As the largest Church history site, Nauvoo's expansion project is set to be a great undertaking both physically and spiritually, making it significant not only for Latter-day Saints but for other visitors as well. "If we communicate that significance, we'll strengthen the faith of Latter-day Saints that come here but also share the spiritual significance of our faith that many people don't particularly adhere to but want to appreciate," Steven Olsen says.
Standing on the steps of the William Weeks Home and overlooking an empty grassy field, Steven Olsen sees not only Nauvoo's past but its future.
The two are intertwined for Olsen, senior curator for historic sites in the Church history department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Olsen engineered a master plan for Historic Nauvoo, approved by Church leaders in 2014, designed to feature core messages, integrate historical landscapes, increase authenticity and improve guest experiences by 2039, the bicentennial of Nauvoo's founding.