Church historic sites reopening after more than a year
Apr 22, 2021, 10:07 AM | Updated: 10:17 am
A view inside the house on the Smith family farm in Palmyra, New York. Photo: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says the faith’s historic sites will begin re-opening in May.
They closed last March for coronavirus concerns, and many missionaries were sent home from those assignments.
The phased re-opening includes buildings and land around Vermont, Upstate New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah and California.
Church historic sites reopening plan
The release from the Church says the sites will reopen based on local conditions, government guidelines and missionary staffing availability. Because each historic site is unique, reopening conditions will vary.
The land and sites are in places where crucial or important events happened in Latter-day Saints church history from the early 1800s on to the present day, including the early days of the church’s first prophet, Joseph Smith, to the travels of the saints through the midwest and then on to the Rockies.
Some of the landmarks include Joseph Smith’s birthplace, the Hill Cumorah, Liberty Jail, Nauvoo, and Martin’s Cove.
The following church historic sites will open May 1:
- Mormon Battalion Center at San Diego (California)
- Carthage Jail (Illinois)
- Historic Nauvoo (Illinois)
- Kanesville Tabernacle (Iowa)
- Mormon Trail Center at Winter Quarters (Nebraska)
- Brigham Young Winter Home and Office (Utah)
- Hamblin Home (Utah)
- St. George Tabernacle (Utah)
The following church historic sites will open May 29:
- Grandin Building: Book of Mormon Publication Site (New York)
- Hill Cumorah (New York)
- Sacred Grove (New York)
- Whitmer Farm: Church Organization Site (New York)
- Independence Visitors’ Center (Missouri)
- Liberty Jail (Missouri)
- Historic Kirtland (Ohio)
- Johnson Home (Ohio)
- Morley Farm (Ohio)
- Priesthood Restoration Site (Pennsylvania)
- Cove Fort (Utah)
- Joseph Smith Birthplace (Vermont)
- Martin’s Cove: Mormon Trail Site (Wyoming)
- Sixth Crossing: Mormon Trail Site (Wyoming)
Many Latter-day Saint families and tour groups take summer trips to see these locations.
Bonneville International Corporation, the company that owns KSL NewsRadio, is a subsidiary of Deseret Management Corporation, which is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Read more:
- Latter-day Saints mark bicentennial of First Vision of Joseph Smith
- Could Joseph Smith’s First Vision have happened on March 26, 200 years ago?
- All operating temples in Utah to move to phase 2-B by end of April
- Hill Cumorah Pageant final season canceled; Nauvoo Pageant postponed
