PHOTOGRAPHS OF CHURCH H I S T O RY SITES
hese photographs of important Church history
T sites portray the lands where early Latter-day
Saints walked, where modern prophets have lived
and taught, and where many scriptural events took
place. To help you better use the photographs in
your study, each photograph is accompanied by a
short description. The number of the description
and the title correspond with the photograph having
1. Sacred Grove
The Sacred Grove is located in Palmyra and
Manchester Townships, New York. This grove of
trees stands just west of where the Smith family's
small log house was located in 1820.
Significant Event: The appearance of God the Father
and His Son, Jesus Christ, to the Prophet Joseph
Smith took place in this grove (JS-H 1: 14-20).
2. Hill Cumorah and Manchester-Palmyra Area
Looking northward, this photograph shows the Hill
Cumorah, in Manchester, New York. The hill
appears in the lower right-hand corner of the photo­
graph and runs slightly over halfway to the top of the
photograph. The white monument visible on the
north end of the hill honors the angel Moroni and
the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. The Hill
Cumorah is located about three miles southeast of the
Sacred Grove. Near the top of the photograph is
Palmyra, four miles distant. The Smith farm and the
Sacred Grove are situated at the upper left side of
the photograph.
Significant Events: The family of the Prophet Joseph
Smith lived in this area at the time of the First
Vision (JS-H 1:3). In A.D. 421, Moroni buried a set
of gold plates in the Hill Cumorah containing the
sacred history of his people (W of M 1 : 1-11; Morm.
6:6; Moro. 10: 1-2). This same Moroni told Joseph
Smith where to find the plates-toward the north
end of the hill, on the west side, near the top.
Moroni delivered them to him in 1827 (D&C 27:5;
128:20; JS-H 1:33-35, 51-54, 59).
3. Log House of Joseph Smith Sr.
Replica of the Joseph Smith Sr. home, built on the
site of the original log house near Palmyra, New
York. The Smith family built the original one-and­
one-half-story hewn-log home not long after they
arrived in Palmyra.
Significant Events: The Prophet Joseph Smith stud­
i e d the Bible in this house as he struggle d to l e arn
which church was right (JS-H 1 : 11-13). Moroni
appeared to Joseph and tol d him of the Book of
M o r m o n p l ates (JS-H 1 :30-47).
4. Grandin Press and Print Shop
The restored print shop of the h istori c Egbert B .
Gran d i n b u i l ding w h e r e t h e first c o p i e s of t h e B o o k
the same number and title. The first paragraph
following the title of the description explains the
setting of the photograph, including important
things to look at and often which direction the
photographer was facing. Significant scriptural
events from that area are then listed, along with
scripture references so that you can know where to
read more about those events.
of Mormon were published in 1830. Martin Harris
mortgaged his farm and sold part of it to pay the cost
of printing 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon.
Typesetting began in August 1829, and finished
copies were available 26 March 1830.
Significant Event: Martin Harris was commanded to
impart freely of his property to pay the debt for the
printing of the Book of Mormon (D&C 19:26-35).
5. Susquehanna River
This photograph shows the Susquehanna River in
Harmony Township, Pennsylvania.
Significant Events: Joseph Smith Jr. first came to
Harmony in 1825 to find employment. He and his
father boarded near here in the Isaac Hale home,
where Joseph first met Emma Hale, his future wife
(JS-H 1 :56-57). Joseph and Emma were married
18 January 1827. The Prophet received the gold
plates 22 September 1827 at Manchester, New York,
and soon thereafter moved with Emma to Harmony,
where he began translating the plates in their small
home near the river. During the translation of the
Book of Mormon, Joseph and Oliver Cowdery wanted
to know more about baptism and walked to the river
to pray to the Lord concerning the subject. In answer
to this prayer, John the Baptist appeared on 15 May
1829 (JS-H 1 :66-74; D&C 13). He conferred the
Aaronic Priesthood on Joseph and Oliver. They then
went into this river and baptized each other for the
remission of sins. Joseph and Oliver were then
directed by John the Baptist to ordain one another to
the Aaronic Priesthood. Soon thereafter, Peter,
James, and John appeared on the banks of this river
and conferred on Joseph and Oliver the Melchizedek
Priesthood (D&C 27: 12-13; 128:20).
6. Peter Whitmer Sr. Log House
The reconstructed log house of Peter Whitmer Sr.,
built on the site of the foundation of the original
home in Fayette, New York.
Significant Events: Joseph S mi t h completed the
translation of the Book of Mormon here i n l ate June
1 829. In the woods near this home, the Three
Witnesses saw the angel Moroni and the gol d p l ates.
Their testim o ny is now p r inted in all copies of the
Book of Mormon. O n 6 April 1830, about 60 people
assembl e d at the Peter Whitmer home to witness the
for m a l organization of the Church of Jesus Christ.

