able to teach somewhat of the functions and ordinances of the Temple and this discussion was beneficial to many.
The looming Catholic Girls’ school in the forefront of the Temple Lot was a deterrent to the overall scene between us and the Mississippi River. I am sure that the school provided a necessary and important function, but it was sure great when the lot (like Joseph’s Red Brick Store) obtained a much higher and glorious function.
Former Catholic Girls’ School in Nauvoo, Illinois – Razed in 2002
In 2002, the former Nauvoo Temple was reconstructed in all of its former glory – and more. And now today, it stands majestic at the top of the hill. This certainly is a grand improvement over the former sparse ghost of its pioneer past. And that is a bunch of WOW’s!
Nauvoo Temple – Reconstructed and Restored in 2022 – as it appears “illuminated” in 2024
TODAY’S “TEMPLE CITY” TOUR
Soon after the re-creation of the Nauvoo Temple, the Church created the “Temple City” tour to better tell the story of the Temple and its impact upon the pioneer Nauvoo community. This tour was a great addition to the Temple and surrounding area. The tour includes the homes of William Weeks, Bishop Edward Hunter, and William Gheen.
The home of William Weeks, the architect of the Nauvoo Temple existed in my original mission experience. It was then, a rather unique structure – perhaps equal to the role of a creative architect. I was surprised in modern times to see how this structure has changed.
William Weeks Home – Architect of the Nauvoo Temple – as it appeared in 1975 – before restoration
The ornate top of the structure (not sure what it was called) was removed – as was an addition that was added on the east side of the existing structure. This was removed to get the building restored back to the way it really was back in the 1840’s era.
Photo: William Weeks home as it appears in 2024
The William Gheen home did exist in 1975 – and its exterior was about as impressive as the Simeon Dunn home. “Well-worn” was a good description. The exterior of the building was spiffed up to look new – and not a whole lot of restoration was needed on its Nauvoo brick. The interior was restored to its current special state – complete with a surprise “funeral parlor” in one room. The view of the Temple outside the windows of the Gheen home (minus the current tree) was magnificent and still is.
The home of Bishop Edward Hunter existed in 1975. I remember it well. It was kind of unique with its kind of interesting greyish-blue hue. It seemed that the home was in pretty good shape.
Photo: Bishop Edward Hunter home as it was in 1975 – and before it was later razed
So, as I returned to Nauvoo in 2024 and gave tours of it, I was surprised to learn that the home had been totally razed and reconstructed in the interim. I later learned that the home was owned back then by the Catholic Sisters. And for whatever reason, they determined to take the building down. And still later, the Church purchased the property, and the newly reconstructed structure is wonderful – and equal to the stature of Bishop Hunter – who later became the Presiding Bishop of the Church.
Photo: Bishop Edward Hunter – Reconstructed Nauvoo home – 2024
And the Temple view from the perimeter of the “Temple City” is absolutely amazing and breathtaking. Words cannot describe its beauty as it is illuminated splendidly with no or full moon. It is so spectacular, and Sister Hunt and I never tire of the beauty of the majestic building.
And I cannot forget the beauty and grandeur of the equestrian statues of the horses – and riders – of Joseph and Hyrum. They are truly wonderful in the sunset – with the river as the background. They stand majestically to the west and in front of the Temple. With the Temple, they make a beautiful backdrop (or front drop) of the Temple and the river. Together, the temple and the statues create a bunch of WOWS.
The Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother the Patriarch – Equestrian Statue – Nauvoo 2024 – Copyright by Kevin and Lou Dene Hunt
THE SEVENTIES HALL
I love the simple elegance of the Seventies Hall. We had the Hall when I was here in 1975. It had been newly reconstructed and was beautiful. Back then, I recorded in my journal that on a couple of occasions, I (with a companion) washed all of the multitude of windows of the place.
It is interesting that the upstairs archeology museum (of items found in the ground as diggings were performed around the original 8 homes of Nauvoo Restoration) still houses the same artifacts and pieces thereof that we showed guests back in 1975. The addition of the index books that show all of the former Nauvoo members of 70’s Quorums is a great addition, and guests get very excited about these books.
It is fun to compare the 70’s Hall in its former function of training missionaries to that of today’s MTC that is world-class in its facilities and training for missionaries.
