NAUVOO'S GAMBLE: HISTORIC INTEGRITY OR ECONOMIC GROWTH

Susan Holderread, Peggy McCall, David Sayner

Preview of Main Ideas

Is this historic preservation more important that job creation? In this lesson, students are challenged to respond to this question through a role-playing exercise. In our scenario, developers are eyeing the historically important town of Nauvoo, Illinois, for the site of a convention center and casino boat. Students will be assigned the roles of the diverse interest groups within the city; and they will have to consider the historic, geographic, and economic costs and benefits that weight heavily in the decision to locate such a development in this area.

Connection with the Curriculum

This activity can be used in geography, history, economics, and other social science classes.

Teaching Level: Grades 9-12.

Objectives Classification Outline (Also see objectives classification matrix below.)

Objective #1: The student will design appropriate maps to demonstrate Nauvoo's location relative to metropolitan areas of 50,000 or more within a 250 mile radius.

Essential Element: The World in Spatial Terms.

Standard #1: How to use maps and geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective.

Knowledge Statement #1: How to use maps and other graphic representations to depict geographic problems.

Skill Set #3: Organizing geographic information.

Skill #1:  Select and design appropriate forms of maps to organize geographic information.

Theme: Location, Region.

Objective #2: The student will identify, interpret, and analyze historic, economic, and geographic information to defend a given position on whether to locate a convention center and casino boat in Nauvoo.

Essential Element: The Uses of Geography.

Standard #17: How to apply geography to interpret the past.

Knowledge Statement #2: How changing perceptions of places and environments affect the spatial behavior of people.

Skill Set #4: Analyzing geographic information.

Skill #3: Use the processes of analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and explanation to interpret geographic information from a variety of sources.

Theme: Place.

Materials

1. Handout #1: Nauvoo’s Relative Location.
2. Handout #2: Historical Background of Nauvoo.
3. Handout #3: Topographic Map of Nauvoo.
4. Handout #4: Nauvoo Street Map.
5. Role Playing Cards for the following characters:

6. Handout #5 Investors’ Proposal.
7. Class Set of Road Atlases.
8. Handout #7:  Debriefing Matrix.

Suggestions for Teaching the Lesson

Opening the Lesson

1.                  Distribute Handout #1: Nauvoo’s Relative Location.  To illustrate the idea of Nauvoo’s relative location, have students use road atlases to find 15 cities with populations of 50,000 or more within a 250 mile radius of Nauvoo.  Tell students to construct concentric ring map to illustrate cities that fall within each zone of distance: 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 miles.

2.                  Distribute Handout #2: Historical Background of Nauvoo.  Discuss with students the role that various groups have played in the development of Nauvoo.

Developing the Lesson

1.                  Present the role-playing scenario.  Select 2-3 students to play the roles of the Convention Center and Casino Boat Investors and distribute their role card.  Also identify 2-3 students to play the role of undecided citizens whose job it is to formulate questions that would challenge both those people who would support and those who would oppose the proposed development.  Using the remaining students, divide the class into two groups, Proponents and Opponents.  Distribute role cards to the rest of the class.  Allow sufficient time for students to read and think out their strategies.

2.                  After students read their roles, allow them to embellish their statements with any information they might have gained from in-class discussion with group members.

3.                  Begin the debate with the Investor’s Proposal.  Have a member of the Proponents side back up the proposal.  Be sure to tell students that their statements are limited to three minutes.  Repeat the procedure with the opposing side.

Concluding the Lesson

Once all arguments have been heard, have students playing the role of the undecided citizens question both sides.  Afterward, have the class vote on whether they (based on the arguments that were presented) would approve the location of the convention center and casino boat.  Be sure to have students support their answers.

Extending the Lesson

1.                  Have students take a field trip to Nauvoo.  Have students develop a survey and interview local residents to gain an understanding of how this issue would be perceived.

2.                  Have students apply the idea of historic preservation versus economic growth to a significant historic place near their home.

Assessing Student Learning

In a debriefing session, distribute Handout #7.  Have students work individually to complete this chart to check for understanding.

GEOGRAPHY STANDARDS CLASSIFICATION MATRIX – GRADES           9-12 

Title:          Nauvoo’s Gamble:  Historic Integrity or Economic Growth                 Author:          Susan Holderread, et. al.

