Historic Kirtland

Today we visited Historic Kirtland Village which showed what life was like in the 1830's. It was a gathering place for many of the early church members. We went through a number of historic homes and buildings. We went through the Kirtland Temple, which when built was the tallest building around for 500 miles. The Kirtland temple was lovely and the grounds were very pretty.

We first headed to the Kirtland Temple where we had a little bit of time to walk around the grounds and take some photos. It was lovely to spend time in the grounds, the gardens were very pretty and so well kept.

We then headed over the Kirtland Village where  we were met by the Senior and Sister Missionaries who took us around the village and showed us through some of the houses and buildings.

This was the Newel K Whitney store. He was a very successful businessman. He and his wife joined the church and were very supportive of Joseph and Emma, took them in  and had them live with them and later remodelled the top of the store so they could live there. 

Inside the store was lovely

Upstairs where Joseph and Emma would have lived for a while

This is the room where the School of the Prophets began. It was pretty special to sit in here knowing that people like Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdrey, Newel K Whitney, Joseph Knight, and many others would have sat here. 

This was a house that Joseph and Emma lived for a while

Walking around Kirtland Village

Newel K Whitney started an Ashery, where the saints sold him the wood from clearing their land, he turned it into potash which he sold to the British. He was a very enterprising man, and the financial gain was used to support the church and the building of the Kirtland temple.

The sawmill where wood was prepared for the temple

We headed out to various places for lunch. Bindi took me to the Red Lobster.

I had a delicious seafood chowder

And these delicious cheese biscuits ( or scones as we would call them)

Then it was back to the Kirtland Temple where we were due to go on a tour.

Hank had little regard for time, we were at least half an hour late, which put our poor guide in a bit of a tizzy.

In through the main door

200 year old stair case

Down on the ground floor, it was amazing what they had built, there was some beautiful woodwork

This was our tour guide Hank and his son Elijah

This was that home that was built for Emma and Joseph, you could look out the window and see the temple

We then drove out to the John Johnson Farm, they were prosperous farmers who joined the church and allowed saints moving to Ohio to live on their farm.

Joseph and Emma lived her for a while.

They had loom and spinning wheel room!

It was a full day, we had dinner at the Mary Yoder Amish Kitchen, we had a salad to start- always a good sign, then they passed down plates of mashed potato, beans, ham, and turkey- good home cooked food. Then back to our hotel for the night.