Carthage Jail

On June 27, 1844, the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were martyred—killed by a mob that attacked them in Carthage Jail, located in Carthage, Illinois. The original jail has been carefully restored and is about a 30-minute drive from Historic Nauvoo..
A bed sits in a room with three large windows where Joseph and Hyrum Smith were martyred.
Seminary and Institute
At Carthage Jail, missionaries lead tours where visitors learn about the ministry of Joseph Smith and the final days in the life of Joseph and Hyrum. Latter-day Saint scripture asserts that Joseph “sealed his mission and his works with his own blood; and so [did] his brother Hyrum. In life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated!” (Doctrine and Covenants 135:3).

Visitors to Carthage Jail also learn about two other men, Elders John Taylor and Willard Richards of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. They were in the jail when the mob attacked, and they survived. The Church itself also survived, as Apostles and others built on the foundation the Lord had established through His servant Joseph Smith.
Last Updated On May 03, 2023
Carthage Jail
Hours
Monday – Saturday: 9:00 AM– 5:00 PM
Sunday: 12:00 PM– 5:00 PM

Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day

Please confirm by phone

Physical Address
310 Buchanan
Carthage, Illinois 62321
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Contact
217-357-2989

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Related Content
Carthage Jail
On June 27, 1844, a mob killed the Smith brothers. Despite this tragic end, the legacy of Joseph Smith’s ministry endures.
Remembering the Martyrdom: Doctrine and Covenants 135
Learn about Latter-day Saints’ recollections of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, recorded in letters, journals, poetry, newspaper editorials, and section 135 of the Doctrine and Covenants.
Hyrum Smith: A Man of Mildness and Integrity
These artifacts are perhaps the most intimate remembrance of the martyrdom of Hyrum Smith: they are the clothes Hyrum was wearing when he was killed, the watch he carried in his pocket that day, and a pair of sunglasses he owned.
Joseph and Hyrum Death Masks
June 27, 1844, was a dark day in Nauvoo, Illinois, as Church members received word that their beloved Prophet, Joseph Smith, and his brother Hyrum had been killed at Carthage Jail. Friends guarded their bodies in Carthage until the next day, when they were brought home to Nauvoo.
John Taylor’s Miracle
This watch was in John Taylor’s vest pocket during the martyrdom at Carthage Jail, and Brother Taylor, who later became President of the Church, believed that it saved his life.