Note:  See also Objectives Classification Outline in the lesson.

Handouts

Handout A

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Handout B/C

Handout #2:  Historical Background of Nauvoo

Many different groups have inhabited the site of present-day Nauvoo.  From the earliest Native American settlers to the Benedictine Sisters, from the Mormons and Icarians, to the Germans and Swiss, each group played a significant role in the development of Nauvoo; and much of the influence that these groups had can still be seen today.

            The first people to inhabit the area were the Sac and Fox Native American tribes.  They called the area in which they lived Quashquema, which was also the name of their leader.  In the early 19^th century, white fur traders also made use of this area, and before long, the Native Americans were under increasing pressure to relinquish their hold on this territory as well as most of their land east of the Mississippi.  A successful fur trader, James White, renamed this territory Commerce in 1834.  A financial crisis in 1837 caused the downfall of Commerce and reduced it to a ghost town.

            The Mormon influence on this area was important despite their comparatively short stay in the area.  Mormonism began in Seneca County, New York, in 1830 under the leadership of Joseph Smith.  Smith and his followers soon migrated westward to Ohio and later to Missouri.  Persecution in Missouri in 1838 forced the Mormons to take refuge across the river in Commerce.  Despite its malarial site, Joseph Smith re-named the area Nauvoo, meaning “Beautiful Place.”  Nauvoo soon became one of the fastest growing—and one of the largest—cities in Illinois.  Mormon craftsmen began work on the Nauvoo temple, which was to be one of the largest structures on the frontier.  As the size of the Mormon population grew, however, so did the number of Mormonism’s opponents, who among other things disagreed with many of the Mormons religious beliefs and practices.  In 1844, Joseph Smith ordered that an anti-Mormon press be destroyed.  Law enforcement officials jailed Smith and several other Mormon leaders charged with inciting a riot.  As tensions in the community grew, an angry mob stormed the jail; Smith and the other Mormon leaders were killed.  Mormons under the leadership of Brigham Young soon began yet another westward migration, this time to Utah.

            Several years later in 1849, a group of French utopians came to Nauvoo to give their brand of communal living a try.  The group, led by Etienne Cabet, was called the Icarians, after a fictitious land called Icaria described in Cabet’s 1840 novel.  Many Icarians made use of Mormon buildings and structures that were left after the Mormons’ departure.  The Icarians enjoyed several years of communal living until conflict between liberal and conservative views fractured the unity of the group.  Cabet and 180 of his followers left Nauvoo for St. Louis in 1856; but many Icarians remained in Nauvoo until 1860, when members were forced to sell their property to pay off debts.

            The Icarians were closely followed by the Germans and Swiss, who left their countries of origin to escape three years of mandatory military service.  After the Civil War, Nauvoo became a large German-speaking settlement, and remained so for roughly fifty more years, with German being spoken in the home as well as in places of business and worship.

            In 1874, five Benedictine Sisters left St. Scholastica Convent in Chicago and came to Nauvoo to begin a high school for young women.  These nuns began their school by making use of buildings that had also served the Mormon and Icarian communities in Nauvoo.  Today, St. Mary’s academy, an outgrowth of the first school, flourishes and provides quality education for girls from all parts of the United States and many foreign countries.

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Handout D

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Handout E

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Handout F

PROPONENT ROLE SHEET

Unemployed Worker

            My family and I have lived in the city of Nauvoo for nearly 50 years.  I worked in a winery for two years until it was forced to shut down due to hard economic times.  It has been nearly nine months since I have had full-time employment.  If I do not find a job soon, we will have to sell our land and move to another city.  The investors estimate that over 150 jobs would be directly created by the proposed convention center and casino boat.  Construction of the convention center would result in other spin-off jobs from the increased tourism.  Nauvoo will always be the home of the Mormons and the French Icarians, so tourist attraction and money will not be lost.  The casino boat and convention center would generate more and higher paying jobs that would allow the city of Nauvoo to increase its economic prominence.

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Handout G

PROPONENT ROLE SHEET

Golf Club Owner

            We originally selected the location of this golf course because of its proximity to the scenic Mississippi and the tourism generated by the historic city of Nauvoo.  Our golf course has grown and we have been able to make a small profit.  But if the proposed convention center and casino boat became a reality, we believe it would greatly increase the number of tourists—and potential golfers—traveling on highway 96.

