For about 18 months, the Prophet and his family lived in rooms above the Newel K. Whitney store in Kirtland, the same store the Lord commanded that Whitney retain "yet for a little season." (D&C 63:42.)
The store was the setting for some of the key events that took place during the Church's Kirtland period:-The School of the Prophets began there Jan. 24, 1833.
The store was the first building to be called headquarters of the Church.
-The store was an early bishop's storehouse.
-The store was where the Prophet received much of his inspired revision of the Bible.
-The store was a place of revelation. Although the exact location of the Prophet's revelations cannot all be determined, he received 21 revelations while living above the Whitney store. It is likely that a large percentage of those revelations were received in this building, which would mean that more revelations were received by the Prophet there than in any other location.
At least 18 meetings and conferences were held in the store between Dec. 3, 1832, and June 21, 1833.
The Newel K. Whitney store, which is now a museum, was purchased by the Church in 1980. Research and restoration on the building began in 1983. On Nov. 18, 1988, President Ronald Reagan presented the Church a President's Historic Preservation Award for its work on the store restoration project, which was completed in 1984. (See Church News, Nov. 19, 1988.)