The first meetings and conferences of the young
Church were held here. Twenty of the revelations
contained in the Doctrine and Covenants were
received at the Peter Whitmer home.
7. Newel K. Whitney and Company Store
This store played a major role in the history of the
Church in Kirtland. Joseph and Emma Smith lived
here for a short while. It became the headquarters of
the Church in 1832. Several significant revelations
were received here. The School of the Prophets was
held in the store from 24 January 1833 until some
time in April 1833.
Significant Events: The Prophet Joseph received the
revelation on the Word of Wisdom (D&C 89). He
did much of the work on the translation of the
Bible here.
8. John Johnson Home
The home of John and Alice Johnson was located in
Hiram, Ohio. This room is on the second floor.
Significant Events: The Prophet Joseph Smith and
his wife, Emma, lived in this home. Joseph and
Sidney Rigdon received the marvelous vision of the
degrees of glory in the presence of several others on
16 February 1832 (D&C 76). The Prophet Joseph
also worked on the Joseph Smith Translation of the
Bible (JST) in this home. On 24 March 1832, while
Joseph and Emma were living here, a mob of apostates
and anti-Mormons severely beat and tarred and
feathered Joseph and Sidney.
9. Kirtland Temple
The Kirtland Temple is located in Kirtland, Ohio.
Significant Events: The Kirtland Temple was the first
temple built in this dispensation (D&C 88: 119; 95).
In this temple, Joseph Smith saw a vision of the
celestial kingdom (D&C 137). It was dedicated on
27 March 1836 (D&C 109). On 3 April 1836, the
Savior appeared and accepted the temple as a place
in which he would reveal his word to his people
(D&C 1 10: 1-10). Following this appearance, Joseph
Smith and Oliver Cowdery received visits from
Moses, Elias, and Elijah, all of whom gave them
certain priesthood keys and important information
(D&C 110:1 1-16). This temple served the Saints for
some two years before they had to flee Kirtland
because of persecution.
10. The Valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman
Looking eastward across the valley of Adam-ondi­
Ahman, a quiet, beautiful valley l ocated in north­
western M issouri near the community of Gallatin.
Significant Events: Three years before h e died, Adam
called h i s righteous posterity into this valley and
bestowed o n t h e m h i s l a s t blessing ( D & C 107:53-56).
PHOTOGRAPHS O F C H U R C H H I S T O RY S I T E S
In 1838 Adam-ondi-Alunan was the location of a
settlement of between 500 and 1,000 Latter-day
Saints. The Saints abandoned this settlement when
they were expelled from Missouri. Before Christ's
Second Coming in glory, Adam and his righteous pos­
terity, which includes Saints of all dispensations, will
again assemble in this valley to meet with the Savior
(Dan. 7:9-10, 13-14; D&C 27; 107:53-57; 116:1).
1 1 . Far West Temple Site
The settlement of Far West, Missouri, became the
home for 3,000 to 5,000 Saints who sought refuge
from persecution in Jackson and Clay Counties. On
31 October 1838 the Prophet Joseph Smith and
other Church leaders were arrested and, after a
committing trial in Richmond, imprisoned in Liberty
Jail. During the winter of 1838-39, the Latter-day
Saints were driven from Far West and other sites in
Missouri and relocated in Illinois.
Significant Events: A temple site was dedicated
and the cornerstones were laid. Seven revelations
published in the Doctrine and Covenants were
received (sections 1 13-15; 1 1 7-20). Joseph F.
Smith, the sixth President of the Church, was born
1 3 November 1838 in Far West. Far West served
briefly as the headquarters of the Church under
the Prophet Joseph Smith.
12. Liberty Jail
A small jail located in Liberty, Missouri. Joseph
Smith and five other brethren were held prisoner
within its 4-foot thick walls from 1 December 1838
until 6 April 1839. (Sidney Rigdon was released at
the end of February.) Confined to the lower level or
dungeon portion of the building, they slept on the
cold rock, straw-strewn floor with little light and
scant protection from the cold winter.
Significant Event: The Prophet Joseph, pleading for
the thousands of Latter-day Saints being driven
from Missouri, received an answer to his prayer,
which he penned in a letter to the exiled Saints
(D&C 121-23).
13. Mansion House i n Nauvoo
Joseph Smith Jr. and his family moved into the
Mansion House in Nauvoo in August 1843. Later a
wing was added to the east side of the main structure
for a total of 22 rooms. Beginning in January 1844,
Ebenezer Robinson managed the house as a hotel,
and the Prophet maintained 6 of the rooms for his
family. The house served somewhat as a social center
o f Nauvoo society. I mportant d ignitaries were
received here by the Prophet.
Significant Events: O n 27 June 1 844 the Prophet
Joseph and his brother Hyru m were shot a n d k i l l e d
i n Carthage, I l linois, and their b o d i e s w e r e brought
PHOTO GRAPHS OF CHURCH H I S T O RY SITES
to this house to lie in state prior to the funeral. They
