SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The Ohio home of Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his wife Emma, has been restored and will soon be open to the public for guided tours.

Joseph and Emma Smith moved into the home in late 1833 and lived there for a little over four years. It’s located in Kirtland about 25 miles out of Cleveland on the west side of Chillicothe Road (Ohio State Road 306). Nearby are the Kirtland Temple and the historic Kirtland North Cemetery.

According to the Church, the home served as a place of church administration in the early years of its founding. Joseph Smith reportedly met with Church leaders and missionaries often at the home, which was “often busy with visitors.”

Both Joseph and Emma wrote several Church publications in the home, including the compilation of the Latter-day Saints’ first hymnal and the second edition of the Book of Mormon.

“The Smiths’ home was a place of family unity, hard work and practical faith in Jesus Christ,” said the Church in a release.

In January 1938, the Smiths fled the home and the State of Ohio following persecution and threats of violence. Since then, it fell under different ownership until the Church bought the property in 2012. After years of architectural research, the Church began work in May 2022 to return the home as close to its original appearance as possible.

Work on the home was completed in early August. To celebrate, the Church will be holding a dedication ceremony where Ohio local government and religious leaders will be in attendance. Kirtland Mayor Kevin Potter is expected to provide remarks along with Church Historian and Recorder Kyle McKay.

David Bednar, an Elder of the Church and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a leadership body of the Church, will dedicate the restored home.

Once the house has been dedicated, the home will be open to guided tours for free with admission. Visitors will be able to set up reservations for the tours on the Church’s website.