Historic Sites / Civil War

In the Patee House Museum, you can climb aboard an 1860 train and ride a vintage carousel—indoors. The museum houses an 1877 railroad depot; a stagecoach; automobiles; trucks; fire trucks; wagons; buggies and carriages; a horse-drawn hearse; a real gallows; a blacksmith shop; the dressmaker's shop; model railroads; antique furniture and toys; western art; and a wing designed to look like the streets of Old St. Jo in the 1860s-1880s.

Constructed in 1858 as a luxury hotel, the building has been a hotel three times; a girls college twice; the Union Army Provost Marshal's office during the Civil War; the headquarters for the Pony Express; and a shirt factory.

Admission: $6; age 60+, $5; ages 6-17, $4; younger than 6, free.

(One block away, visit the home where the infamous outlaw Jesse James was shot and killed on April 3, 1882.)

One of the nation’s leading comprehensive art museums, containing more than 33,000 works of art. Areas of notable depth include: Oceanic art; pre-Columbian art; ancient Chinese bronzes; and European and American art of the late 19th and 20th centuries, with particular strength in 20th century German painting.

The museum offers a full range of featured exhibitions, a research library, four conservation labs, a varied annual schedule of special events, and community and school programs.

The East Building expansion opened June 29, 2013, increasing the museum’s public space by 30 percent. It added: more than 300 parking spaces; a fully accessible entrance on Fine Arts Drive; a new Education Center; and reinstalled galleries in the Main Building.

Located in Forest Park, the Saint Lewis Art Museum is the only permanent building remaining from the 1904 World’s Fair.

Closed Thanksgiving and December 25. Check our website for exhibits, schedules and holiday hours.

This website offers information about the history of the Civil War in Missouri as the state prepares to commemorate the Sesquicentennial of the war, which was fought 1861-1865.

Throughout the site, you'll find details about Civil War battles that took places in Missouri, such as Wilson's Creek and Pilot Knob; the people who played a significant role in the war, such as Ulysses S. Grant and Sterling Price; and resources for educators, where links to lesson plans and teacher's guides are available. Information about upcoming Civil War events around Missouri can be found on the site, which also features videos about the war and its impact on the state.

You'll also find information about Civil War-related attractions in Missouri, such as the Old Courthouse, Battle of Lexington State Historic Site, and Calvary Cemetery, to name a few.

People interested in getting involved with Civil War Sesquicentennial events may use the website to submit their e-mail address if they'd like to receive more information about volunteer opportunities, as those opportunities become available.

For more than forty years, this was the only courthouse between Independence and the Pacific Ocean.

Harry S. Truman held court here in the 1930s. Also, it served as a Mormon mercantile.

Kansas City's oldest remaining brick residence is located in the Westport area. The Greek Revival mansion was built in 1855 by early settlers, John and Henrietta Harris. The bricks for the mansion were made on the premises.

The house stood prominently on the Battle of Westport Civil War Battlefield. In the fall of 1861, the Harris home was used as headquarters for the Union Army.

The house was moved to its present location in 1922. The house is restored to its 1850s appearance.

Visit our website for details and special event schedules.

The dungeon-like cells of the jail housed thousands of prisoners during the bloodiest time in Jackson County's history, including Frank James and William Quantrill. An 1870s schoohouse completes the site. Closed November and January-March.

Unusual "squirrel cage" jail, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, also serves as a visitors' information center in Gallatin, MO.

The Daviess County Squirrel Cage Jail was completed in 1889. Its unique architectural design provided answers to concerns about prisoner security, worries about both prisoners breaking out and accomplices breaking in: rotary jails, where a round "squirrel cage" divides into jail cells and spins on a single axis inside a perimeter of stationary bars.

Eight rotary jails are known to have been constructed, all variations of the patented design by the Pauley Jail Building & Mfg. Company of St. Louis. Only three still stand today as visual markers of yesteryear.

Built in 1906, this renovated and remodeled Missouri-Pacific Depot is now owned by the Aurora Chamber of Commerce. It houses the Aurora Historical Society Museum, filled with memories of yesteryear of Aurora and surrounding communities.

The old historic A.L. Webb School has been transformed into a museum housing artifacts, pictures, art collection, military and school memorabilia. The museum is not wheelchair accessible. In front of the museum stands the Veteran's Memorial, honoring all military men and women. The memorial is wheelchair accessible.

Built in 1893, our beautiful Victorian house was the home of Allen Percy Green, the owner/operator of the Green Refractory, a world renowned fire-brick manufacturer.

Four guestrooms. Guests are served a full, hot breakfast. Our ample common areas total more than 5,000 square-feet. The beautiful grounds cover half an acre. We enjoy a 99.7% customer satisfaction rate.

A multitude of indoor and outdoor activities are available in the area. The National Churchill Museum in Fulton is a 30-minute drive; the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City is 50 minutes away.

Visit our website for more information, area attractions, photos and reservations. Special packages are available with a two-work-day notice.

Displays include items of historical note, from pioneer materials and American Indian relics and arrowheads, to collections of military objects, including a cannonball that struck the courthouse during the 1862 Battle of Kirksville.

This museum, in a former school, documents the history of Agency, from the 1836 Platte Purchase to the present. After the Platte Purchase, Agency Ford was a thriving community, but, slowly, flooding caused the town to nearly vanish. Open by appointment.

Hands-on environment for all ages. On display is a Cobra helicopter, a T-33 jet aircraft, Army Jeeps, trucks and other restored military equipment.