are buried in a small family cemetery plot just
across Main Street, west of the old log home that
Joseph lived in when he first came to Nauvoo.
Emma Smith lived in the Mansion House until
1871. Then she moved into the Nauvoo House,
where she died in 1879.
14. The Prophet Joseph Smith's Red Brick Store
This reconstruction of Joseph Smith's store and
office is located in Nauvoo, Illinois. It was one of
the most important buildings in the Church during
the Nauvoo period. Not only serving as a general
store, it also became the center of social, economic,
political, and religious activities. Joseph Smith
maintained an office on the second floor.
Significant Events: Before the temple was completed,
the upper room of the store was used as an ordinance
room, where the first full endowments were given. On
17 March 1842, the Prophet Joseph organized the
women of the Church into the Relief Society.
1 5 . Nauvoo Temple
This scale model of the Nauvoo Temple is located on
the site of the original temple. The temple was built
from local grayish-white limestone. The building
measured 128 feet long and 88 feet wide. The top of
the tower stood 158 feet above ground level. Church
members made great sacrifices to build this beautiful
temple, beginning the work in 1841. Some labored
for months on the building; others sacrificed their
money. Even though not fully completed, the temple
was filled to capacity by members coming for
ordinances during the months before their flight to
the West. While many of the Saints left Nauvoo in
the early spring of 1846 under threat of mob
violence, a special crew stayed behind to complete
the temple. On 30 April 1846, Elders Orson Hyde
and Wilford Woodruff and approximately 20 others
dedicated this house of the Lord. The temple was
abandoned in September when the remaining
Church members were driven out of Nauvoo; mob
forces then desecrated and defiled the sacred
structure. It was destroyed by fire in October 1848.
Significant Events: General conference was held in
the assembly room of the temple on 5 October 1845.
Endowment work began on 10 December 1845 and
continued until 7 February 1846. Over 5,500 Latter­
day Saints received their endowment, and many
baptisms for the dead and sealings were performed
(see H C 7:xxv).
1 6. Carthage Jail
The j a i lhouse in the town of Carthage, I l linois.
Significant Events: Joseph S m i t h and h i s brother
Hyru m rode t o Carthage o n 24 June 1 844. They
were cast into this jail on 25 June on false charges
of treason. On 27 June a mob with blackened faces
stormed the jail. Both Joseph and Hyrum were shot
to death, and John Taylor was wounded several
times. Incredibly, Willard Richards was not injured.
John Taylor later wrote the inspired memorial now
found in Doctrine and Covenants 135.
1 7 . Exodus to the West
The beginning of the evacuation of Nauvoo, Illinois,
was planned for March-April, but because of mob
threats President Brigham Young directed that the
exodus of the Saints across the Mississippi River
begin on 4 February 1846. President Young remained
behind to administer endowments to the Saints and
did not leave Nauvoo until mid-February.
Significant Events: Before his death the Prophet
Joseph Smith prophesied, "Some of you will live to
go and assist in making settlements and build cities
and see the Saints become a mighty people in the
midst of the Rocky Mountains" (HC 5:85). Nearly
12,000 Saints departed Nauvoo from February to
September 1846. Mter the Saints left Winter
Quarters and later locations, they were organized
into companies of tens, fifties, and hundreds, under a
company captain (D&C 136:3). In September 1846 a
mob of approximately 800 men equipped with six
cannons laid siege to Nauvoo. After several days of
fighting, the remaining Saints were forced to surrender
in order to save their lives and gain a chance to cross
the river. Five to six hundred men, women, and children
crossed the river and camped on the riverbank.
President Brigham Young sent rescue teams with
supplies to evacuate these "poor Saints."
1 8 . Salt Lake Temple
A few days after the first pioneer company of Latter­
day Saints entered the Salt Lake Valley, President
Brigham Young struck the ground with his walking
stick and proclaimed, "Here we will build the temple
of our God." Ground was broken on 14 February
1853. On 6 April 1853, the cornerstones were laid. The
temple was completed and dedicated 40 years later on
6 April 1893. The First Presidency and the Quorum of
the Twelve Apostles meet here each week to deliberate
and seek the direction of the Lord in administering and
building the kingdom of God.
Significant Events: The Lord has given the Presidents
of the Church and other General Authorities an out­
pouring of t he spirit of revelation here, including
Official Declaration-2. More recently, the F i rst
Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles
unanimously approved and published "The Family:
A Proclamation t o the World." Tem p l e ordinances
performed for both t h e living a n d t h e dead have
blessed the l ives o f m ill i ons.
 PHOTOS 1, 2