A few days ago, I had an interesting experience. We were serving in the Sarah Granger and Hiram Kimball home. My journal records: “We had completed the tour for a family named Fredrickson. I had an interesting experience with this guy. At the end of the conversation, we somehow got onto the subject of his father and how he starred in several church films back in the 1970’s – and he said that the dad played the role of “Satan” in the temple film. I asked him how many years that film ran and he said to about 1982. I knew that this was in the ballpark.
“I asked the guy if he had ever come to Nauvoo. He said that he came here in 1975 when he was age 14. I then related my story to him. I remember the guy (his dad) being on my tour at that time in the 70’s Hall. At that time, I recognized the guy from the Temple movie and asked him about it. I can even remember the exact moment of our conversation. We were going up the stairs to the museum area of the Hall. So, I told this Doug that I remembered the exact moment when I met his father – and we realized that this Doug would have been a teen on my tour at that time. Wow! We were both in awe. Another Nauvoo miracle!” That was certainly a big WOW!
THE BLACKSMITH SHOP
As a young guy, it was fun to frequently serve as a Blacksmith for a day. At that time, we created and gave out the “prairie diamond” ring that we pounded and formed by metal nails fired in the forge and pounded on the anvil.) The story was that young men in the old days – might not have been able to come up with a diamond or other ring of worth in order to win over the heart of his lady. And lacking resources, they soon discovered that they could offer their lady a ring made of a horseshoe nail. Getting one of these traditional “prairie diamonds” from the Nauvoo Blacksmith Shop was a big deal – and all the rage. Everyone wanted to obtain one – and those who got them cherished them for years. In my case, I made myself one of the rings and have literally worn it (and one successor) through all of these successive 49 years. Wow!
Somehow, the Church History Department determined that the prairie diamond was purely a myth, and sadly, the famous ring sank into oblivion. People still request them, however.
Photo: Old and new: Nauvoo Blacksmith horseshoe and the former “Prairie Diamond”
Today Blacksmith missionaries create mini horseshoes at the forge and anvil. They begin with raw metal, heat it to 1800 degrees or beyond (until it is “red hot” and then they pound it/them into the shape of a horseshoe. And generally, only one horseshoe is given out within a full visitor group – or at most, one horseshoe for each family who are on the tour.
THE TIMES AND SEASONS TOUR VERSUS THE PRINT SHOP
In my original day in Nauvoo, we took tours through the “Times and Seasons” building – operated in the 1840’s by John Taylor. In this building, we talked of the Times and Seasons more as a cultural place in the community. We demonstrated the art of weaving on a large loom. Today, the same facility has been transposed into a print shop replica of the former actual print shop where newspapers were created and printed. We have a couple of replica printing presses. And I must say that the current mode is very much an improvement. (And the loom has a new home in the Family Living Center.)
The John Taylor Print shop in 2024
The John Taylor home – of the 3-building complex, was there in ’75, and it was as beautiful then as it is now. It was amazing. It was fun as missionaries, to tell the great story of John Taylor – 3rd Prophet of the Church. But we don’t have an answer to the many people who have been coming to this home for years – and who wonder why the black toy rocking horse – made by John Taylor for his son – is no longer here to be seen and enjoyed by the guests. Fact or fiction? I wish I knew!
The Nauvoo Post Office under reconstruction in 1975
The 3rd building of the John Taylor complex was non-existent in 1975 but it was then under construction. Today the post office and Merriweather Store are housed in the building, and they comprise a fun tour for our guests.
Elder Kevin Hunt at the Restored Post Office in Nauvoo 2024
THE CARTHAGE JAIL TOUR EXPERIENCE
When I was in my younger days, we made missionary trips to the Carthage Jail on our P-days. Then, the stain of Hyrum’s blood was still very visible in the wood floor of the martyrdom room. The stain had remained imbedded in the woodwork for then 130 years. Now the Church has gone to great lengths to remove the stains, and they are no longer there for visitors to experience.
A Martyr’s Blood – Carthage Illinois as it was on the wood floor – 1975
When I was here in 1996 and 1997 with the “City of Joseph” pageant cast, we were able to walk the old Carthage trail – from Nauvoo to Carthage. Today the road is mostly non-existent. It is mostly covered by corn fields and endless patches of soybean fields.
