Nauvoo’s New Attraction: The Way We Were Walking Tour
A new and educational attraction will be launched this summer here in Nauvoo, Illinois, to help visitors learn more about its historic past. Most LDS visitors are familiar with Nauvoo’s Mormon era (1839-1846), but that was just one brief moment in Nauvoo’s history. What was Nauvoo like after the Mormon exodus? As the “flats” fell into ruin, what happened to the business district on the “bluff”? Who occupied the temple lot after the temple was destroyed?
Beginning this summer, visitors will find answers to these questions and more. They will catch “a glimpse of Mulholland Street’s past” by taking a free self-guided walking tour of Mulholland’s business district, where they will envision “The Way We Were.” Visitors will discover how the French Icarians, Sisters of St. Benedict, and local businesses defined Nauvoo from the 1850s to the1960s.
“The Way We Were” Walking Tour will begin at “The Way We Were” Interpretive Park on Mulholland across the street from the State Bank of Nauvoo. When the park and tour are finished, visitors may relax on a memorial bench, read informational panels, and pick up a brochure describing the walking tour route. At various locations, they will obtain information sheets with pictures and chronological histories of businesses along the route.
“The Way We Were” Interpretive Park before its completion”
The Beginnings of “The Way We Were” Walking Tour
Karen Ihrig-Gilbert, founder and major promoter of “The Way We Were” Walking Tour, explained that, in 2003, long-time Nauvoo residents attempted to remember where various businesses had been located on Mulholland Street as well as who ran them and when. Since Nauvoo was already filled with Mormon history and a newly rebuilt temple, these residents wanted more of their personal history remembered. Just as LDS visitors felt “a sense of place” with church and family history in Nauvoo, so did long-time residents—some of whom had made Nauvoo their home for five generations. A “sense of place” beckoned residents to preserve their own memories and, in the process, expand what others might learn about Nauvoo’s history.
In 2004, the State of Illinois announced that Nauvoo and three other West-Central Illinois communities were selected to participate in “Streetscape,” a program designed to make their downtown areas more attractive. “The Way We Were” Walking Tour of Mulholland Street fit nicely into Nauvoo’s “Streetscape” program until the project folded.
Despite this setback, Mulholland Street’s history plagued Karen and several “local, like-minded History Buffs.” They began collecting memorabilia, researching sites in a five-block area on Mulholland, holding meetings with long-time residents, and gathering and scanning photos. The History Buffs team grew from time to time, the Nauvoo Historical Society assisted when it could, and Mulholland’s history started to unfold.
“Mulholland Street
of the Past,” Courtesy of Marilyn Kraus
“Mulholland Street Today”
A “Blood, Sweat, and Tears” Project
A few years after Gene Shurts and his wife moved to Nauvoo in 2002, Gene began attending History Buffs planning meetings under Karen Ihrig-Gilbert’s leadership.
“Karen Ihrig-Gilbert”
“Three local individuals,” one of whom was Gene Shurts, “offered to scan, document, and catalog photos,” Karen remembered, while “newspaper articles and personal contacts encouraged local participation. Countless meetings were held to probe people’s memories and encourage hunts for resource materials.” As the research continued, Karen said, the History Buffs “generated ideas for a walking tour that would highlight Mulholland’s past, and a plan was developed.”
“Gene Shurts”
Gene Shurts recalled that during a planning meeting in December 2005 or January 2006, the History Buffs agreed upon “a tour down Mulholland Street as the main subject with a time frame of 1850 to 1960.” Gene said, “As time went on, I volunteered for more work and, boy, did Karen take advantage of me.” Gene scanned photographs, organized materials, and conducted interviews. He gathered more photos, newspaper articles, legal documents, and other information from local sources. Gene’s research then expanded to other repositories, such as Western Illinois University, Hancock County Historical Society, Brigham Young University, the LDS Church History Library in Salt Lake City, and the Catholic Sisters in Iowa. The Walking Tour project also grew to include French Icarian buildings on Temple Square (1849-1856) and Sisters of St. Benedict structures in Nauvoo (1874-2001).
Karen continued to direct the project and spur it on. “She met with many local older citizens to gather information and sometimes would invite me along to discuss items that pertained to the photos and articles,” Gene said. After he obtained old photos, he “tried to document their dates and then consulted with Karen, trying to correctly date them.” Throughout the research process, team members located few primary documents; as a result, Karen said they “tried to be judicious in choosing secondary sources.”
