Church History Locations
Joseph and Emma Smith Home
North of the cemetery is a home that once belonged to Joseph and Emma Smith. The structure of the home was recently restored to the way it was when the Smith family lived here.
Approximately 30-minute guided tours are available of the lower floor of the home. The tour is fully wheelchair accessible.
Admission is free, but tickets are required to tour the Joseph and Emma Smith Home. Tickets become available starting at 7:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) the day you’d like to visit.
Historic Johnson Home in Hiram, Ohio
After Joseph and Emma Smith lived with the Morleys, they moved to Hiram, Ohio, where they lived for a time with John and Elsa Johnson. The Johnson home was a place of conversion, revelation, Church administration, adversity, and devotion. It has been carefully restored to its condition when Joseph and Emma lived there.
The Johnson home is southeast of Historic Kirtland, about a 45-minute drive away. If you want to take a complete tour of the home, plan to spend 30 minutes to an hour. If you do not have that much time, missionaries can adjust the tour to meet your needs.
Kirtland Temple
For Latter-day Saints in Kirtland in the late 1830s, the temple was a sacred place of worship, learning, and community gathering. The temple still stands today, less than a half mile from Historic Kirtland.
Information on tours of the Kirtland Temple will be coming soon.
Plan to spend one to two hours visiting the Kirtland Temple.
Historic Kirtland
Your visit to Historic Kirtland begins at the visitors’ center. Missionaries will invite you to watch a 24-minute movie about the Latter-day Saints in Kirtland before they lead you on a tour of historic buildings. If you choose to experience the entire tour, you will visit Newel K. Whitney’s store, Newel and Ann Whitney’s home, a sawmill, an ashery, and the Johnson Inn. You will visit places where Joseph Smith received revelations and where Latter-day Saints worked together to build a temple.
A typical tour of Historic Kirtland lasts about 1½ hours. If you do not have that much time, missionaries can adjust the tour to meet your needs.
Make a donation.
Join us in supporting the Kirtland Heritage 5k by making a donation to our 501(c)(3) organization. Your generous contributions will directly benefit the success of our race, helping us cover essential expenses such as race logistics. Every donation, no matter the size, plays a crucial role in preserving the heritage of Kirtland and ensuring the continued success of this beloved community event. Together, let's make a lasting impact on our local heritage and promote a healthy, active lifestyle for all. Thank you for your support!
