K & H Price Family: Day 9

Most of this day is full of driving. We drove through most of Ohio, all of Indiana and all the way across Illinois. We arrived in Carthage at 4:15 p.m. on Monday, June 27th, the anniversary of the martydom of Joseph & Hyrum. We did not plan this, we weren't even sure what day it was, but what a great opportunity to be at this location on this special day. There was a short program outside Carthage Jail. Elder Condie (of the 70) was the main speaker, he is the president of the Nauvoo Temple right now. We actually shook his hand as he was coming up the sidewalk to get on the stand. There were a couple of musical numbers too. It was truly a spirit filled program.

We were able to take a tour of the visitor center and Jail after the program. The main floor of the jail has a kitchen and debtor's jail. The second floor has the jail room and the bedroom for the jailer. The jail room is very dark & dismal. Only 2 small windows (like slits in the wall) let in minimal light. You can see (by flashlight) the mattress in the corner and shackles on the floor and a bucket in a corner. The jailer was concerned for Joseph's safety and let him (and the others) stay in his bedroom next door. We stood in the room where Joseph was killed, and saw the bullet holes in the door, looked down from the window to the ground and listened to a re-enactment of the event. There is a feeling of sorrow, yet peace there.