Carthage Jail, Illinois, United States
4.5 (47 reviews) Spent 1-2 hours Ranking #1 in Carthage Historic Sites • Religious Sites
A Sobering Place of Sadness But Shouldn't Be Missed
This is a place of sadness and reflection. It is beautifully maintained by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the sister missionaries do a great job telling the tragic tale of Joseph and Hyrum Smith's last days. It is sobering to think about what happened there and of John Taylor singing "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief" because Joseph asked him to. I thought of children left without a father and wives left as widows. The Church was left without a prophet until Brigham Young was made prophet - what shoes he had to fill! This is a meaningful place for members of the LDS faith but others can also learn and feel the spirit which will guide and teach.
Address
310 Buchanan, Carthage, IL 62321
Mobile
Website
http://www.lds.org/locations/carthage-jail
Current local date and time now
Monday, May 13, 2024, 7:59
User Ratings
4.5 based on (47 reviews)
Reviews
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5traveling_mandy 5:00 PM Jul 24, 2015
Historic
Even if you are not LDS, it's worth a stop. This is the place where the first leader of the LDS church and his brother were shot and killed by an angry mob. Run by volunteers, free admission, and clean restrooms.
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4MMMarty2ya 5:00 PM Mar 7, 2018
Interesting, but biased, presentation
After multiple visits to family in Carthage, I thought it was time to visit one the town's mist important tourist atractions. I was greeted by an elder and a sister who provided me with a private tour if the facility. Between them, a short video, and audio presentation, the story of the events that lead to the mobs killing of Hyrem and Joseph Smith were clearly explained from the point of view of the Church of Later Day Saints. Questions were answered willingly, but emphasis was always on the importance of the two "prophets" and founders of the church. The jail is a very important location for Mormons to visit; also important for those with an interest with theologic history. Even I, a person with only a casual interest in history, found it interesting. I would urge visitors to do a little reading before visiting so as to understand the events from multiple perspectives, as you will get only the LDS point if view while here (as is only fair, as they provide the funding to keep the hail open to the public).
