Joseph Smith’s Grave and Homestead: Honoring the Mormon Prophet

Along the banks of the Mississippi River in Nauvoo, Illinois, lies a site of historical and spiritual significance—Joseph Smith’s grave. Smith is the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Smith led his thousands of followers to the riverside settlement in the early 1840s, having been driven from Missouri. Within a couple of years, Nauvoo was one of the largest cities in Illinois.

Controversy followed Smith and his followers once again; he and his brother were tragically killed by a mob in nearby Carthage Jail on June 27, 1844.

Visitors from all over the world make the pilgrimage to the Smith Family Cemetery to pay their respects to Joseph Smith, who rests beside his brother Hyrum and his wife Emma.

The grave is located near the Joseph Smith Historic Site, which preserves several original family homes, including the Joseph and Emma Smith Homestead.

The Community of Christ maintains the site. The setting is serene—shaded trees, quiet paths, and views of the river that once inspired early Latter-day Saint pioneers. Whether you come for faith, history, or reflection, standing before Joseph Smith’s modest headstone and his last home connects you to a chapter of American religious history that helped shape the nation’s spiritual landscape.