A "Beautiful Place"

The bucolic small town of a thousand inhabitants hugging the bank of the Mississippi River has a tumultuous and complex past.  The Sauk and Fox Indians first called this area Quashquema.  Non-natives established a settlement there in 1824.  The population grew quickly, and by 1829 the area needed a post office.  As the town morphed, it was known, at various times as Venus (1832); Commerce (1834); and was finally re-named Nauvoo in 1840.

Nauvoo is located right on the Mississippi River. This is the view
of the river from just outside and in front of the Mormon Temple

The present temple is an exact reproduction of the Mormon Temple
built in 1840. The original was destroyed by arson in 1848

The town today is a beautiful, peaceful place as Joseph Smith
envisioned it, but that has not always been the case.

Chestnut trees cover the grounds.  These trees were
not here in the 1840s...this was all open farmland

This is what chestnuts look like on the trees...not exactly the picture one
envisions when one hears the lyrics "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..."

Nauvoo, a Hebrew wording meaning “beautiful place,” was named by Joseph Smith.  It was a place where he aspired to create an ideal community for the early members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the “Mormons”).  After being violently forced out of Missouri, nearly 10,000 Mormons moved to Illinois, most to settle in Nauvoo.  Here, the settlers practiced their religious and political beliefs while turning the swampland into a viable community.  The town grew quickly and by 1844 it rivaled Chicago.  But distrust and violence once again found the “Saints.”  Following the assassination (some said “martyrdom) of Joseph Smith in 1844, most of the Mormon population, led by Brigham Young, moved west, first to Winter Quarters, Nebraska, and ultimately to the Salt Lake Valley in the Utah territory.  Two years later, in 1846, again fleeing violence, the remaining Latter-day Saints left Nauvoo.

Brigham Young, who led the Mormons to Utah, lived in this home in Nauvoo



The George C. Riser Boot Shop

The shop of Jonathon Browning, Gunsmith

The Stoddard Tinsmith shop

Calvin Pendleton's home also served at one point as the town's school

The Samuel Williams home

The home of Sarah Granger Kimball, one of the few frame houses from the 1840s

Patty Sessions' cabin.  Even though she lost her husband and
her children\while living here, she never lost her faith. 



Nauvoo had 350 brick buildings before the Mormons left.  There were only 49 still standing when restoration of the city began in 1960.  Today, one can visit 40 historic sites from the 1840’s time period.  Demonstrations of spinning, candle making, rope-braiding, barrel making and other crafts and trades from the time period can be viewed in the Family Living Center.  Listen to a narrated account of the town while enjoying a carriage ride.  Learn about the history of the area during a wagon tour of the town.  Be transported back in time by attending the musical comedy “Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo” in the community theatre each evening.  Or simply pause to savor some quiet time in the Nauvoo groves or the Women Memorial Garden.  These activities are all free (although complimentary tickets must be obtained for the carriage and wagon rides and the play) courtesy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Nauvoo was a "community" in every sense of the word, with
homes and businesses in close proximity to one another

Old barns are beautiful works of art

Bricks used to build in Nauvoo were made right here in
the Nauvoo Brickyard that operated from 1839 to 1846

An original cistern in Nauvoo, now covered for safety

When the Mormons left Nauvoo, they travelled in wagons like this...neither
large nor comfortable. Imagine starting a 1,200 mile journey in this wagon

There are any number of options in the area for overnight accommodations, including the historic Hotel Nauvoo, newer chain hotels, and several Bed and Breakfasts (B&Bs).  If you want to really immerse yourself in the ambiance of the 1840’s, stay at one of the refurbished cabins operated by a company called Nauvoo Log Cabins.  Cabins of varying sizes will accommodate a couple or an extended family.  Each cabin’s extensive history adds dimension to the experience.

A butterfly lights on some beautiful flowers

The "Women Garden" honors the vital role that women play in society

 

More beauty...the gardens are gorgeous in the late summer

Hotel Nauvoo, approximately 175 years old. Construction was begun
by J.J. Brendt and completed by Adam Swartz, a German immigrant

Nauvoo Log Cabins.  This cabin can accommodate up to 10 people

My dad, Tracy, studying the history of some of the cabins

This was an actual log cabin, now reconstructed.
And yes, there is inside plumbing, too

Nauvoo Log Cabins has a museum on the property. This room
depicts a typical general store of the 1840s

Militia uniform and weapons of the 1840s displayed in the museum

Millstones and a period cart

My mom and dad, Dorothy and Tracy, outside of the Daniel Ison cabin
where we stayed during a recent visit to Nauvoo



Over the years we’ve enjoyed visiting Nauvoo several times, and each visit has added a little more history and a greater degree of understanding to our Road Stories.

"Mike", one of the Percheron draft horses (of French origin)
that pull the wagons and carriages in Nauvoo.

Learn more about Nauvoo at the town's official web site, Historic Nauvoo, at http://www.historicnauvoo.net/  or

the Nauvoo Tourism Office at http://www.visitnauvoo.com/

For information about Nauvoo Log Cabins, including the history of each of their restored log cabins, visit their web site at http://www.nauvoologcabins.com/

 

 

B & B and B & B and B & B

Long rambling conversations help to strengthen bonds which have lasted decades, and a great place to have those conversations is a several-day get-away to a Bed and Breakfast.  A B&B can provide a respite from everyday cares, an opportunity for chats deep into the night, and the joy of lingering over breakfast prepared and served by someone else.