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SCOVIL BAKERY
I thought that I had no photo of my former mission home in Tallahassee. I was really anxious to get such a photo. And then a family came for our tour at the Scovil Bakery. And believe it or not, these folks actually purchased the old Tallahassee mission home and have lived there for years after the church no longer needed the home. They produced the photo that I desired. Wow!
Florida-Tallahassee Mission President’s Home – 1975
In the tour at the Scovil Bakery, we produce and show a photo of what the place looked like – after the archeological dig on it – but before reconstruction of the building. It was in 1975- while I was here in Nauvoo, that the bakery building was totally reconstructed up from the foundation and cellar that previously had been buried under the ground.
Photo of Scovil Bakery under reconstruction – 1975
I took in-process photographs of the bakery in the construction process. And now here I am 49 years later, I am giving tours in the bakery.
THE RESTORATION OF THE CULTURAL HALL
Today the Cultural Hall (next door to the Bakery) is a gorgeous 3-story structure. It is fun to take folks through the place – and it is great to experience productions by the Nauvoo Performing Missionaries (NPM’s) in the grand hall.
The Nauvoo Cultural Hall in 1975 before Restoration
In my 1975 Nauvoo visit, the Cultural Hall was only two stories high. It was known that it originally had 3 stories. The dirt was piled up about three feet high on each side – and extended out in right angles on each side.
Photo: Archeological Digging at Nauvoo Cultural Hall prior to restoration – 1975
I had an interesting experience at the Cultural Hall. There were some skilled archeologists here – who knew what they were doing. They brought all of us missionaries there on an evening and they let us dig around in those mounds surrounding the building. In this dirt, we used brushes and other delicate instruments to brush away dirt as we located items that had lain for decades in the in the dirt. We found much of the roof under the dirt. We also found fragments of the plaster of the place – so we could tell what color the place was painted inside. I enjoy telling guests of this experience – and the restoration of the building and they are in total amazement. They are amazed when I tell them about our archeological digging on the place.
When the top roof was removed, the original floor of the third floor was exposed. The new roof must have been kind of low over that floor. And amazingly, that beautiful wood floor is still intact. In its day, this was a dance floor (among other things) and even Joseph Smith and Brigham Young danced there with their wives.
Photo: Nauvoo Cultural Hall – Original Wood Floor – as Refinished around 1975
The Restored Nauvoo Cultural Hall – as it appears in 2024
STODDARD TIN SHOP
When I first served in Nauvoo, the former Stoddard Tin Shop looked like a World War II ruin. It was really devastated. The walls – if you could call them that – remained only partially up all around the foundation. The most interesting feature of the ruins was a tree that had grown up out of the building.
By the time that I arrived in 2024, the place had been totally reconstructed. It was great to see the new building that had not been there before.
As Sister Hunt and I took our first tour in the Stoddard Tin Shop, we noticed a very old photo of the former ruins from which the Phoenix had risen. It was not a good photo. It was hard to discern the former building. As I saw the photo, I said, “I can do better than that!” I had taken my own photo of the ruins in 1975. I printed off a new photo from my slide collection and had it printed as an 8×10” photo. I signed it on the back – as a donation – and presented it to the Mission Presidency. They soon placed this in the old frame.
The Sylvester Stoddard Tin Shop as it stood in 1975
Now the photo is a part of all tours to the place. And each time I return there to give tours, I bask in the fact that I took the photo. And it is fun to show the photo to folks and to say, “I was there …”. It is hard to admit that I am old enough or historic enough to have remembered or been a part of such a relic.
THE JOSEPH SMITH PROPERTIES
When I was in Nauvoo in 1975, our access to the Joseph Smith properties was kind of limited. All of the Joseph properties were here then, and the limited tours were taken by college interns who were recruited by the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ. We knew these guides and many of them came and experienced the power of the Spirit in our meetings. We had softball games and ice cream socials together with them.
Photo: The Visitors’ Center of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ as it was in 1975
They had the little so—called “Biden Stable” where tours began. This place was very small. I remember their folding chairs in there and they showed a short slide show. And they charged guests a fee to enter the Homestead and Mansion House.
The Reorganized Church (Later known as the Community of Christ) later built a very nice visitors’ center. I do not remember ever going in there in our subsequent trips to Nauvoo.
