Summer Vacation News for LDS Travelers
By Becky Cardon Smith

The summer of 2006 is a great time to take a family vacation to Church historical sites. Although trips to amusement parks are fun, visiting Sharon, Palmyra, Kirtland, Nauvoo, or any of the many other historical areas will have a much more lasting impact on you and your family. Imagine visiting the site of the Prophet’s birth, walking in the Sacred Grove, standing on the banks of the Susquehanna River, gazing up at the Nauvoo Temple, or reliving the last moments of the Prophet’s life inside the Carthage Jail.

To help you calendar and plan your family trip, we want to update you with some of the latest dates and changes:

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Contrails from jet aircraft add a modern accent to this view of the Hill Cumorah.

• Hill Cumorah Pageant — This high technology, multi-tiered production with a cast of more than 700 costumed performers will take place on the hillside just to the right of the Hill Cumorah visitors’ center. The pageant is scheduled July 14, 15, 18-22 in 2006 and July 13, 14, 17-21 in 2007. The pageant starts at 9 p.m. (starts filling up by 7 p.m.) and is free to the public. Tickets are not required. For additional information, visit www.hillcumorah.org or call 315-597-5851. 

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Here, on a picture perfect day, is a shot of the Nauvoo Temple.

• The Nauvoo Pageant — After premiering in 2005 (bicentennial of the Prophet’s birth), the Nauvoo Pageant will be held in 2006 from July 7 thru August 4 (except on Sundays and Mondays). This outdoor pageant features original music, professional quality actors, and colorful costumes. Using the Nauvoo Temple as a backdrop, the pageant celebrates the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Performances begin at sundown (about 8:45) and tickets are not required.  For additional information, visit www.historicnauvoo.net or call 888-453-6434.

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The new Nauvoo Temple, shown here at night, makes an impressive backdrop to the
Nauvoo Pageant.

• This is Kirtland! — This hour-long live production explains the role of the Church in Ohio’s history through a musical/theatrical format. In 2006, performances are scheduled daily from July 7 thru July 22 (except on Sundays and Mondays). The program begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Kirtland Stake Center at 8751 Kirtland Road. Admission is free but seating is limited. Advanced reservations are suggested, especially for groups of 20 or more. For additional information, visit www.visithistorickirtland.com or call the visitors’ center at 866-584-9805.

• Historic Kirtland Evening Entertainment — Premiering this year are vignettes featuring the lives of early Saints who once lived in Kirtland. Enjoy the stories told by modern-day missionaries who are dressed in attire similar to that worn by early Church members including George A. Smith, Parley P. Pratt, Philo Dibble, and Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner. The one hour vignettes are performed daily at 7:30 pm. in Historic Kirtland. (But not during July 7-22 performances of “This is Kirtland!”)  For additional information, contact the visitors’ center at 866-584-9805.    

• Kirtland Temple Stone Quarry — Also new this summer are missionary guided tours at the quarry once known as the Stannard Stone Quarry. You can still see the old drill marks in what is now called the Chapin Forest Reserve Park. To quarry the stone, workmen drilled a series of holes in the sandstone, placed a wedge in each hole, and split the stone by striking the wedges with a hammer. On June 5, 1833, the Prophet’s cousin, George A. Smith, hauled the first load of stone from the quarry and Hyrum Smith and Reynolds Cahoon began digging trenches for the temple walls (HC 1:353). The park includes picnic tables, hiking trails, and a small pond. Admission is free. To find the quarry, head south on Chillicothe Road (also known as Route 306); the entrance will be about 2 miles from the Kirtland Temple and on your right. The missionary guided tours are Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. (summer only). For additional information, contact the Historic Kirtland visitors’ center at 866-584-9805.

• Tunbridge Village Store — This Vermont country store has been closed for the past few years but is scheduled to reopen on May 2^nd. Inside you will find a general store, deli, and small dining area. It was originally called the “Mack and Mudget Store” when a young girl named Lucy Mack worked in this store, then owned by her brother Stephen Mack and his partner John Mudget. Tradition says that while working here, Lucy first met a young man by the name of Joseph Smith. Lucy was twenty when she and twenty-four-year-old Joseph Sr. were married on January 24, 1796. The store is located at 302 Route 110, not far from the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial in Sharon, Vermont.

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Although today it is decked with symbols of modern culture, this building is where Lucy Mack met Joseph Smith Senior.

• Independence Visitors’ Center — The visitors’ center has been extensively remodeled and recently reopened in March, 2006. While tours can be adapted to fit your time constraints, we suggest you allow at least an hour here. As you enter, notice the large Christus statue with outstretched hands seemingly inviting us all to “Come unto Christ.” On the main floor, hear about God’s plan for His family, understand more fully the purpose of temples, and learn about the Prophet Joseph Smith as you look at his timeline. Children will enjoy the interactive exhibits. Be sure to go downstairs to learn more about early Independence. See how cabins were built, listen to the narration inside a completed log cabin and be sure to look out the windows at the changing seasons. Don’t miss the replica of the W.W. Phelps printing press, and notice the mural showing the Saints leaving Independence. Children will enjoy hands-on activities in the Children’s Room, including building a small log cabin or riding in a miniature wagon. There are 30 films available to watch in the two theaters, including “Joseph Smith — Prophet of the Restoration.” The LDS visitors’ center is one of the few places open in the evening. If time is short, spend the day visiting other sites and finish here for a great historical and spiritual review. The visitors’ center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and is located at 937 West Walnut Street. 816-836-3466.