The annual John Whitmer Historical Association Conference is Thursday-Saturday (with a Sunday Devotional) Sept 18-20 in Independence, Missouri. I will be presenting, along with Mark Tensmeyer & Dr Amanda Hendrix-Komoto. Mark will discuss the number of plural wives Joseph may have had. I’ll discuss my findings about the number of children Joseph Smith should have had with his plural wives, and Amanda will discuss birth control and abortion methods available in Nauvoo in the 1840s. If you’re in the area, please come! Mark, Amanda, & I will be speaking at 3 pm on Friday in the Truman Library, along with many other amazing historians.
Back in May/June, I visited Independence and toured the city as part of the Community of Christ World Conference where Stassi Cramm was ordained the new prophet-president of the church. It was fun to go on a walking tour of the city. Independence, Missouri, is a city brimming with history, offering a unique blend of sites significant to both the Latter Day Saint movement and the legacy of President Harry S. Truman. A walking tour through this historic locale reveals layers of compelling stories, from prophetic visions to presidential declarations. Join us as we explore some of its most fascinating landmarks.
Sacred Temple Lot and Surrounding Churches
At the heart of Independence lies the Temple Lot, a site dedicated by Joseph Smith on August 3, 1831. He envisioned this plot as the center for the “city of Zion.” While the original temple was never built, its small footprint can still be appreciated today.
Today, the Temple Lot is surrounded by various denominations, each with its own rich history:
• Community of Christ Auditorium and Temple:
This impressive structure stands near the Temple Lot. It’s also notable for being the venue where President Harry Truman formally announced the U.S. was a signatory to the United Nations on June 27, 1945.
· Church of Christ (Temple Lot)
This group, also known at the Hedrickites, were the first to return to Independence following the 1838 expulsion of Mormons from the state. Granville Hedrick & his brother returned in 1853, and purchased the original temple lot where Joseph Smith dedicated the area for a temple. They tried to build a temple in the 1920s, but due to the Great Depression, it was never built. The area has seen several churches rise and fall, including two original churches destroyed by fire. The latest fire was in 1990. It has since been rebuilt.
• Stone Church:
Known as the oldest church in Missouri, it was built by Joseph Smith III. Inside, visitors can admire its beautiful stained-glass windows and a large pipe organ, which somewhat resembles a smaller version of the Salt Lake Tabernacle.
• Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints:
Their headquarters are located in the former Christmas High School, across the street from the Community of Christ Temple. They also run a commendable lunch program for the homeless on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
• Cutlerite Church:
Established in 1853 by Alpheus Cutler, this small church—currently with fewer than a dozen members—uniquely practices baptisms for the dead and endowments among the Latter Day Saint denominations outside the LDS Church and polygamist groups. The chapel is on the main floor, while the upper story serves as their temple area.
Residences and Historic Events
Independence is also dotted with significant residential sites and places where pivotal events unfolded:
• Jones Flournoy Home: This small red house, relocated to its current site in 1989, belonged to Jones Flournoy, who sold the Temple Lot to the Mormons in 1831. The original location of his brick home from 1826 is now a parking lot on Kansas and South Pleasant Street.
• Frederick Madison Smith Study: Frederick Madison Smith, grandson of Joseph Smith and a prophet of the RLDS Church, acquired this property in 1937. His desire to build Zion and his “supreme directional control” led to disaffection among some RLDS members, including Otto Fetting, who then joined the Hedrickite Church (Temple Lot Church).
• Edward Partridge’s Home Site: The plaque marking the site of Edward Partridge’s home is located very close to where the Community of Christ Temple now stands.
• Governor Boggs Home Site: While no longer standing, this was the original home of Governor Lilburn Boggs, who was initially friendly to the Mormons but later issued the infamous extermination order.
• Gilbert and Whitney Store: This site, featuring a recreation of the store, holds historical significance as a place where food and crafts were sold. An original wall from the building survived a fire. Sidney Gilbert also purchased the original log courthouse for his home and business.
• The Printing Office: In 1832, Church printer WW Phelps published “The Evening and Morning Star” here. The printing office was demolished in July 1833 because local Missourians disliked an article he printed, believing it invited Black people to the pro-slavery state.
The Truman Connection
Harry S. Truman’s presence is deeply woven into Independence’s fabric, with several sites linked to his life and presidency:
• Jackson County Courthouse and Public Square: In 1832, Sydney Rigdon preached at the town square, (now the courthouse.) Escalated tensions, culminating in the tar and feathering of Bishop Partridge in July 1833 at this site. In 1949, President Harry S. Truman presented a statue of General Andrew Jackson to the people of Jackson County, which now stands in the square.
• Log Courthouse: Erected in 1827, this rudimentary building served as a temporary home for the Jackson County government. Notably, Harry Truman served as a judge here until 1932.
• The Noland House (Clinton Drugstore): In 1838, Joseph Smith and other Mormon leaders were held under house arrest in this popular inn, occasionally permitted to walk around town and visit the desolate Temple Lot. Today, the site is associated with the Clinton Drugstore.
• The Jail / Truman National Historic Site Visitors Center: This site housed a jail in 1833 where prominent Mormons like Sidney Gilbert and William McLellin were held. Later, it became a fire station and is now associated with the Truman National Historic Site Visitors Center.
• Truman Home: The private residence of Harry Truman is a significant historical site; free tickets are required for tours and can be obtained at the Truman National Historic Site Visitors Center.
• UN Peace Plaza: As mentioned earlier, this plaza commemorates Truman’s significant announcement regarding the US joining the UN.
Independence, Missouri, truly offers a profound journey through American religious and political history. Have you been there? Have you taken any of the tours?
Wheat & Tares 
Just a few quibbles, because I can’t help myself. The Stone Church, dedicated in 1888, is probably the oldest latter-day saint church building in Missouri. It replaced a much smaller brick RLDS Church on East Walnut, which is no longer there. There are much older church buildings in Missouri, especially in the St. Louis and St. Genevieve areas along the Mississippi River. The Stone Church bears a slight resemblance inside to the Assembly Hall on Temple Square in SLC. The design of the Auditorium was influenced by the SLC Tabernacle, although it’s dome is quite different a s the building itself is considerably larger, also including office space. Seating capacity in the conference chamber is smaller at 5,800 because it has theater seating rather than pews. I understand the design of the Auditorium dome, from the 1920s, was studied by the architects who designed the Houston Astrodome.
Thanks for the corrections Rich. Even if there are older buildings, are there older churches in Missouri?
I’ve been to Independence, MO, multiple times. I’ve seen most of the places listed. What impressed me about the experiences was how hard it is to get off the freeway and drive to the areas. Independence is a suburb of Kansas City, closer to it than Sandy is to Salt Lake City. The metropolitan area of Kansas City also has twice the population.
As an aside, I remember reading the David McCullan book on Truman and how Truman did not have a high opinion of the early “Mormons.” He loved Independence but thought the Mormons were a bit weird. I found it interesting how attitudes from history linger on in certain areas even years after events.
Will the JWHA sessions be recorded and available on youtube or will there we transcrits availabe your tession with Mark and Amanda sound facinating but I ma in Califonia and do not fly anymore.
You can check at JWHA.info. (I don’t think so but I’m not sure. They did record some after COVID.)