We have wanted to visit our next destination since the L.D.S. church first announced that this site would be opening in 2014. We were able to cross it off our bucket list today.
Oakland Township, Pennsylvania, right on the Susquehanna River, is a historic site for Latter-day Saints. It's where Emma Hale Smith's parents lived and where she and her husband, Joseph Smith, had their first home after being married. It is also where Emma gave birth to a baby that lived no longer than one hour. That baby and Emma's parents are all buried in the local cemetery which is located across the street from the church's visitor's center.
Most importantly, John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery while Joseph Smith lived in this location. John the Baptist ordained Joseph and Oliver with the Aaronic Priesthood and later, Peter, James, and John ordained Joseph and Oliver with the Melchizedek Priesthood.
The two homes on the site that represent the homes of the Hales and Joseph and Emma's home just a few yards down the path from the Hales are both reconstructions, but they are built on the foundations of the original homes. The church used detailed journals from the time period to build the homes so the floor plans are very similar, if not identical, to the originals.
The two sister missionaries who conducted our tour (it was just the two of us on the tour) were the best. Sister Chrimes is from England and Sister Pineda is from Honduras. We had such a good time learning from them and talking with them. We probably took way more of their time than they should have been giving us. We were able to hug them and they asked if they could follow us on Facebook. When Sister Chrimes found out Edie's first name, she said that it is one of her all-time favorite names. She said that if we ever make it to England that we should look her up so that she can introduce us to her future daughter whose name will be 'Edie'.
As always, tons of pictures to follow:
John the Baptist appeared in this area
The Hales Home
Love these white dishes with the blue edges
Sister Pineda from Honduras and Sister Chrimes from England. Sister Pineda had to learn English when she came to Pennsylvania.
These pictures and the ones below are from Joseph and Emma's home.
These pictures are new headstones for the graves of Joseph and Emma's infant son and Emma's parents. In the back of the new headstones are the original headstones. We assume that the church must have arranged for the new headstones, unless current Smith family members or a benevolent donor did it.
The top headstone picture is of Joseph and Emma's infant son (new and old).
Isaac Hale's headstone (new and old).Elizabeth Hale's headstone (new and old).
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These are from Elizabeth Hale's kitchen.
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