"Standing Where Your Heroes Stood" : Using Historical Tourism to Create American and Religious Identities
Journal of Mormon History
Fall 2010
36
4
Salt Lake City, UT
Mormon History Association
2010
41-66
"What the case of Nauvoo demonstrates is that site creators have adapted to modern expectations. They offer more than one identity to attract more than one kind of visitor. Furthermore, they use modern entertainment and teaching tools to keep their visitors' attention. Although communicating American identity may not be their primary goal, they see advantages in transmitting this identity. It lets them continue to attract, entertain, and teach their nonmember visitors. Making a connection to larger American history will likely encourage nonmember visitors to have a positive view of Mormon/Community of Christ history and to understand the beliefs better." [From author's conclusion]