It was a grand moment as I read the news on March 5th of this year. On that day, a multitude of historic properties transferred from the Community of Christ Church to that of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For me – that was glorious beyond description. On that day, the church received the Joseph Smith Homestead and Mansion House, the Sidney Rigdon Home, the “First Hotel”, Joseph Smith’s Red Brick Store, the homes of Hiram Clark, William Law, Jonathan Wright, Aaron Johnson homes, the Nauvoo House, Joseph’s summer kitchen, the Community of Christ visitor’s center, the foundations of the Times and Seasons building, the James Brinkerhoff, Levi Ward Hancock homes – and everything in between. Words can not express my joy as I heard the news.
And the people of the Community of Christ Church were as saddened as we were joyful with the March announcement. The transaction caught them all totally by surprise. And as we say on all of our tours of the Joseph Smith properties, we can be grateful to the Smith family, the Reorganized Church and the Community of Christ Church for their careful and dedicated care of these properties through a century and a half (plus – and which now makes it possible for us to share these special and sacred places with our guests).
Sister Hunt and I arrived here in Nauvoo about a month after the transfer of the historic properties. I am sad that we missed all of the historical training staged for the missionaries in preparation of the transfer. But we were able to catch up fast. And since then, it has been a great blessing to testify of Joseph the Prophet, on his own properties.
I do remember going through the Homestead of Joseph and Emma back in 1975. I then took photos of the beautiful “1840 Addition” kitchen. People come through these days and ask, “has this room changed much over time?” It is interesting that in my view, the room really has not changed over the years. I think that it looks almost exactly the same now as back then.
Joseph Smith Homestead 1840 kitchen addition as it was in 1975
Joseph Smith Homested 1840 kitchen addition as it appears in 2024 after property transfer to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
As we conclude our current tours of the Manion House, we take them to the back end of the former hotel – and show where much more of the structure was demolished over time and we try to help people envision two stories up – on the existing limestone foundation that is still visible.
Photo: Foundation of east side of the Joseph Smith Mansion House (removed in 1890) as it appears in 2024
I tell people that I was in Nauvoo 49 years ago and then the Red Brick Store then looked exactly like the current Mansion House foundation. People stand there dumbfounded. (The Reorganized Church reconstructed the Red Brick Store about 1980.) Joseph’s Red Brick Store certainly looks different today!
Photo: Joseph Smith’s Red Brick Store in 2024
JOSEPH SMITH’S RED BRICK STORE
As noted, the Red Brick Store was just a hollow foundation when I was here in 1975. Today it is a great privilege and blessing to now be able to testify there of truths which include the Wentworth Letter – the Articles of Faith as a foundation for sharing the gospel, and the prophesy of the Standard of Truth – and how the Gospel is now going forth to all of the world. We talk about how Joseph Smith finished and published the sacred Book Of Abraham – and the restoration of the Abrahamic Covenant. We tell of the function of the clerks and how they recorded tithing and other donations in “The Book of the Law of the Lord” (more on that later). We talk about clerks helping Joseph write his own history as well as that of the Church. We talk about the organization of the Relief Society, how the first endowments were performed in the store, and the transfer of Priesthood keys from Joseph to the Quorum of the 12 Apostles. As we conclude the tour, I summarize these many blessings and amazing events that came under the direction of Joseph the Prophet. They are all magnificent and wonderful. The place is full of major and sacred WOWs for me and our visitors.
I have experienced many miracles at the Red Brick Store. I have previously shared some of those miracles.
One miracle was a visit by a family from southern Georgia. They knew a family whom I loved when in Tifton, Georgia back in 1974. They had the contact information for this family, and I was able to reconnect with the Pierce family of Tifton, Georgia. We had a joyful video call that lasted over an hour. It was a great time.
CITY OF NAUVOO EVENTS, BUSINESSES AND OTHER BUILDINGS
When I was in Nauvoo in 1975, there was a giant cheese factory. This was located adjacent to the LDS chapel. That factory was torn down in 2002. It is no more.
Former Nauvoo Cheese Factory – Razed around 2002
And today, in 2024, the Church is building another new Visitors’ Center – to be located across the street west and a bit north of the Temple. This visitors’ center will focus on the Temple and the worldwide growth of Temples and the principles and ordinances being more available to members throughout the world. And the lot where the cheese factory once stood will be the parking lot for the new center.
