The following is excerpted from the Church Newsroom To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
Preservationists are recognizing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ efforts to restore its historical space in Nauvoo, Illinois.
At the Davis Theater in Chicago on Friday, October 22, 2021, Landmarks Illinois presented the team that is restoring Historic Nauvoo with the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award for its renovation work in Historic Nauvoo’s Temple District. Historic Nauvoo was one of two projects awarded in the restoration category (the other being Union Station in Chicago). Other categories were adaptive reuse, rehabilitation and stewardship.
“Our 2021 award-winning projects are models for what preservation can and should be: the creative, inclusive and sustainable reuse of our built environment promoting local job creation and community driven economic development,” said Landmarks Illinois President and CEO Bonnie McDonald. “The courageous and visionary people behind these innovative projects deserve recognition for transforming places to serve as equitable housing, accessible art and education centers, and lively gathering spaces that bring awareness to Illinois’ diverse history.”
The history of the early Church of Jesus Christ in Nauvoo comprises seven brief but important years (1839–1846) for the development of the faith’s temple-related doctrines. These include the introduction of baptism for deceased ancestors and other temple ceremonies, the idea that family relationships can be eternal and the construction of the Nauvoo Temple.
In 2014, the Church created a 25-year plan to improve Historic Nauvoo’s core messages, historical landscapes, authenticity and guest experience by 2039 — the bicentennial of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the city. The completion of the Temple District in May 2021 was the first phase of that plan.
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.