“The Way We Were” Moves Forward
In 2008, the History Buffs planned a “Mulholland Interpretive Park” with three benches and interpretive panels to honor the French Icarians, the Sisters of St. Benedict in Nauvoo, and the merchants of Mulholland from the 1850s to 1960s. They added a fourth panel to describe Mulholland’s Central Business District. Karen sent letters to present and past residents of Nauvoo, requesting historical information and financial contributions—since this endeavor has been and will continue to be privately funded.
Between 2008 and 2009, Karen Ihrig-Gilbert, Gene Shurts, and Jim Moffitt gave “The Way We Were” Power Point presentations to LDS temple and site missionary audiences, general audiences in Nauvoo, and the Sisters at St. Mary Monastery at Rock Island, Illinois (formerly of Nauvoo). Their “nostalgic virtual tour down Mulholland” highlighted businesses and the temple block during the post-Mormon era. “The past is somewhat elusive,” they said in their presentation. “Pictures are frozen moments of that past—merely slices of time that beg identification and interpretation. One picture IS worth a thousand words: the senses are engaged, emotions are stirred, and nostalgic bits and pieces are woven together to create a pattern of the way we were.”
“Icarian Apartments by Bank,” Courtesy of State Bank of Nauvoo
“Temple Block by Bank Today”
Final Preparations
With great effort and devotion, Karen Ihrig-Gilbert and her team have tried to “recreate Mulholland’s past and insure its place in the future” with “The Way We Were” Walking Tour project. The team assisted Karen with research for the Walking Tour brochure and information sheets with pictures, dates, and history of businesses along Mulholland Street. Karen Ihrig-Gilbert and Jeanene Dean of the Nauvoo Tourism Office created and prepared the brochures and information sheets. “The Way We Were” Walking Tour will be up and running sometime this summer, but research on Mulholland Street will continue. After all, that’s the way history is. As Karen intuitively observed, “Memories and recorded history are sometimes flawed. Reconstructing what was is the continuing job of the researcher.”
After “The Way We Were” Walking Tour opens this summer, watch for a Meridian Magazine article announcing its official opening. Then come to Nauvoo, take the free self-guided tour, and experience an expanded vision of Nauvoo’s history.
“The Way We Were” Interpretive Park, May 2010
A Little Nauvoo Hospitality
The Ellis Sanders House Bed and Breakfast featured in BYU Magazine, Alumni News. Click here to read the whole story.
10-State Great River Road Now Longest National Scenic Byway
$21 billion in tourism expenditures annually along Great River Road
MADISON, WI – The Great River Road, which runs for 3,000 miles along the Mississippi River through ten states, is now designated in all ten states as a National Scenic Byway (NSB) by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration. Segments of the Great River Road in Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi recently received official designation, which means the Great River Road is the longest National Scenic Byway in the United States.
Tourism is a massive economic engine for the communities located along the Mississippi River and the Great River Road NSB connects communities as diverse as Saint Paul, MN and New Orleans, LA. Travel expenditures in the 109 counties and parishes located along the 10-state Great River Road NSB total $21 billion annually. Tourism also directly supports more than 348,000 jobs in these same counties and parishes.
The Great River Road—which is overseen by the 10-state Mississippi River Parkway Commission (MRPC)—serves as an important conduit bringing travel dollars into the region. The MRPC was established in 1938 by order of Congress to develop and oversee the Great River Road. Commissioners work to preserve, promote and enhance the Mississippi River Parkway for communities and travelers. The NSB designation in all ten states is an enormous achievement for the entire MRPC organization.
“The MRPC had been working cooperatively with the remaining four states to support their efforts in completing the NSB designation process,” says Bill Seratt, the Pilot of the National MRPC. “All of the commissioners from each of the ten states are so passionate about the incredible historical, cultural, recreational and scenic assets found along the Great River Road. Reaching this milestone is an important step toward bringing more attention, in terms of both visitors and federal dollars, to the center of the country.”
America’s Byways® markets the unique collection of 150 National Scenic Byway and All-American Road designees. More than 2,800 projects on those roads, ranging from infrastructure improvements to marketing initiatives, have received over $308 million in federal funding since the program’s inception in 1992. The ten Mississippi River states have received more than $25 million in grants from the NSB Program for the Great River Road. These designations raise the profile of a byway and provide opportunities for increased tourism. To be designated as a National Scenic Byway or All-American Road, highways must offer archaeological, enriching, historical, natural, entertaining and/or scenic intrinsic qualities.