A good bed & breakfast offers a unique setting or feature, a cozy room, and a tasty breakfast.  A great bed & breakfast offers all those attributes plus a warm and cordial host (or hosts) who know how to pamper guests without being intrusive.

Just recently I had the pleasure of spending a few days with Carol, a friend since our college days, at the Recess Inn in Ethel, MO. Ethel is a small town of 62 residents, nestled in the rolling hills of north-central Missouri.  The Recess Inn is aptly named – the building was the town’s school from 1910 to 1980.  The adjacent gymnasium was built by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) and now, although under private ownership, still serves as a community center in many ways.


Ethel is located on Highway 149 in Macon County

 

The 62 residents of Ethel welcome you

 





Recess Inn Bed and Breakfast, once the town's school



 

Yvonne's college friend, Carol, peeking out of the front door

The gym occupied a separate building.  It was built by the CCC, which probably
dates it to the 1930's, some 20 years after the school opened



United States Post Office, Ethel, MO

Sign as you approach Ethel shows the mileage to all of the other towns named Ethel

Ethel was once a railroad town. Now, Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF)
trains rumble right through town, maybe on their way to another "Ethel"







Each of the guest rooms was once a classroom. The former library is now a cozy sitting area for guests. A hearty country breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy, fresh fruit, orange juice and coffee fortified us for antiquing forays to the nearby towns of Macon (30 minutes southeast) and Kirksville (about an hour north.)  Our visit was made most enjoyable by innkeeper Nancy Mumford.











Doors to guest rooms on the 2nd floor stand ajar.  All of these rooms were
formerly classrooms. Stairs lead up to the 3rd floor and down to the 1st floor









Yvonne and Carol enjoy breakfast in the room that was once the school lunchroom

The former library in the old school has been turned into a comfortable
sitting room.  Note the original blackboard on the left wall.



Carol and Yvonne's room at Hilltop B & B once housed the "primary grades"





Another charming bed and breakfast in rural Missouri is the Hilltop Inn, located in Glasgow.  Hilltop Inn offers a panoramic view of the town and the Missouri River valley below.  Owners Gary and Vivian Becker have opened their lovely Victorian home to guests who want to step back in time for a brief hiatus.  A scrumptious breakfast is served in the formal dining room.  My mom, Dorothy, and I enjoyed our stay in late April as the jonquils and peach trees were just coming into bloom. Wandering through town was a pleasant way to spend an afternoon.  I went to college just thirteen miles south, in Fayette, and did my student teaching in the Howard County R-II School District in Glasgow.

Hilltop Bed and Breakfast, Glasgow, MO

View of the Missouri River from Hilltop B & B

Glasgow was once a prosperous Missouri River town, as evidenced
large number of brick houses in the area. 

 

This was my and my Mom's room at Hilltop B & B in April 2014



Yvonne and her Mom in the parlor of Hilltop Bed and Breakfast, April 2014

Interesting architecture in downtown Glasgow, MO



The Glasgow Public Library, the oldest library in Missouri.  This building is also
the longest to be continually used as a library west of the Mississippi River



The soda fountain in Henderson's Drug Store.  Henderson's opened in
1841 and is now being run by the 5th generation of the founder's family

First United Methodist Church. The carving of the fur trapper in the foreground
was done with a chain saw and is the stump of a tree that once stood on this spot



The Loganberry Inn in Fulton, MO is another great bed and breakfast in a wonderfully historic location.  It is within walking distance of the National Churchill Museum as well as Westminster College and William Woods University.  The Loganberry, a grand Victorian built in 1899, is presided over by owners Cathy and Carl McGeorge.  Cathy demonstrates her expertise daily at the breakfast table.  She has been a guest chef for Dierbergs' Cooking School in St. Louis since 2004.  When you sit down to breakfast you might be treated to dishes such as Grand Marnier French Toast or Eggs Florentine.

 

Loganberry Inn Bed & Breakfast, Fulton, MO

The Church of St. Mary the Virgin was designed by Sir Christopher Wren in England. It was dismantled,
moved to Fulton and reassembled. The Churchill Museum is housed in the lower level.

An actual part of the Berlin Wall, moved to Fulton after the wall came down in November 1989.
It was in Fulton that Winston Churchill made his famous "Iron Curtain" speech in 1946.



This sculpture is entitled "Breakthrough" and is made from 8 contiguous pieces of the
infamous Berlin Wall. The artist is Edwina Shandys, granddaughter of Sir Winston Curchill



I’ve had the opportunity to visit the Loganberry with my friend Carol, with my mom, Dorothy, and with my husband, Mike.  Part of the fun of this inn is staying in rooms occupied by famous former guests.  The late Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of England, delivered a speech at Westminster College in 1996 and stayed at the Inn.  The former President of Poland and 1983 Noble Peace Prize winner, the late Lech Walesa, stayed at Loganberry during a visit to Fulton in 1998.

Carol and Yvonne in the living room of the Loganberry Inn in Fulton, MO

The President's Room.  This is the room in which Lech Walesa
stayed when he visited Fulton to deliver a speech in 1998.

 



Each inn offers a unique get-away.  Spending quality time with family and friends enriches our lives and adds another dimension to our Road Stories.

 

Yvonne and her Mom, Dorothy, on the campus of  Central Methodist University
in Fayette, MO, in April 2014, on their way to Hilltop B & B in Glasgow