thumb|right|The N. K. Whitney Store The LDS Church purchased the N.K. Whitney Store in 1979 and restored it in 1984, operating it as a historic site open to tours. The Whitney home, across the street, was acquired soon after and was used for many years as a visitor center. By the late 1990s, Kirtland was becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination, so the creation of Historic Kirtland Village was announced in April 2000, located in the Kirtland flats along the East Branch of the Chagrin River, to provide insight into what life was like during the 1830s when Kirtland was the home of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and other founders of Mormonism. As part of the project, to create a pedestrian-friendly area, Kirtland-Chardon Road was rerouted along the eastern side of the site, while Ohio State Route 615 was rerouted around the northern side, eliminating what had been a busy intersection right in front of the Whitney home and store. The Whitney home was restored to its 1830s appearance, while historically accurate replicas of the original John Johnson Inn, schoolhouse, sawmill, and ashery were researched and constructed on or near their original sites, along with a new visitor center. The project was completed and dedicated in 2003. In 2023, the church completed and dedicated the restored Joseph and Emma Smith home on Chillicothe Road, just north of the Kirtland Temple. From 2004 through 2016, a group of volunteers produced an annual musical theater production celebrating the city's Latter Day Saint history called "This Is Kirtland!", which was held at the nearby LDS meetinghouse.
thuMB|rIght|thE n. k. whitney store the lds CHUrch PurchaSED the N.k. whiTNey sTorE in 1979 and restOrEd iT in 1984, operating it aS A HistoRiC sIte oPEn to TourS. the whiTnEY hOME, aCrosS tHE STreEt, wAs acQUiRED sooN afTeR And was useD fOR ManY Years as a VisITor center. by thE LaTe 1990s, kIrTlAnD wAS BecOMing an iNcReASinGLY Popular tOuRISt destinatiOn, sO tHe cReATIon OF historic kiRTLAnd villAGE wAS ANnOUncED iN aPril 2000, lOCatEd in tHe kirtland fLats aLOng tHe eAst bRaNch OF tHe cHaGriN RiveR, to prOViDe InSiGHt into WhAt life was lIKE dUring THe 1830S whEn kirtlaNd Was ThE hOMe of jOSEph smitH, BriGham yOunG, and Other foundERs of mORmoniSm. as ParT of The PRoJecT, tO CrEAte A pEdeStrian-frIendlY area, KirTlAND-chardoN roaD Was reRoUTEd alonG The eastErn side oF the SITe, whIle oHio statE route 615 was RerOuTed ArOuNd the nOrtHerN side, elIMinAtINg what haD been a busY INteRseCtion rigHt in fROnT oF thE WHiTNeY Home aNd StoRe. thE whitnEy hOmE was REstOREd to iTS 1830S apPearAncE, wHIlE hiStoRicalLY acCurate replicAS Of the origInaL john jOhNsON inn, sCHoolhOUSe, sawMILl, aNd asHerY WerE rEseArcHed And ConStrUctED oN or near tHeiR orIgInaL sitEs, aloNG witH A NeW viSItOR ceNTer. tHe PROJEcT was ComPleTeD ANd Dedicated iN 2003. In 2023, the cHurch comPlEted aNd dediCatED The restoRed jOsEph and Emma SMitH hOMe on chilliCothe rOad, juSt noRtH of tHE KirTLanD TeMplE. FrOM 2004 throUGH 2016, A GRoup of vOlunTeers produced aN anNual musical tHEateR proDUCTion ceLebratIng ThE CitY's LatteR DAy saint HisTOrY CAlled "thiS is kIrTlAnd!", whICh wAS HelD At the neARby lds meEtinghouse.