For more information on the 10-state Great River Road or the Mississippi River Parkway Commission, visit www.experiencemississippiriver.com or call 1-866-763-8310.
Iowa/Illinois Mississippi River Communities
Form a New and Exciting Travel Partnership
Published in The Daily Gate City
April 7, 2010
Iowa & Illinois – 15 organizations in Iowa and Illinois have come together to jointly promote the middle Mississippi River Valley region in a new initiative announced on April 12, 2010.
The new Travel Mississippi River partnership is comprised of Convention & Visitors Bureaus and Chambers of Commerce along the Mississippi River in Iowa and Illinois from Dubuque, Iowa, south to Quincy, Illinois.
This new marketing and promotional effort provides a strong, local voice for these bi-state communities along the Mississippi River and will generate strong partnerships among the communities through joint marketing, public relations, and advertising efforts designed to increase national attention and travel to this region of the Mississippi River and the Great River Road.
Partners include: Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce, Savanna Chamber of Commerce, Blackhawk Waterways Convention & Visitors Bureau, Fulton Chamber of Commerce/City of Fulton, Clinton Convention & Visitors Bureau, City of LeClaire/LeClaire Tourism, City of Port Byron, Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau, Muscatine Convention & Visitors Bureau, Henderson County Economic Development Corp., Greater Burlington Convention & Visitors Bureau, Fort Madison Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Keokuk Convention & Tourism Bureau, Nauvoo Tourism Office, Quincy Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.
The Travel Mississippi River partnership is a grass roots initiative that was launched in October 2009 when these organizations came together to voluntarily work as a team to develop the tourism product offered along this beautiful stretch of the Mississippi River.
The result of these efforts to date is the launch of a new website at www.TravelMississippiRiver.org. The site is designed to highlight each participating community, and to create connections among the communities to form a complete Mississippi River destination between the bi-state cities and towns in Iowa and Illinois. The new site features a trip planner that includes Culinary, Girlfriends Getaways, History & Heritage, and Outdoor Recreation themed itineraries. More themed trips will be added in the future.
Future plans for the Travel Mississippi River partnership include the development of a promotional brochure to be jointly distributed by all 15 organizations, a cooperative advertising program, and joint travel journalist visits.
While the effort focuses on leisure travelers, the partnership plans to also work to develop group tour promotions for the hundreds of motorcoach buses that travel to this region of the Mississippi River.
Jeanene Dean, Executive Director of Tourism in Nauvoo, says “I am proud to be a part of this unique partnership of all these communities and both states”.
"I commend these communities for focusing on the tremendous asset they share and recognizing they will all benefit by working together to promote the Mississippi River. The new web site will be an excellent tool to keep people in the region longer," said Nancy Landess, Iowa Tourism Office Manager.
“The Travel Mississippi River partnership is a creative way to increase tourism along the Great River Road and to Illinois,” said Jan Kostner, deputy director, Illinois Office of Tourism, Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
Seeking ways to pool marketing resources in this tough economy, this new coalition recognized the benefits of working together on cross-promoting the entire bi-state region.
As the third largest river in the world and the second most-visited U.S. natural resource (after the Grand Canyon), the Mississippi is truly a sight to behold. Experience the power and mystique of the river that captivated Mark Twain. See the mighty Mississippi River while traveling the rolling hills and majestic countryside of the Great River Road in Illinois and Iowa in order to see what each town has to offer.
“We have designed itineraries and travel ideas to promote our areas to residents for staycations to explore own backyard”, Dean continues.
In 2009, National Geographic Traveler named the Great River Road from Minneapolis to Davenport as one of the 50 “Drives of a Lifetime.” With the museums and attractions that have cropped up along the way, it is “not only one of the most scenic drives in the country, but also one of the culturally richest.” Through its charming river towns and metropolitan cities, historic sites and cultural artifacts, today's Great River Road links resources, people and history.
The Travel Mississippi River partnership invites you to learn about the history that made each community what it is today. They encourage you to take time to take advantage of the great parks, trails, gardens, and natural wonders while enjoying the wealth of attractions, historic sites, quaint shops, and fun-filled festivals along the mighty river. Also, be sure to tempt your tastebuds with the local, family-owned restaurants, wineries, and micro-breweries along the way.
