Christmas at the Mansion House

By Nancy Harlacher

This painting by Nancy Harlacher depicts a group of Saints caroling Joseph and Emma at the Mansion House in Nauvoo, Christmas 1843.

Because of the constant stream of visitors who came to Nauvoo and stayed with the prophet, Joseph found it necessary to build a hotel to live in, which he called the “Mansion House,” a popular name for hotels during that time. The Smith family occupied three rooms on the west end of the building, and as many as fifty visitors at a time stayed in the rest of the hotel. The Prophet leased the Mansion House to Ebenezer Robinson, which left Joseph free of many of the worries connected with running such a large establishment.

Prints of this painting are available in various sizes for purchase at the Restoration Bookstore or from our online store.