Photo: New LDS Nauvoo Temple Visitors’ Center under construction in 2024
After the church members left in the late 1850’s a group of French Icarians moved in and took over many of the homes of Old Nauvoo. Their communal society did not last very long. Soon the Germans moved in and established a strong presence in the community. They built the giant and lofty Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church at the top of the hill around 1875 (and it still stands adjacent to our own Temple).
The town combined all of the above to create the annual “Wine and Cheese Festival” and a major event was the “marriage of the wine and cheese” that happened over the Labor Day weekend each year. The big marriage ceremony was widely advertised in every tourist publication in many counties around Nauvoo. And it was quite interesting to see the results. … The famous ceremony lasted all of about 20 minutes. And people had come from miles around to participate. After the very short ceremony, folks were stuck with trying to figure out what to do for the rest of the weekend. And most visitors ended up coming to our restored home sites. (And hence, it turned into a grand missionary opportunity for us and the Church.)
Today, with the cheese factory history, there is no longer a wine and cheese festival. The big event here is now the “Grape Festival”. This event (still held over labor Day weekend) features a 5K run through old Nauvoo, a pancake breakfast – staged by the local Scout troop and pack, a car show, music, dance, and more music through the whole weekend.
When I was here in the previous life, and I have noted already that there was a large Catholic girls’ school located just to the west of the site of the former Temple. This school stood at the crest of the hill. My own daughter came to a BYU Nauvoo Semester in 2002 – the year that the new Temple was dedicated – and all of their school functions – and their dormitory – was in this former Catholic girls’ school. And when the temple was recreated, the school became a major blockage of the magnificent view from the Temple – looking west to the Mississippi River. The church soon purchased this property, and it was eventually torn down. And now the view is truly amazing and wonderful. It is a definite WOW – or multiple WOWS!
CHURCH MEETINGS
When I served here in former times, we had not yet evolved to the “consolidated meeting schedule” that we know today. The missionaries were able to attend early morning Priesthood meetings up the hill at the Nauvoo chapel. We missed Sunday school – that was held midday – because this meeting was held after we opened our home sites for the day. Then late in the evening – like 7 PM, we held our own weekly sacrament meeting – just for missionaries – in the west theater of the visitors’ center.
We did not then have access to all of the sessions of the General Conference. We were able to receive the Priesthood Session – but generally just one or maybe two hours total of all of the other sessions. (We would have welcomed being able to view all sessions).
Today, we can view all sessions of the General Conference – in our homes – or at the chapel or probably in our visitors’ center theater.
And today, all of the missionaries (of every variety) meet each Sunday at 8 Am for our own sacrament meeting (held in the East Theater). We all remain for Sunday School two Sundays each month and on the other weeks, the Priesthood men meet in the west theater and the sisters meet in the east theater for Priesthood meeting and Relief Society. We begin tours in the homes and shops at noon after the meetings.
COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY
When I was a young missionary, receiving and sending written letters was a really big deal – at least for me. I made sure that I wrote a letter home to my folks and family every week. And I could count on my mother’s weekly letter to arrive each Wednesday. She wrote to me every Sunday afternoon throughout all of my mission. Getting mail was a big deal.
Today, the world has changed with the computer (that wasn’t even heard of back in 1975). And of course, e-mail revolutionized how messages and communications are sent. In today’s world, I spend a lot of time writing blog articles for others to read about our mission adventures. Blogging was not even heard of back then. It is amazing to think of how computers have changed my own life and the world. And that’s another real big WOW!
I took my photos back then on a camera. Most of today’s youth have never even seen such a gadget. I took mostly slides. We had to send our film to an outside company for them to print the photos or to create the slides. And it would take a couple of weeks or more – and a fair amount of money to pay for the photo or slide creation. Each film roll was for a dozen or two photos or slides. So, a photo project like mine became a bit costly – and was a prolonged process. If photos came back bad, we had to retake them and try them again through the lengthy process.
And today, I take hundreds of photos on my phone. I can instantaneously get the results, can e-mail them, and can include them in my writing.