Take an imaginary flight in a Cobra helicopter. Type a message on a teletype machine. Have a personalized dog tag made.

We host birthday parties.

Admission: $5; ages 6-11, $3; ages 5 and younger, free.

The Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art houses one of the finest collections of 18th, 19th and 20th century American art in the Midwest. The museum has works by artists such as Mary Cassatt, Rembrandt Peale, Edward Hopper, and Wayne Theibaud.

The collection is housed in the original William Albrecht home, with a large addition. The museum’s gift shop offers a selection of keepsakes and children's items.

Admission: $5; age 65+, $2; younger than 18 & students, $1. Group rates offered. Closed holidays.

In 1894, this roller mill and one-room schoolhouse was the focal point of the Alley Spring community.

Park rangers in period costume show you how the mill worked, and how school was taught in the one-room schoolhouse. A variety of historic programs are offered.

Open June thru August.

NOTE: Alley Mill will be closed or access limited much of the summer in 2014 for restoration work. Check the website or call for details.

Rooms include HBO and free local calls. Located off of I-29.

Each of our locations provides access to Kansas City's attractions. Each location offers you free local calls, free hi-speed wireless Internet access, outdoor pool, and coin-operated laundry.

American Inns offer three locations in the Kansas City, Missouri, area: I-70 and Woods Chapel Road in Blue Springs; I-70 and Noland Road in Independence; and I-35 and Armour Road in North Kansas City.

Our North Kansas City location is a full-service location featuring Spirits Restaurant and Spirit's Alibi Lounge. Should you have a meeting or reunion planned, allow us to assist you in North Kansas City or Independence in our meeting facilities.

Located in the historic 18th and Vine Jazz District, the American Jazz Museum showcases the sights and sounds of a uniquely American art form.

Activities include interactive exhibits; films; the Changing Gallery; the Blue Room Jazz Club; and the Gem Theater, a 500-seat performing arts center.

We offer education and community-based programs, traveling exhibits, live musical performances and special events.

Closed all federal Holidays, except Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Admission: $8; younger than 12, $3. Combo tickets with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum: $10; younger than 12, $5.

A fine arts museum devoted to man's best friend; home to one of the largest collections of dog art in the country. Permanent exhibits include paintings, drawings and sculptures by well known 19th- and 20th-century artists. Gift shop; All-Star Dogs Hall of Fame; and Hope A. Levy Memorial Library. Special events are held throughout the year.

Hands-on, interactive museum of agricultural history. The American Royal is Kansas City's famed barbecue, rodeo, horse and livestock show venue. Tours available.

• Participate in tours led by trained, museum docents.
  
• Try out the new equine exhibit and learn about different gaits.
  
• Gain insight into the vital role that agriculture played in Kansas City's rich and storied history.
  
• Learn about the beginnings of the American Royal and the impact of Tom Bass and Loula Long Combs.
  
• Observe horse show, rodeo and livestock show clothing, saddles and memorabilia.
  
• Compare your weight with chickens, market hogs, and feeder steers.
  
• Visit the reading corner, play computer games, and learn about livestock judging.

All rooms have queen or king beds; 30-inch flat-screen TV; USA Today; free local calls; phones with data ports and voice mail. Continental breakfast includes a hot waffle bar. Branson is 30 miles.

We invite you to stay at our hotel, located 6 miles from Truman Lake, at the western trailhead of Katy Trail State Park. We are right at the center between Kansas City and Springfield/Branson area. We are pet-friendly. Pets must weigh less than 25 pounds.

We have meeting facilities of more than 8,000 sq. ft. An atrium of 5,900 sq. ft., a town hall of 2,100 sq. ft. and a Boardroom. We can accommodate from 10 to 500 people.

See our website for details, reservations and a list of nearby businesses and attractions.

Relax and enjoy great views of the Missouri countryside. Two trains daily each direction between St. Louis and Kansas City, with stops at St. Louis, Kirkwood, Washington, Hermann, Jefferson City, Sedalia, Warrensburg, Lee's Summit, Independence and Kansas City.

Limited carry-on bicycle space is available (St. Louis-Kansas City trains only); restrictions apply. Reservations are required for bicycle space and for all passengers. Purchase tickets from any travel agent or on the Amtrak Web site.

Discounts offered: seniors (62+), children (2-12), active duty military, groups (20+), AAA, Veterans Advantage members, and Student Advantage members.
See individual listings for each city served.

Anchors Away is the sister house of Cat Nap Inn and right next door; your party of up to 16 guests can be close, with privacy, right in the heart of downtown Hermann! Both Guest Houses have hot tubs and fully stocked kitchens with eclectic furnishings and creative touches throughout.

Enjoy being outdoors with fire pits and BBQ pits as well. See our website for prices and availability.

The exhibit titled A Rural Way of Life, interprets the rich heritage of Andrew County from 1841 into the 21st century. It explores the history of farming, as well as small towns. Learn how families pulled together to make their farms a success.

• View how kitchens in farmhouses changed over time.
• Take home recipes for fried chicken from 1900 and Swiss steak from 1950.
• Enjoy a segment of a silent movie, projected on the side of a brick building just as it was in the early 1900s.
• Visit a general store.
• Learn about the cycle of life in rural areas, from childhood to family life to death.
  
• Hear old-time radio programs from the 1930s.

Admission: $3; ages 55+ and student, $2; younger than 14, free.