NAUVOO

We decided to wrap up our Nauvoo trip with a visit to some of the restored houses and stores.  Really, there is no way to describe it.  The Church has restored numerous buildings to how they looked and operated in 1840.  Missionaries in period dress give tours of the buildings.  And by give tours, I mean that they are experts in describing blacksmithing, baking, and the family history of the inhabitants of the houses.  It was really amazing.  Oh, and everything is FREE.

Garrett: "Oh shoot!  I shouldn't have shaved my beard.  I could have participated in the re-enactments.  I could have been the mob!"

Luckily for us, they don't do re-enactments.  Thanks for volunteering though, Garrett!

Once again, because it was fall, we were the only ones at each of these houses and buildings and receive personalized attention.  We went to the Blacksmith shop where the boys watched a demonstration of blacksmithing and received mini horseshoes and rings made of horseshoe nails.

The Browning Gun-making shop and home.

For any gun enthusists (like they would be reading this blog), this is THE Jonathan Browning - inventor/founder of Browning guns and mechanisms.  He joined the church and moved west with the pioneers.  His family still operates Browning guns in Ogden Utah.

Scovil Bakery - they hand out little gingerbread men here.  During the spring and summer, a real bakery makes 40,000 cookies to hand out to visitors.

Parker is curious how far down the well goes but was unwilling to let us push him in to see.

We also visited the garden outside the Nauvoo Visitors' Center which has a statue garden that is a tribute to womanhood.  The boys were obviously in awe and were very respectful!

Enough already!  Can you say, "Casting your pearls before swine?"
We left Nauvoo and started the trip home by heading to Liberty, MO.