In 1975, I maintained my daily journal writing habit by handwriting in a bound volume. And it is such fun to go back to read entries from that era. Today, I create my journal entries on the computer and can easily save them and refer back to them as desired. This is truly a big WOW!
SOME THINGS HAVEN’T CHANGED
The town of Nauvoo is still a very sleepy little village. It has not grown or changed much in all of the passing years. It still isn’t much to write home about. Many Saints, however, have come to Nauvoo in recent years – feeling literally “driven” of the Spirit – to come here to open up various businesses. They are a welcome addition. Sadly, these places – though great ideas when they start – often cannot survive the sporadic summer/winter swings of being very busy – and then sinking in the winter to nothing.
Nauvoo in 1975 had no stores. Today, we are a big city metropolis with our own “Dollar General” store. It is surprising what a great inventory the place has for a small-town store. A funny story: Some of our kids have wanted to send us out to eat and are disappointed to learn that there are no real options here. We finally convinced a daughter to buy us a “Dollar General” gift card where we could at least buy ice cream as the urge hits.
When I was here in 1975, we always went weekly to do our sp-day hopping in the town of Keokuk – located about a dozen miles south of Nauvoo. We then shopped at the Hy-Vee grocery store. This was the only option – so they had a monopoly on the shopping business of us and the other missionaries. Surprisingly, this Hy-Vee store is still among the living. Sister Hunt and I shopped there initially (and for the sake of nostalgia( and found it kind of expensive, and though a great store, we wondered how it has survived through all of the years.
Gratefully, there are some additional shopping options in the modern time. The ALDI store is a great store and we like shopping there for fruit and vegetables and other deals. And of course, we love the convenience of the modern Walmart store. Always amazing when the wagon needs replenishment! Going to these stores is a part of our every week p-day.
NAUVOO PAGEANT PRODUCTIONS
When I first served in Nauvoo, the annual pageant had not yet come to Nauvoo. The “City of Joseph” made its first debut the following summer. This pageant was staged for another 20 plus years before the current “Nauvoo Pageant” made its debut. (I have already blogged about the Pageant and how it was operated back in 1996 and 1997 when Sister Hunt and I brought our family here to participate in the cast – and I compared it to the mode of operation to now in 2024. The dual Pageants bring great energy and excitement to our community each summer.
When our family participated in the pageant, we had a stage located between the Visitors Center and the chapel on the hill. There ws no Temple shining above us. We enjoyed a grand production, and it was so special to be in the cast. If I look really hard, I can find some evidence of the old stage now buried deep under the current stage where Nauvoo Performing Missionaries perform each night through the summer.
And now a “state of the art” modern stage has its own space in a different location. The stage is amazing and wonderful.
The stage of the Nauvoo Pageants – 2024
When we served in the pageant, we had to design and create our own costumes – along with the plethora of accessory items to go with the costumes. In today’s pageant world, cast members are provided beautiful costumes from a “store” of costumes – located at the new “Pageant Building” (which did not exist when we first served here).
FULL CIRCLE WITH ELDER WARD
Sister Hunt and I were working at the Family Living Center one Sunday afternoon. Elder and Sister Robert Ward were also there with us. As some young sisters arrived, we got into a discussion about where us Senior missionaries went on our “young” missions. Elder Robert Ward said that he had gone to the Florida-Tallahassee Mission. I said, “Wait … how old are you?” He said, “69”. I said, “Then we had to have been there together.” We realized that we were both in northern Alabama in the same zone at the same time. I found this fact in my letter home to Mom and Dad about a zone conference held January 7, 1975. I tried to open up my journal of the day there at the FLC, but it would not open. We were both dumbfounded, however, that we were in the same mission and at the same time period.
Back at home, I was able to find my journal entry of the day (on my big jump drive). I found the referenced zone conference and read about it. It was a tri-zone conference held in Birmingham, Alabama. After Elder Franklin D. Richards, an assistant to the Council of the 12, spoke, we divided into our three zones. The record reflected that I gave a talk or presentation – using the example of Ammon – my favorite missionary. (Elder Ward, I noted, would have been in attendance as I gave that presentation. He was a greenie and had only been out a couple of weeks.)
Digging still deeper, I continued to read in my journal (knowing that I got transferred out of the area on January 25th – and would not have seen him after that transfer.
