CARTHAGE JAIL

in front of the statue of Joseph and Hyrum Smith

reflecting on the Well that Joseph fell onto outside of

the window he jumped out of the to escape the mob

this is the hole from the bullet that shot Hyrum

Carthage jail deserves a post all its own. i was so moved by the spirit that resides here and especially impressed by the preservation of it all. we were so fortunate to be able to tour the jail with just our family. it's an amazing experience to walk through the cooking area and the dining area and know and be able to envision the stories that we have heard about Joseph Smith's experience there at Carthage. Joseph and Hyrum often shared a meal with the family who owned the home that the prison was in and were well respected by them. it was an amazing experience to walk up the exact stairs that Joseph and the others must have done every day (they still have the original stair rail). i was especially moved by the spirit in the "dungeon room" where Joseph and Hyrum were held at the beginning of their imprisonment. they were later transferred to a bedroom where they would be more comfortable and eventually meet their fate. as we walked into this room, we noticed the hole in the door that has been preserved from when Hyrum was shot. we were able to hear wonderful stories of the Prophet and some of the experiences he had there. it was a very humbling experience and one of the most spiritual ones we had on our entire vacation. it was the perfect ending to a perfect family vacation.