Rare Original Nauvoo Temple Image Discovered by Accident, Now Restored

The LDS Church News posted an article recently that highlighted the work of volunteer Keith Finlayson restoring rare images from the Church History Library. Daguerreotypes, glass plate negatives, and tintypes have all been coming to life and giving little glimpses into the past under the careful hands of Brother Finlayson.

In addition to describing some of the fascinating early methods used to preserve these nuggets of church history, the article also included several interesting stories behind the discovery of some of these historic treasures. For example, the story behind the accidental discovery of a rare image of the original Nauvoo Temple, as described by Church History Library historian Brittany Chapman: 

"One lucky find was made by a historian by accident. Because many of the daguerreotypes are burned on metal plates, a little fading of the image makes it look like a mirror. A person would need to look at it under a light to see the image. Sister Chapman said, 'One of the well-known daguerreotypes of the Nauvoo Temple was found in an old museum and labeled as a pioneer mirror. A historian from the Church History Library was walking around and noticed it and knew that it wasn’t a mirror. It is one of only six images known to exist of the original Nauvoo Temple.'"

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These images give us a unique perspective into the life and personalities of early members of the church. Check out the LDS Church News article for more photos, stories, and insights.

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