The jail was built in 1839, constructed of red limestone quarried nearby. The building is rectangular and measures 29 feet (8.8 m) by 35 feet (11 m). It is a gable-front building has two stories and an attic. Like other county jails built during the same period, Carthage Jail was built to incarcerate petty thieves and debtors and as a temporary holding place for violent criminals. The first floor contained a debtor's room in the northwest corner, and a dungeon, or "criminal cell", was located on the north side of the second floor. The living area for the jailer's family included a kitchen and dining room on the first floor and a bedroom on the second floor. A small "summer kitchen" was added later.[2][3]
In June 1844, Smith came to the jail to face charges relating to his ordering the destruction of facilities producing the Nauvoo Expositor, a newspaper whose only edition had been critical of the Smiths' religious teachings. He was joined by his brother, Hyrum, and fellow Latter Day Saints John Taylor and Willard Richards. On June 27, a mob stormed the upper room of the prison and killed the Smiths. Taylor was badly wounded and Richards was scathed, but not seriously injured.[4][5] Hyrum Smith was 44 years old in February 1844 and Joseph Smith was 38 in December 1843.[6]
Restoration
The building continued to be used as a jail until 1866 and was afterwards used as a private residence. It was acquired by the LDS Church in 1903 and a partial restoration was completed in 1935. It was added to the NRHP on March 30, 1973. The church fully restored the jail in 1989, returning the building to its 1844 appearance. The restoration also included an expansion of the visitors' center and renovations to the entire block.[2][3]Ezra Taft Benson, president of the LDS church at the time, spoke in front of about 3,000 at a shrine dedication of the jail.[7]
Tours of Carthage Jail are available including the original door with a bullet hole, where the jailer and his family would have slept, and where the Smith brothers were held.[8]
In 2020, Carthage Jail and other historic sites in the Nauvoo area were temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[9]
^. Historic Nauvoo. Archived from the original on 2013-11-14. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
^Peterson, Dan. "At Carthage Jail", Patheos, 23 September 2015. Retrieved on 27 March 2020.
^Vlahos, Nick. "Joseph Smith, Mormons, the Carthage jail and Bruce Johnston", Peoria Journal Star, 27 June 2017. Retrieved on 23 March 2021.
^Baker, Emma. "Nauvoo home to growth of Mormon religion", Peoria Journal Star, 10 June 2018. Retrieved on 23 March 2021.
^Toone, Trent. "Coronavirus: Church closes Latter-day Saint historic sites", Deseret News, 17 March 2020. Retrieved on 23 March 2021.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Carthage Jail.
Historic Sites: Carthage Jail Official site
Library of Congress Martyrdom of Joseph and Hiram Smith in Carthage Jail
August 24, 2023
carthage, jail, historic, building, carthage, illinois, listed, national, register, historic, places, nrhp, built, 1839, best, known, location, 1844, killing, joseph, smith, founder, latter, saint, movement, brother, hyrum, approximately, added, nrhp, 1973, op. Carthage Jail is a historic building in Carthage Illinois listed on the National Register of Historic Places NRHP It was built in 1839 and is best known as the location of the 1844 killing of Joseph Smith founder of the Latter Day Saint movement and his brother Hyrum by a mob of approximately 150 men It was added to the NRHP in 1973 and is operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints LDS Church as a historic site with an adjacent visitors center Carthage JailU S National Register of Historic PlacesFront and western side View of where Joseph Smith diedWindow from which Joseph Smith fellShow map of IllinoisShow map of the United StatesLocationWalnut and N Fayette Sts Carthage IllinoisCoordinates40 24 57 N 91 08 20 W 40 41572 N 91 13884 W 40 41572 91 13884Area0 8 acres 0 32 ha Built1839NRHP reference No 73000703 1 Added to NRHPMarch 30 1973 Contents 1 History 1 1 Restoration 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksHistory Edit Side of Carthage Jail showing well The jail was built in 1839 constructed of red limestone quarried nearby The building is rectangular and measures 29 feet 8 8 m by 35 feet 11 m It is a gable front building has two stories and an attic Like other county jails built during the same period Carthage Jail was built to incarcerate petty thieves and debtors and as a temporary holding place for violent criminals The first floor contained a debtor s room in the northwest corner and a dungeon or criminal cell was located on the north side of the second floor The living area for the jailer s family included a kitchen and dining room on the first floor and a bedroom on the second floor A small summer kitchen was added later 2 3 In June 1844 Smith came to the jail to face charges relating to his ordering the destruction of facilities producing the Nauvoo Expositor a newspaper whose only edition had been critical of the Smiths religious teachings He was joined by his brother Hyrum and fellow Latter Day Saints John Taylor and Willard Richards On June 27 a mob stormed the upper room of the prison and killed the Smiths Taylor was badly wounded and Richards was scathed but not seriously injured 4 5 Hyrum Smith was 44 years old in February 1844 and Joseph Smith was 38 in December 1843 6 Restoration Edit The building continued to be used as a jail until 1866 and was afterwards used as a private residence It was acquired by the LDS Church in 1903 and a partial restoration was completed in 1935 It was added to the NRHP on March 30 1973 The church fully restored the jail in 1989 returning the building to its 1844 appearance The restoration also included an expansion of the visitors center and renovations to the entire block 2 3 Ezra Taft Benson president of the LDS church at the time spoke in front of about 3 000 at a shrine dedication of the jail 7 Tours of Carthage Jail are available including the original door with a bullet hole where the jailer and his family would have slept and where the Smith brothers were held 8 In 2020 Carthage Jail and other historic sites in the Nauvoo area were temporarily closed due to the COVID 19 pandemic 9 See also Edit Latter Day Saint movement portalLatter Day Saint martyrsReferences Edit National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service July 9 2010 a b Enders Donald L 1992 Carthage Jail In Ludlow Daniel H ed Encyclopedia of Mormonism New York Macmillan Publishing pp 255 256 ISBN 0 02 879602 0 OCLC 24502140 a b National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form Carthage Jail PDF National Park Service March 1973 archived from the original PDF on 2016 08 04 retrieved December 8 2016 Bentley Joseph I 1992 Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith In Ludlow Daniel H ed Encyclopedia of Mormonism New York Macmillan Publishing pp 860 862 ISBN 0 02 879602 0 OCLC 24502140 Carthage Jail and Visitors Center Historic Nauvoo Archived from the original on 2013 11 14 Retrieved December 7 2013 Peterson Dan At Carthage Jail Patheos 23 September 2015 Retrieved on 27 March 2020 Vlahos Nick Joseph Smith Mormons the Carthage jail and Bruce Johnston Peoria Journal Star 27 June 2017 Retrieved on 23 March 2021 Baker Emma Nauvoo home to growth of Mormon religion Peoria Journal Star 10 June 2018 Retrieved on 23 March 2021 Toone Trent Coronavirus Church closes Latter day Saint historic sites Deseret News 17 March 2020 Retrieved on 23 March 2021 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Carthage Jail Historic Sites Carthage Jail Official site Library of Congress Martyrdom of Joseph and Hiram Smith in Carthage Jail Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Carthage Jail amp oldid 1151402605, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
