Free Things to Do in Nauvoo, Illinois

Nauvoo, Illinois is located where the states of Illinois, Iowa and Missouri join; it's on the Mississippi River, and it's a historic little town. Mormon settlers in the 1840s drained a swamp to make the town, and it has been restored to show the original red brick homes that they constructed, the shops and businesses, crafts that were practiced, and life as it was in those times.

The LDS Church and the Community of Christ own large chunks of land in Nauvoo, and all of the historic activities are free for tourists to enjoy. These activities are fun and educational for kids and history buffs, and the town is peaceful and beautiful, with gorgeous gardens around the buildings. Some of the buildings that have been restored to show how life was lived during the early 1800s include the brickyard, Browning gun shop, blacksmith, family living center, bakery, post office, and land and records office. Volunteers tell stories of how early settlers used the buildings, and visitors are given little gifts at some of the shops. For example, a small souvenir brick is given out at the brickyard, and everyone gets a ginger cookie at the bakery.

There are 13 other buildings that were homes, schools, shops, etc., and they can also be toured. Docents inside the buildings give tours and tell a little about the histories of the families that occupied the homes. There are many other red brick homes that are occupied by the numerous volunteers from the LDS Church who run the village; many are missionaries who stay there for a couple of years at their own expense to do all the jobs in the town as a service to the public.

Kid-friendly free activities include wagon rides, which leave every half hour from the Visitors Center; carriage rides, which go out through the woods to an overlook on the river; oxen rides, which begin down by the river; and pioneer pastimes, which include hoop rolling, walking on stilts and other pioneer games. The wagon ride is a good introduction to Nauvoo, as the guide tells all about the town and points out things of interest to which visitors can return.

There are several musicals and plays that are also free at Nauvoo. "Just Plain Anna Amanda" is a lively play with a moral, and there's a puppet show and some other activities before the show. The first three rows are reserved for kids under 11, and the actors interact with the children quite a bit before the play, telling jokes and singing songs from Disney movies. "High Hopes and Riverboats" is a spirited musical with college-age actors, and "Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo" is an energetic comedy with much older actors who are quite funny at times. "Sunset on the Mississippi" combines the talents of both groups and is a musical with many different types of variety acts, some very funny and some inspirational. There is also a brass band that goes around on a horse drawn wagon; they also perform during the "Sunset" show. Although free, some of the shows require tickets which can be picked up at the Visitors Center before 10:30 AM. Call 888-453-6434 to reserve tickets.

The big draw at Nauvoo is the annual pageant, and admission is free for this show too. The pageant runs throughout the month of July (July 6 - August 3, 2007), and it tells the story of the early Mormon pioneers who settled the area and built a temple to God there. The beautiful, multi-story white temple has also recently been restored and is visible in the background of the pageant stage. The pageant has a cast of hundreds, professional actors, and features many songs, hymns, and dance numbers. The lighting is especially beautiful, and the pageant leaves visitors with a sense of the courage, faith and dedication of the early settlers of Nauvoo. The pageant begins at 8:45 PM in the center of the historic village. Chairs can be reserved earlier in the day by taping on your name or putting a blanket on the chair you want; tickets are not necessary. Pre-pageant activities for children begin at 7:00 PM.

I visited Nauvoo this year and was pleasantly surprised by how much I learned about the history of the area. The stories told at the houses were very interesting, and the musicals were great. Visit Nauvoo for some fun, free activities. Kids are welcome at all events.