Carthage Jail

Following the wedding, our family made the pilgrimage to Gavin's home--about 3 hours away.  Let me just insert at this point, that Gavin's family was just wonderful.  They anticipated our every need and did so many thoughtful things to make our trip enjoyable.  Cheryl (Gavin's mother) bought little dresses for every grand daughter.  They planned and hosted the groom's dinner and had wonderful boxed lunches ready for us to take in our cars as we drove to the reception.  They arranged for our hotel rooms that night--(excellent hotel rooms) and would not be dissuaded from paying for them.  They put on the loveliest reception possible.  We were so impressed and we started to understand how Gavin turned out to be the thoughtful and warm person that he is.

 So...back to the story...

On the way to the reception, we went right through Carthage.  With only about an hour to spare, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to visit Carthage Jail.

 It was a beautiful day and really an unexpected experience to find ourselves at Carthage Jail with our entire family (except Kristen and Gavin and Natalie's boys.)  We were able to take the tour together.  We had just driven from Nauvoo--following the same route that Joseph and Hyrum did.  It was so  vivid to be here, especially after being in Nauvoo and in the temple--to feel the reality of the martyrdom and the loss it must have been to the saints.

Brian and Marielle examined the walls--two feet thick of the upper part of the jail.

 This cell was reserved for the worst criminals.  The jailers did not want Joseph and Hyrum and the others to be here so they were given a more comfortable bedroom.

This is the comfortable room where Joseph and the rest were allowed to stay.  They were on the second floor and it was from one of these windows, that Joseph fell after being shot.

This bullet hole in the door was made by the bullet that hit Hyrum while he was trying to hold the door against the mob. 

Natalie and Kevin had flown out to Illinois with Adam and would have to leave early in the morning.  It was a lot of driving for them since they were flying out of Chicago.  But they were great sports and it was wonderful to be here in Carthage with them.