“A unified partnership within our region and its communities will enhance the traveler’s experience. From big city excitement to small town hospitality—the traveler will be able to experience it all while traveling the scenic Great River Road and exploring the mighty Mississippi! www.TravelMississippiRiver.org will be a wonderful tool to market, promote, and connect the communities with the travelers,” said Carrie Koelker, Eastern Iowa Tourism Office Executive Director.
For more information about the new Travel Mississippi River partnership and to start planning a riverfront getaway, visit www.TravelMississippiRiver.org
Travel Mississippi River Committee Contacts –
Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce
Kelley Schiesl, kschiesl@dubuquechamber.com or 800-798-4748
Savanna Chamber of Commerce/City of Savanna
Pam Brown, savchamber@grics.net or 815-273-2722
Blackhawk Waterways Convention & Visitors Bureau
Diane Bausman, dbausman@bwcvb.com or 815-946-2108
Fulton Chamber of Commerce/City of Fulton
Heather Bennett, chamber@cityoffulton.us or 815-589-4545
Clinton Convention & Visitors Bureau
Anne Schmidt, aschmidt@clintonia.com or 563-242-5702
City of LeClaire/LeClaire Tourism
Donna Walley, walleyworld1@gmail.com or 563-289-3392
Beth Payne, bpayne@visitquadcities.com or 800-747-7800, x121
City of Port Byron
Sarah Ford, mcpug2@hotmail.com or 309-269-8705
Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau
Charlotte Doehler-Morrison, cdoehler@visitquadcities.com or 800-747-7800, x105
Muscatine Convention & Visitors Bureau
Heather Shoppa, hshoppa@muscatine.com or 563-263-8895, x6
Henderson County Economic Development Corp.
Janet Monville, hcedc@frontiernet.net or 309-924-2406
Greater Burlington Convention & Visitors Bureau
Beth Nickel, bnickel@growburlington.com or 319-208-0045
Fort Madison Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
Sandy Brown, tourism@visitfortmadison.com or 800-210-8687
Nauvoo Tourism Office
Jeanene Dean, jdean@beautifulnauvoo.com or 217-453-6648
Keokuk Convention & Visitors Bureau
Kirk Brandenberger, info@keokukiowatourism.org or 800-383-1219
Quincy Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
Holly Cain, hcain@seequincy.com or 800-978-4748
Renowned chef teaching cooking classes in Nauvoo
published online: 10/28/2009
The Burlington Hawkeye
One of my companions on an art and architecture tour of Europe in the early '80s was Liz Clark, who at that time was an art teacher by day and a chef by night. She operated a restaurant in her Keokuk home and taught cooking classes throughout the area.She was a font of information on the cuisine we enjoyed aboard, dining with us during the day but running off to grand restaurants at night to sample the best of what European chefs had to offer. She didn't return home with us, opting instead to stay in France to attend a cooking school with a famous chef.
By the time of her retirement, Clark was recognized by some of the world's more impressive food organizations and publications as a leading Midwest chef, having worked with three-star chefs in the south of France and operating her own restaurant and cooking school for 30 years.
She now maintains the Liz Clark Cooking School at Baxter's Winery in historic Nauvoo, Ill., where she will conduct classes from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Sundays in November and December, beginning this weekend with a class on leafy greens and antioxidants. Other classes on preparing dinners, soups and breads and desserts will follow.
Price is $49 per person per class and includes a full menu. There are no extra charges for supplies. Classes will be at Baxter's Vineyards. For more information on classes and registration, call (217) 453-2528.
Ready…Set…Eat
Favorite Off-The-Beaten Path
The Nauvoo Mill and Bakery
The Hawk Eye
Published April 10, 2009
Your weekly guide to dining in out-of-the-way eateries, small town restaurants, neighborhood taverns and roadside diners in southeast Iowa and west-central Illinois.