            Fort Madison, our neighbor fifteen minutes to the north, has experienced the benefits of riverboat gambling.  We believe if Nauvoo combined its unique historic character along with a convention center and casino boat it would create a winning combination.  The people who currently visit Nauvoo are those interested in Nauvoo’s history and the Mormon religion.  Our city fathers would be foolish to turn away this golden opportunity for economic growth.

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Handout H

PROPONENT ROLE SHEET

Gas Station and Convenience Store Owner

            We have owned our Amoco station on the eastern edge of downtown Nauvoo for nearly 23 years.  Although the proposed convention center and casino boat would be near the river on the western edge of town, we would direction feel the effects of this development.  Presently our town’s tourism is heavily based on only one factor—the historical impact the Mormons had on the region.  The people of Nauvoo should welcome diversification.  A convention center and casino boat may go against a minority group’s religious teaching, but it should not constrain our town’s economic future.

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Handout I

PROPONENT ROLE SHEET

Restaurant and Bar Owner

            Located on Main Street in downtown Nauvoo, our clientele is primarily composed of local inhabitants.  Since many of Nauvoo’s summer visitors are Mormons from Utah, our business draws very few additional customers from tourism.  People tend to forget that merely one in six people in Nauvoo follow the Mormon religion.  Why should we allow the Mormons’ religious dogma to limit our city’s economic growth?  The investors have brought to us a golden opportunity to bring economic vitality into our sleepy town.

            A hotel and gaming casino does not have to destroy the historical identity of this town.  If you examine other cities around the state that have recently gained casino boats and convention centers (Peoria, Aurora, and Elgin), you will see that there has not been a significant increase in crime.  Rather than illegal activities, what these Illinois towns have experienced is economic stimulus that has created jobs and prosperity.

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Handout J

PROPONENT ROLE SHEET

Real Estate Developer

            The corporation I represent recently purchased land from a series of farmers; our newly purchased land overlooks the scenic Mississippi River.  Our corporation is not the only one that stands to benefit from the convention center and casino boat.  The residents of Nauvoo and the entire region would be the beneficiaries of the increased jobs.  The casino and convention center would need to hire over 100 workers, from blackjack dealers to hotel managers.  These newly hired workers would need places to live, groceries, clothes, recreation, schools, and a host of other services.  The economic gains would not be limited to a few investors; nearly everyone would benefit.  Who doesn’t benefit when employment increases, land values increase, and tax revenue increases?  More tax revenue would result in improved infrastructure, schools, and hospitals.

            Additionally, the historic character of Nauvoo would not be destroyed; rather the development would lead to even more tourism.  The convention center would provide more hotel rooms, restaurants, gas stations, and other travel-related services.  A portion of the new tax revenue could even be used to improve and enlarge the existing historic sites.  The convention center and casino presents an economic opportunity that should not be dismissed.

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Handout K

OPPOSITION ROLE SHEET

Latter-Day Saints Elder

            With pride and determination we have authentically restored over 24 homes and shops detailed to the time of our Mormon forefathers.  Nauvoo’s historical re-creation has been described as the “Williamsburg of the Midwest.”  Would the people of Williamsburg, Virginia, ever allow a casino and convention center adjacent to their historic landmark?  A recent independent study gave Historic Nauvoo their best rating of five starts.  In their rating they described Nauvoo as “the best single attraction in all of Western Illinois.”  Why would people want to destroy this setting by constructing a convention center and bringing in a casino boat?

            The park surrounding the former 165 foot Nauvoo temple would be in direct view of the proposed convention center.  The historical authenticity of the Town would be destroyed, and thus thousands of tourists would venture elsewhere.  Do we want our town to be another Pigeon Forge or Wisconsin Dells?  NO!

            Joseph Smith, founder and prophet of the Church of Latter-Day Saints, gave the town its name:  a Hebrew word, which he said, means “beautiful place.”  The proposed convention center and casino boat would transform Nauvoo from a beautiful place into an ugly one!

