KIRTLAND, Ohio—Historian and member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joe Jackson, has spent decades studying the early history of the church in Kirtland, Ohio, a city that served as its headquarters from 1831 to 1838.
“If we do a study of church history, a lot of people know that in Fayette, New York, on April 6th, 1830, if you ask members of the church what happened there, I think the most common answer you will hear is the church was organized that day,” Jackson said. “But really that's not entirely correct. I like to say that the church was established as a legal entity in the state of New York that day, but it was really organized here in Kirtland.”
Much of the faith’s early growth and doctrine originated in Kirtland, including revelations later compiled in ‘The Doctrine and Covenants,’ one of the church’s standard works of scripture.
“In fact, we have more first-person words of the Savior that have come from Kirtland than anywhere else in the world,” Jackson said.
He noted that there is no other time in the church’s history where Jesus Christ appeared as often as He did in Kirtland. One of the most significant revelations received in the area, according to Jackson, is recorded in Section 76 of ‘The Doctrine and Covenants’. Historians say the interaction between Joesph Smith and the Savior lasted three hours.
“It says that we conversed with the Savior and there's only one other place that we know where there's definitive conversation going back and forth between the Savior and the Prophet Joseph, and that's in the Sacred Grove,” Jackson said.
Jackson said his study of the Kirtland period has taught him valuable spiritual lessons.
“Two lessons that I learned from the Kirtland era is that the Lord will use whoever he has. And sometimes we're not the most experienced, we're not the most polished,” Jackson said. “And the other lesson that I learned is we probably shouldn't judge early saints.”
In March 2024, stewardship of the historic Kirtland Temple was officially transferred from the Community of Christ (previously The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
For Kirtland native and historian, Joe Jackson, the day of transfer marked a significant shift for the faith community.
“There was excitement. But we were also very, very sad,” Jackson said. “[Members of Community of Christ] were incredible stewards of the temple. And we are and were very close to them. And we knew how much the temple meant to them now and how much it still means to them today.”
Jackson said while stewardship and the legal title changed hands, the true ownership remains divine.
“It's literally His house,” Jackson said. “What I would say to anyone, is the feeling you have in the temple was the same in 2023 as it is in 2025. It's the house of the Lord.”
Since the transfer, tourism to historic Kirtland has surged, with more than 35,000 visitors recorded in the last month.
Another major addition to the site is the restored home of Joesph and Emma Smith, completed in August 2023.
“After several years of research and about 18 to 20 months of reconstructing the home, it's about 30 percent original. So, it is considered an original home,” Jackson said.
Jackson has also played a key role in the restoration of two additional properties: the Sawmill and Ashery. His involvement began at age 16 when a storm uncovered something unexpected in his backyard.
“I noticed in the bank of the creek, there had been some erosion that had taken place after this big storm, and I noticed some pieces of wood sticking out of the foundation. And we started to dig a little bit,” Jackson said. “We called the Church and got them involved and ended up finding the foundation for the Ashery, which the Whitney family owned, and they consecrated to the Church to help pay for the temple. As the Church was excavating that, we found the foundation for the Sawmill that was owned by Joel Hills Johnson.”
Since that discovery, Jackson has been highly involved in restoring and sharing stories from the Kirtland era. He said ongoing research continues to uncover new details that enhance the historical accuracy of the tours.
Jackson is a member of the Kirtland Heritage Group, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the area’s history. One of its branches, the Restoration Tour Group, offers daylong tours led by Jackson, focusing on early Latter-day Saint history.
As someone who regularly walks the temple grounds, Jackson said the sacred nature of the site never fades.
“I have made it a point every single time I go into the temple to look down at the threshold and to think of the ask that Joseph had and to think of the promise given by the Lord,” Jackson said. “Every time I go in that building, I feel of the spirit.”
To learn more about Kirtland, listen to the full interview with Jackson on BYU-Idaho Radio’s podcast on Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.