Featuring The Nauvoo Mill and Bakery located at 1530 Mulholland Street, in Historic Nauvoo, Illinois. The primary attraction of the bakery may be its baked goods, but there’s plenty more to make a meal, such as a variety of sandwiches, served on bread made in-house, as well as a daily soup offering and salad choices. Stay for dessert. Being a bakery, there’s plenty in the display case and on the shelves to serve your desire for a sweet treat, with donuts, pies, turnovers and dessert bars being just a few of the choices. One particularly popular choice is the bakery’s whole wheat cinnamon rolls. The sorghum cookies are a hit as well. A little bit about the place. Started in the 1950’s, the Nauvoo Mill and Bakery was purchased in 1984 by Carol and Paul Brown. In 1996, a new building was erected, providing space for the addition of a deli. Flour used in cookies, breads and other bakery items is ground in-house, while local bees provide the honey needed in some recipes. Besides finished goods, the bakery sells make it yourself bread mixes, as well as store branded trail mixes, salsas, salad dressings and more.
Actor has life-changing experience in Nauvoo
LDS.org.uk
Published: 2009-11-18 00:24:45
As an actor, Darren Hill enjoys a very interesting life, but never as fulfilling as last summer when he was asked to play the lead character, Robert Laird, in the Nauvoo Pageant in Nauvoo, Ill. The pageant is an outdoor musical drama that celebrates the restored gospel, the prophetic mission of Joseph Smith and the legacy of the early Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo. The Nauvoo Pageant is the only church pageant to have live speaking actors and is comprised of 20 speaking core cast members and about 130 family cast members. Each "family" cast rehearses for one week and then performs for one week.
Darren was raised in the Church of England but has been a member of the LDS Church for 15 years now and was originally converted in Colombia, South America, where he met the missionaries. In the summer of 2008, after a period of being less active, he felt the prompting to come back to church and became reacquainted again with his local ward. Darren trained as an actor at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, one of the top drama schools in the country where famous actors such as Daniel Day Lewis, Patrick Stewart, Venessa Redgrave and Brian Blessed also attended.
Darren comments, "Being an actor I wanted to use this talent to help serve the Lord in any way I could and I was given an introduction to David Warner, head of music and cultural arts for the church in Salt Lake City. Brother Warner subsequently contacted me with regards to playing Robert Laird in the Nauvoo Pageant and I auditioned via Skype three times and was then offered the part."
Good will among Nauvoo faiths
By Elder Dean Hughes
Public Affairs missionary
Published: Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009
NAUVOO, ILL.
On the bluff above Historic Nauvoo stand two tall steeples. On one has a statue of the Angel Moroni. On the other is a cross. The first, of course, is the steeple of the Nauvoo Temple; the second, just a couple hundred yards north, is Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church.
Some may see irony in this juxtaposition, but in Nauvoo the closeness has become symbolic of a fine friendship between people who love Jesus Christ and seek to follow His teachings. The friendship also extends to members of Christ Lutheran Church, a block to the south, and to the congregation that attends the First Presbyterian Church a few blocks to the east. It extends across town to the United Methodist Church and certainly to the members of the Community of Christ, formerly known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
On Oct. 22, pastors of these churches met in the LDS Historic Nauvoo Visitors' Center and compared beliefs. The subject of the community meeting was, "Popes, Prophets, Priests, Pastors and People: Where Does the Church Get Its Earthly Authority and Why Does It Matter?" President Robert Ludwig of the Illinois Nauvoo Mission represented the LDS point of view and explained the concept of a restoration through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Father Thomas Szydlik presented the Catholic claim to authority, and Pastor Gayle Pope spoke of Bible-based authority from a Lutheran point of view. Lay Pastor Mark Anderson articulated the Methodist understanding, and Lee Ourth spoke for the Community of Christ. One pastor, Lyren Haney, was unable to attend.
Such friendly experiences are not a surprise to those who have lived in Nauvoo for a time. When a Catholic fundraising dinner — a taco supper — was held on LDS general conference weekend, the Catholic School offered a great stopping place for senior missionaries to grab a quick meal between afternoon conference and Saturday night priesthood meeting. The "Bright Angel" Christmas program, which provides needy children with Christmas presents, is chaired for the second year in a row by an LDS sister missionary. Women from each church in town serve with her on the committee.
On important occasions — such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Memorial Day, high school baccalaureates — the various churches take turns sponsoring special services. Many Latter-day Saints, both missionaries and members of local wards, sing in the community Easter cantata, and the churches combine to offer a Vacation Bible School each summer.
At the end of the Interfaith Symposium, one local resident told an LDS friend, "Until tonight I've never understood what Mormons mean when they talk about a 'restored' gospel." Latter-day Saints were equally complimentary about each of the presentations. But more important than the presentations themselves were the smiles and the chatter over refreshments.
© 2009 Deseret News Publishing Company
