Nauvoo Historic District

Nauvoo Historic District is a preserved community along the Mississippi River with restored buildings from the 1800s. The area contains homes, commercial structures, and civic buildings that demonstrate how a frontier settlement was laid out and developed.

The settlement began in the 1840s when members of a religious movement arrived and grew it into one of Illinois's largest towns. The community eventually relocated further west, leaving behind the structures that remain today.

The district reflects how a religious community shaped a town in the 1800s through their homes and daily life. The streets and buildings show the values and organization of those who lived and worked here during that period.

You can visit multiple buildings spread throughout the area and explore them on foot at your own pace. Comfortable walking shoes are helpful, and warmer months from April to September are ideal for exploring the district.

An old brick building in the center served both as a store and an administrative hub, showing how commerce and community life were intertwined. Such dual-purpose structures were common in frontier settlements of that era.