Mangum relates part of the history of the early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo, Illinois, among whom were her ancestors. She examines pilgrimages made by Church members to Nauvoo, focusing on a trip her own family made for the dedication of the Nauvoo Mormon temple. She concludes that while the family did acknowledge the importance of their pioneer forbears, the real reason for going was personal interest, as many family members had been to Nauvoo before and had participated in the rebuilding of the city. She also discusses the significance of holy sites, such as the temple and the location of Joseph Smith's martyrdom, in and around Nauvoo. Created by Elizabeth Mangum while she was enrolled in Jill Terry Rudy's English 392 course during Fall Semester 2002.