Nauvoo is a town of about 1,300 people. But unlike most of the other towns of similar size that we have visited,
Nauvoo has an unusual history. In the 1840s, this place had a population of 20,000 and was the home of the Mormon church. The Mormons constructed a temple here on the banks of the Mississippi* but they were persecuted and eventually moved the church's home to Salt Lake City. Nevertheless, it is clear that
Nauvoo remains a very important place for Mormons, something like Mecca to Islamics. In addition to the towering temple, there are numerous museums, historic sites and stores here that are centered around Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, etc. We are here just ahead of the summer tourist season when bus loads come here to swell the population by several multiples. There are several large "family suites" here (they would be called "motels" anywhere else) that are currently empty but will soon be filled with visitors. It gives us a strange feeling, like we are insensitive outsiders because we happened to bumble in here not realizing that the "saints lived here" (or exactly who the "saints" were).
I should note that there are other Christian churches here and it is obvious that not everyone is a Mormon.
And everyone has been extremely friendly, although we are a little wary that may be an
entre to attempts to convert us.
*The original temple building was destroyed years ago. The current one was constructed in 2002.
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