Joseph Smith built this fine frame house on the corner of Main Street and Water Street just across the street from the his families first home, the Homestead. On August 31, 1843, the Prophet and his family moved in the Mansion House. Just after its construction, however, a hotel wing was added and opened in late 1843 to accommodate the many visitors to Nauvoo while the Nauvoo House was under construction. The hotel was leased to Ebenezer Robinson in January 1844. As part of the lease agreement, the Smith family maintained three rooms for their private residence.

The Mansion House had four rooms, two above and two below, and a stairway between them, and an addition of family rooms, containing four rooms, two below and two above.The hotel wing, had ten sleeping rooms, four double rooms and six single rooms, over a dining room, and kitchen, and cellarway, the outer one of these rooms was used as a kitchen; that would make seventeen or eighteen rooms counting the kitchen, in all. That was in what was known as the hotel or Mansion House.

The Smith family sleeping apartments were right together. The children slept in the room adjoining their mother and father's sleeping room. They were adjoining rooms with an open door between.

Joseph and Emma hosted important visitors in the Mansion House. Politicians, such as Stephan A. Douglas of the Illinois Supreme Court, were entertained at the Mansion House. In 1844, Joseph Smith Jr. announced his candidacy for President of the United States for the 1844 election from the men’s sitting room.

The Mansion House not only served as a residence & a hotel, but as the venue where several temple ordinances were performed before the completion of the Nauvoo Temple. The Mansion was where the bodies of Joseph and Hyrum Smith laid in state until the burial in June of 1844.

Emma, Joseph's widow, and her family continued to live in the Mansion House for a time, and remained in Nauvoo until her death on April 30, 1879. By the 1890s the hotel wing had deteriorated to the point that it was torn down. The foundation of the hotel wing is still located on the east side of the Mansion House.

Today the original residence part of the home still stands, but by the 1890s the hotel wing had deteriorated to the point that it was torn down. The foundation of the hotel wing is still located on the east side of the Mansion House.

The Reorganized Latter-day Saints own the mansion and tours are available.
While on the walking tour, guests may enter the home to view the rooms used by Joseph and Emma and hear about events that took place within the home.

Disclaimer:
Every effort has been made to ensure the above data is accurate. Due to the ongoing nature of genealogical research on the internet, all data must be considered a work in progress and as a secondary source of information. Additions and / or corrections are always appreciated.

Copyright 2007 Judi Gilker; all rights reserved.