I found a journal entry for a district meeting held January 17th. I learned that we were also in the same district. I was then serving in the German Catholic town of Cullman, and Elder Ward was in Guntersville. The entry said, “We then went to a district meeting. Elder Ames, as our new district leader, conducted the meeting. He and Elder Howard (ZL) gave talks as did Elders Ward (greenie of 1 month) and Adams. The Elders present included Ames and Birrell (Gadsden), Adams and Wheeler (Scottsboro), Zumwalt and I (Cullman), Howard and Rich (Huntsville) and Montgomery and Ward (like the store) of Guntersville. It was a good meeting. Elder Ames and Howard interviewed all of us. Elder Rich conducted a study class. We played a game of football gaining touchdowns as we answered questions right. Elder Z and I won the rest of them.” Wow! So amazing and wonderful that I actually found Elder Ward in my record – evidence of former times shared long ago. Wow!
“And it keeps going … I dug deep into my mission slides and found a great photo taken on the actual day of the January 17th district meeting. This photo showed the greenie, Elder Ward and six others. Sadly, I was taking the photo – so was not in it.
Photo: Huntsville, Alabama Missionaries – January 17, 1975 – District Meeting (Elder Ward is in the blue suit)
It was so fun to later share all of this info with Elder Ward! He said, “That was ME!” I stand in awe and amazement of how the Lord puts all of these miracles together. It is so great!
Photo: Elders Robert Ward and Kevin Hunt together as senior missionaries in Nauvoo 2024
FAMILY LIVING CONNECTION TO CULLMAN, ALABAMA
Another time I was serving in the Family Living Center. A young family came in and I learned that they are from Cullman, Alabama (which I just mentioned). I asked about some of the people whom I knew back then. I was surprised and pleased to learn that Kuenn Drake is still there with his family. He was a teenager when I was there in 1974, And in fact, he took my companion and me “Spelunking” (that is cave exprloring 0 with head lamps, ropes, etc.) on Thanksgiving Day. I remember him as a great kid. We often went to the Drake home to eat. And his mother’s apple cake is still my all-time-favorite cake. I make it frequently from her recipe.
When I was in Cullman, we had a very small branch of the church that met in Suite 222 of the Downtown Plaza. There were only about 25 members in the branch. My new friend, Josh, who came to the Family Living Center reported to me that there is now a large ward and a beautiful chapel in Cullman. Wow!
Cullman, Alabama LDS Chapel – Photo by Charles Drake – 2012
And Kuenn, who took us spelunking is now the local Stake President.
Photo: Spelunking with Elder Wessman (left), Elder Hunt, and Drake Brothers – Thanksgiving 1974 (Kuenn on Righ)
And that is another wow! He was just a teen of about 16 when I was there earlier in time. And the Pierce teen – already referenced in Tifton, Georgia – is also now a stake president. Wow!
IN AWE AND GRATITUDE OF CONTINUING CIRCLES OF NAUVOO SERVICE
Well, now that I have completed the writing of this rather lengthy blog, I am pretty much dumbfounded. It is interesting to see all of this material – and to note all of the changes over time – all in one place. And it is amazing and wonderful to see how much remains the same. Each season of my Nauvoo Circle was (and is) special and wonderful.
Being here in Nauvoo through the span of years has been such a great blessing and opportunity. I am in awe of the Lord and His trust as he continues to bring me to Nauvoo in concurrent circles. I so much enjoy these marvelous experiences. It is so great to serve the Lord again in this sacred and hallowed space. I love walking the streets … pondering about Joseph the Lord’s Prophet, and my own faithful ancestors who were part of the Nauvoo community.
The Nauvoo Miracles continue, and I am blessed to experience them each day as I now serve in Nauvoo. And the memories and experiences of the bygone time continue to bless me in the still expanding circle of my Nauvoo experiences. The Spirit of Nauvoo is indescribable. Just being here brings me such intense feelings of reverence as I represent the Lord Jesus Christ – and his chosen prophet, Joseph.
I am so enjoying the special times – again – on the historic trail in Old Nauvoo.
Elder Kevin Hunt
Nauvoo, Historic Nauvoo, Senior Mission Couple, Historic Sites, Missionary, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintS
On the Nauvoo Trail 