Plano Stone Church - History

History

Joseph Smith III became the president and prophet of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS) in 1860, 16 years after the death of his father Joseph Smith. Following the elder Smith's murder in Carthage, Illinois, many of the faithful in the Midwest accepted Brigham Young's leadership and followed him to the Salt Lake Basin. A group of Latter Day Saints did stay behind in the Midwest, believing that the rightful line of succession for church leadership lay with Smith. The younger Smith accepted the leadership role with the newly named "Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" after church leaders attempted several times to persuade him.

Plans for Smith's move commenced in 1865, and by January 1866 Smith and his family had relocated from Nauvoo to Plano, Illinois. Smith was persuaded to make the move by church members and leaders in Kendall County; the headquarters of the RLDS moved from Nauvoo to Plano with the Smith family. Once in Plano, Smith became the editor-in-chief of the Saints Herald, the official publication the RLDS.

In 1867 the congregation in Plano appointed a building committee for the construction of a church building for the congregation, naming Smith as its chairman. Smith and the committee selected the site, design and builders for the project. Work on the building started on March 18, 1868 and by November 15 the completed church was dedicated. The building served as the main house of worship for the Plano RLDS congregation from its completion until 1881, and was the first church building for any congregation of the RLDS. During this period it also served as headquarters for the RLDS church and Smith's base of operations as church leader.

Between 1868 and 1881 Smith was active in church leadership and local politics, holding office as village trustee and local justice of the peace. He resigned his position as magistrate in March 1880 after he met with criticism for canceling a court hearing in favor of a church appointment. In 1881 RLDS headquarters, the church's printing house and Joseph Smith III moved from Plano to Lamoni, Iowa, a community established by RLDS members during the 1870s.

The church building is still home to a congregation of the RLDS, renamed the Community of Christ in 2001. The original church pews, constructed by congregation members from local lumber, are still in use. The facility offers public tours by appointment.