The Nauvoo Nest | A Family History Treasure Hunt

Our Story

The Nauvoo Nest welcomes you in an encouraging effort of family discovery! In the summer of 2021 it was discovered that the land 3rd great grandfather, Herman Daggett Bayles once owned, was for sale. We could continue his tradition and follow the counsel of the the Prophet Joseph Smith to “build up Nauvoo to bless the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.” The land was purchased, and now we thank you for being a part of this incredible treasure hunt! We do not charge a nightly rental, but ask that you make a donation at the end of your stay toward our continuing efforts to build up Nauvoo!

3rd Great Grandfather Herman Bayles, click here and follow the Family Search Link. Are you related?

Make a Reservation at the Nauvoo Nest

Schedule a reservation to stay at the Nauvoo Nest:

Approved stays up to 5 nights
5 Bedroom / 2 Baths
Sleeps 12
No pets
$60 cleaning fee or instructions so you can clean.

Select the date range and enter your contact information below:

Meet Cleo!

We have left Cleo in charge of welcoming all of our guests! You will meet him as soon as you enter the back door code, which will be texted to you before arriving. He calls out to you, “WHOO, WHOO, WHOOO’s in your tree?” Be real quiet and still. Can you hear him? Cleo would like to help you FLY around the nest. Can you choose a spirit bird? They are in a basket. Notice our security camera on the bookcase. The camera will start beeping as soon as you enter the house. Type the backdoor code into the thermostat. This code will be texted to you before your arrival. It will turn off the security camera and allow you to set the thermostat. You are welcome to turn the camera around. At the end of your stay, please reposition it on the black X facing toward the back door. Don’t miss playing a game of family history bingo!

While you are still PERCHED in the front room, notice the thermostat. Push….snow flake …select cool or heat…..select temperature. Be sure to call us if there is a problem These 2 doors have sensors on them, and if they are left open it turns OFF the heat and cooling. Close the doors to turn it back on.

Get ready to FLY down to the basement bedroom! Because we MIGRATE such long distances, we turn off the water. If we need you to turn on the water, you will be texted a code to open the storage area. If the water is not turned on when you arrive, let me know right away. This King size bed is a nice place to ROOST. Find a clean set of sheets on each bed, ready to be made. If you don’t use a bed, leave the sheets there for the next visitors.

Stairwell to basement bedroom, and where the mop and broom hang. This door could be pushed open in case of a fire.

Because of time and distance, all visitors have to FLOCK together and help with the laundry. There might be a dry load of towels or sheets in the dryer, and or rugs and towels on a drying rack. Put folded clean towels on basement dresser and main floor bathroom closet. Fold sheet sets together and place in basement dresser drawers marked double, queen, king. The twin sheets go upstairs in the loft dresser. You might have to give it your best guess! Sheet sets on the beds and in the dressers are clean. Sheets in a basket are dirty. If you are washing your own clothes, please buy your own laundry soap next door at the Dollar General. If you have paid a cleaning fee…..at check out you just need to put all sheets and towels in the laundry basket. Please do not put blankets in the laundry basket, unless something was spilled on them. I come out 5 times a year to wash blankets. There is not enough time to wash them with every stay. Please fold and but blankets back where you got them. If you are helping to clean up, try to wash and dry towels first, and then wash and dry sheet sets, folding them and puting them back on the bed like when you checked in. Get a bird’s eye view of the cleaning buckets on the basement dresser and main bathroom shelf. We provide all the cleaning products for checking out and laundry soap for towels and sheets.

Basement laundry and dresser with towels for downstair bathroom and cleaning supplies on top.

The blue birds love to FLUFF their FEATHERS in the attic loft with a skylight and 4 twin beds (2 can be moved together to make another king). They have their own heater and air conditioner depending on the time of year. The remote control for the air conditioner is downstairs on the fireplace and need to remain there. It takes at least 3 hours to cool the attic, so if you are using the loft, get the air conditioner and fan running right away. Our Roadrunner finds rest at the bottom of the stairs in a queen bed. The Humingbird and Flamingo always choose the front bedroom’s queen bed. All the birds have to checkout their blankets from this bedroom. The Eagle keeps watch from the back double bedroom. He does not want you to remove the tape from the outside light switch!. He will share with you games, a TV, and extra chairs and a table (now kept in the storage area. Text if you need the code.) Are you as brave as an owl? Then the enclosed porch is for you! There is a cot, foam pads, air mattresses and a battery operated airpump upstairs under the loft beds, along with a pack-n-play for infants. If you still aren’t comfortable, go for the air matresses stored in the loft under the twin beds, or roll out the couch!

Attic Loft 4 twin beds. These mattresses are light weight and can be taken downstairs. Find a baby bed, foam pads, air mattresses and air pump under the far beds.

We hope this gets your WINGS flapping and prepares you for TAKEOFF to Nauvoo! There are outside chairs in the porch area. Use them outside, but please put them back before leaving. The condiments in the refrigerator door and the spices in the cupboards are for sharing! If you need more toilet paper or paper towels than provided, please purchase at the Dollar General. All of us travel long distances, so in making things work for everyone, you might be asked to fold the last load of laundry in the dryer. If your stay includes a Friday, I will text you to put out the trash. Please help us by sharing any problems that come up, and know that if a weather emergency should happen, we do have emergency supplies for you.