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Handout L

OPPOSITION ROLE SHEET

Bed and Breakfast Owner

            Fourteen years ago my spouse and I purchased a historic home on Main Street in Nauvoo.  Following extensive renovation we opened up our bed and breakfast to the public.  Most of the people who have chosen to stay with our family have come to experience our town’s unique history.  We dispute the investor’s contention that the convention center and casino boat would bring additional dollars to our community.  We predict that the project would destroy the historical integrity of our town, and thus have detrimental effects on our business and the local economy.  The people who would profit from the convention center and casino boat would be outside investors from places like Chicago and St. Louis.

            These investors ignore the fact that thousands of visitors who come to our town to see annual events such as the Nauvoo Grape Festival, held each Labor Day weekend; the City of Joseph, which is one of the America’s largest outdoor theatrical productions; and the Icarian Weekend, which celebrates the French colony’s establishment in Nauvoo in 1849.  All three of these festivals are directly related to our unique historic past.  The proposed convention center and casino boat would destroy this tradition and would be detrimental to Nauvoo’s current historically-related tourism businesses.

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Handout M

OPPOSITION ROLE SHEET

St. Mary’s Administrator

            Consistent with Nauvoo tradition, St. Mary’s is a historic site dating back to 1874 when members of St. Scholastica in Chicago founded a high school for young women.  St. Mary’s is a boarding school for girls from all parts of the nation and several foreign countries.  In addition to its quality four-year college preparatory curriculum, St. Mary’s offers parents the opportunity to see their daughters educated in a safe, quaint community.

            Not only would the wholesome character of the community be lost, the landscape would become “polluted” with the corrupting influence of gambling.  Currently, the St. Mary’s semicircular library overlooks the historic area of Nauvoo and the Mississippi River.  The neon lights advertising all-night gambling and high-rise hotels would irreversibly spoil our small town attractiveness.

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Handout N

OPPOSITION ROLE SHEET

Nauvoo Historical Society Member

            The City of Nauvoo has been described as the “Williamsburg of the Midwest.”  During the 25-year existence of the Nauvoo Historical Society, numerous homes and landmarks have been restored and reconstructed.  From 1962 to 1969, the society assisted in the archeological excavation of the Nauvoo Temple.  In addition to the Nauvoo Temple Site, Brigham Young’s Home, the Browning Home and Gunshop, and the Scovil Bakery have been authentically restored.

            Many of Nauvoo’s visitors come from the state of Utah.  They are attracted by the rich Mormon history of this city.  Gambling and other related activities would deter the Mormons from wanting to visit this location.  This consistent source of revenue provided by the Latter Day Saints would be forever lost.  If visitors to Nauvoo’s historic sites desire to gamble, they already have that option available; they simply can drive the mere 15 miles north to the city of Fort Madison, Iowa.

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Handout O

OPPOSITION ROLE SHEET

Retired Homeowner on Bluff

            We selected Nauvoo to build our retirement home because of its rural, historic, aesthetic, and safe qualities.  As can be seen from the map, our newly built home is part of a new housing development on the bluff overlooking the historic area of Nauvoo and the Mississippi River.  Being from the Elgin, Illinois, area, we have firsthand experience in the results of opening up a casino boat.  The proposed convention center and casino would result in increased traffic, undesirable land development, pollution, and crime.  Our property values would surely decrease, and our quality of life would be diminished.  Our peaceful region of western Illinois is growing, and a casino boat and convention center may bring new jobs and tourists; but the costs, in our opinion, would far exceed the benefits.

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Handout P

INVESTORS’ PROPOSAL

            We, the investors, propose that Nauvoo, Illinois, be the site for a potentially lucrative convention center and casino boat operation.  The benefits that would accrue to the city would be numerous and especially important in this economically sleepy area.

            Unlike neighboring boats upriver, governed by Iowa laws, boats in Illinois water do not have restriction on the amount of money patrons can wager, leading to higher revenues.  Likewise, the current number of hotel rooms (200) in Nauvoo in no way meets the demand caused by the constant flow of visitors to the area.

            The benefits of locating a convention center and casino boat in Nauvoo are tremendous.  The impact on the local community in terms of job creation and tax revenue would be extensive and a very positive contribution to the quality of life of Nauvoo’s citizenry.  Also, the integrity of Nauvoo’s historical heritage would not only be preserved but enhanced by the desired tourism opportunities this proposal could provide.

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Handout Q

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