1. SACRED GROVE In these woods near his home, the Prophet Joseph Smith received the First Vision.

2. HILL CUMORAH AND MANCHESTER-PALMYRA AREA The angel Moroni directed Joseph Smith to find the
gold plates he had buried in this hill. (Hill is center right.)
 PHOTOS 3, 4

3. LOG HOUSE OF JOSEPH SMITH SR. This is a replica of the home where the Smith family once lived.

4. GRANDIN PRESS AND PRINT SHOP The first printing of the Book of Mormon took place here.
 PHOTOS 5, 6

5. SUSQUEHANNA RIVER The Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods were restored on the banks of this river
(see D&C 13; 128:20).

6. PETER WHITMER SR. LOG HOUSE This replica was built on the site where the Church was organized on
6 April 1830.
 PHOTOS 7, 8

7. NEWEL K. WHITNEY AND COMPANY STORE The revelation that became known as the Word of Wisdom
(see D&C 89) was received here, along with other revelations.

8. JOHN JOHNSON HOME While in this house working on a translation of the Bible, the Prophet Joseph
Smith and Sidney Rigdon received the revelation now recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 76, along with
other revelations.
 PHOTOS 9, 10

9. KIRTLAND TEMPLE First temple built in this dispensation, 1836. In this temple, Jesus Christ, Moses, Elias,
and Elijah appeared and restored priesthood keys (see D&C 110).

10. THE VALLEY OF ADAM-ONDI-AHMAN Here Adam and his righteous posterity met (see D&C 107:53–57).
Adam, other prophets, and faithful Saints from all ages will meet the Savior here prior to His Second Coming.
 PHOTOS 11, 12

11. FAR WEST TEMPLE SITE In 1838 the Lord commanded the Saints to build a temple here (see D&C
115:7–8). Mob persecution prevented them from doing so.

12. LIBERTY JAIL While unjustly imprisoned here (1838–39), the Prophet Joseph Smith received the
revelation now recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 121–23.
 PHOTOS 13, 14

13. MANSION HOUSE IN NAUVOO The Prophet Joseph Smith’s family home beginning in 1843. In the early
days of the Church, this was a center of social life among the Saints.

14. THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH’S RED BRICK STORE In this building, the Relief Society was organized on
17 March 1842.
 PHOTOS 15, 16

15. NAUVOO TEMPLE This model shows the original beauty of the structure before it was burned in 1848.

16. CARTHAGE JAIL Here the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were martyred on 27 June 1844
(see D&C 135).
 PHOTOS 17, 18

17. EXODUS TO THE WEST On 4 February 1846 the first wagons crossed the Mississippi River to begin the
historic trek west.

18. SALT LAKE TEMPLE This Salt Lake Valley landmark took 40 years to build.

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