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Joseph Smith Historic Site

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Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Joseph Smith Historic Site
Phone:
+1 217-453-2246

Hours:
SundayClosed
MondayClosed
Tuesday10am - 4pm
Wednesday10am - 4pm
Thursday10am - 4pm
Friday10am - 4pm
Saturday10am - 4pm


Joseph Smith, the founder and leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, and his brother Hyrum Smith were killed by a mob in Carthage, Illinois, on June 27, 1844. The brothers had been in jail awaiting trial when an armed mob of about 200 men stormed the facility, their faces painted black with wet gunpowder. Hyrum was killed first, having been shot in the face. As he fell, Hyrum shouted, I'm a dead man Joseph! After emptying the pistol with which he tried to defend himself, Joseph was then shot several times while trying to escape from a second-story window and fell from the window as he died. Joseph Smith, as mayor of the town of Nauvoo, Illinois, had ordered the destruction of the facilities producing the Nauvoo Expositor, a newly established newspaper set up by a group of non-Mormons and people who had seceded from the church. The newspaper's first issue was deeply critical of Smith and other church leaders—reporting that Smith was practicing polygamy and claiming he intended to set himself up as a theocratic king. In response, Smith declared the paper a public nuisance and ordered its press destroyed.The destruction of the press led to charges of riot against the Smith brothers and other members of the Nauvoo City Council. Warrants for his arrest were dismissed by Nauvoo courts. Joseph Smith declared martial law in Nauvoo and called on the Nauvoo Legion to protect Nauvoo. The brothers voluntarily traveled to the county seat at Carthage and surrendered to the authorities to face the charges. After surrendering, the brothers were also charged with treason against Illinois for declaring martial law. The brothers were in the Carthage jail awaiting trial when the mob attacked. Five men were indicted for the killings but were acquitted at a jury trial. At the time of his death, Joseph Smith was also running for President of the United States. Smith's death marked a turning point for the church, and since then, members of the Latter Day Saint movement have generally viewed that the two men were murdered in cold blood and were religious martyrs.
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