The Harris-Kearney House is a museum and headquarters for the Westport Historical Society. Completely restored, it contains a visitor’s center, library, research room and exhibits depicting life during the time when Westport outfitted westward travelers to Santa Fe, Oregon and California. The Harris family built this two-story Greek Revival style house in 1855. It is Kansas City’s oldest brick house, with bricks that were made on the premises.

4000 Baltimore
Kansas City, MO 64050
816-561-1821
www.westporthistorical.com

8201 State Line Road
Kansas City, MO 64114
816-444-1858
www.wornallmajors.org

16701 286th Road
Atchison, KS 66002
913-372-0021
www.ameliaearharthangarmuseum.org

202 East Duncan Drive
Savannah, MO 64485
816-324-4720
www.andrewcountymuseum.org

Listed on the National Registry of Historical Places, this 22 acre farm includes the restored original farmhouse (serving as a museum), outbuildings, barns, and cemetery dating back to the 1830s. The home includes permanent exhibits of Missouri farming and everyday farm and frontier life, and traveling exhibits on 19th century history.

4109 NE Pleasant Valley Road
Gladstone, MO 64119
816-453-3276
www.atkinsjohnsonfarm.com

Westport Road & Pennsylvania Ave
Kansas City, MO 64111
816-561-1821
www.battleofwestport.org/tours.htm

4000 Baltimore Ave.
Kansas City, MO 64111
913-231-6779
www.battleofwestport.org

533 Main St.
Weston, MO 64098
816-519-7970
westonhistoricalmuseum.org/black-ancestors

The Black Archives Museum honors the struggles and triumphs of St. Joseph and Buchanan County African Americans. Exhibits explore such topics as Slavery in Missouri, Before We Were Soldiers 1840s-1850s, Colored Soldiers in the Civil War, and the local impact of the national Civil Rights era. The Museum also includes the Black Archives Museum Hall of Fame, which showcases the achievements and contributions of St. Joseph's Black community members in a wide variety of areas.

3406 Frederick Avenue
St. Joseph, MO 64506
816-232-8471
stjosephmuseum.org/museums/black-archives/

Site of the June 2, 1856 battle between John Brown’s Free-State Militia and Henry C. Pate’s Pro-Slavery Militia. Brown called this action “the first regular battle fought between Free-State and Pro-Slavery men in Kansas.” It is regarded by many as the first battle of the Civil War.

163 E. 2000 Road
Wellsville, KS 66092
785-380-9156
www.blackjackbattlefield.org

The original depot was constructed in 1879 and burned down in the early 1920's. The city asked the Chicago & Alton Railroad to rebuild the station. The reasons were several, specifically that the city back then was still an important transportation center for industry, travelers, and livestock. This is an important piece of history because it's the last one-story, wood and stucco Chicago and Alton train depot still standing in the state.

1104 W. Walnut Street
Blue Springs, MO 64015
816-224-8979
/www.bluespringshistory.org
Call for hours

Built in 1878 by J.K. Parr, the Chicago & Alton Hotel is the oldest business building in Blue Springs, Missouri. In 1978 the Hotel, which originally served the railroad, was moved from its original site south of Main Street to its present location. Restoration work is presently underway.

101 SW 15th Street
Blue Springs, MO 64015
816-224-8979
www.bluespringshistory.org

The 1906 Dillingham-Lewis House Museum is the Blue Springs Historical Society’s headquarters and museum which showcases furnished period rooms.

101 SW 15th Street
Blue Springs, MO 64015
816-224-8979
www.bluespringshistory.org

400 E Mechanic St., Ste. 203
Harrisonville, MO 64746
816-380-4396
cchsmo.org

Kansas City is internationally famous for its numerous and beautiful fountains. The City of Fountains Foundation was established to assist citizens and organizations to develop new public fountain projects including the required endowments for their continued maintenance. The Foundation manages these funds and helps secure endowments to maintain Kansas City's older fountains and monuments. It also serves as an advocate to raise awareness and increase civic pride in the Kansas City area's fountains, monuments and sculptures.

PO Box 9193
Shawnee Mission, KS 66201
816-842-2299
www.cityoffountins.org

This discussion and history organization is dedicated to historical educational purposes including the promotion and understanding of all aspects and phases of the Civil War period.

PO Box 3019
Independence, MO 64055
816-225-7944
www.cwrtwm.org

210 E Franklin St.
Liberty, MO 64098
816-781-3611
www.claycountyarchives.org

Rare books, artifacts, and manuscripts are contained in the library of the University of Kansas Medical Center, focusing on history of medicine, nursing and health professions. The library also houses personal medical papers and archival records. The KUMC Archives, a separate entity, contains records relating to local, regional and Kansas medicine.

3901 Rainbow Blvd.
Kansas City, KS 66160
913-588-7244
clendening.kumc.edu

Frank Lloyd Wright designed this "church of the future." In 1940 he conceived the Steeple of Light, four spires projecting 60,000 watts of light into space. Technology for its construction didn't exist until 1993 when the church completed the construction according to his design. This beautiful, unique building features a sanctuary, chapel, activity center and art gallery.

4601 Main St
Kansas City, MO 64112
816-561-6531
community4kc.org
call for tour hours

The museum’s exhibits depict the story of Excelsior Springs, once a mecca for health and recreation. The museum collection includes common household items of the late 1800s to the 1900s, pictures and stories of civic leaders, special places of interest, unique events, and festivities.

3406 Frederick Avenue
St. Joseph, MO 64506
816-232-8471
stjosephmuseum.org/museums/doll-museum/

805 N 5th St.
Atchison, KS 66002
913-367-3046
www.evahcraymuseum.com/

4800 Rockhill Rd
Kansas City, MO 64110
816-932-1260
www.kauffman.org/about-foundation/kauffman-legacy-park.aspx

101 E Broadway
Excelsior Springs, MO 64024
816-630-0101
esmuseum.com/

Step back in time to when Missouri was way out West in the wilderness and experience the lives of the men and women who secured the American frontier. Built in 1808 under the direction of William Clark, co-leader of the Lewis & Clark expedition, the Fort served a dual role as both a military garrison and trade center. Overlooking the Missouri River, this historic site has been reconstructed to portray Fort Osage as it was in 1812. Authentically attired interpreters provide living-history insights into the daily life of both the military and civilian populations.

105 Osage Street
Sibley, MO 64088
816-650-3452
www.makeyourdayhere.com/Events-Attractions/Historic-Sites/Fort-Osage

200 W 9th St.
Lawrence , KS 66044
785-856-5300
freedomsfrontier.org

100 Reynolds Ave., Bldg. 801
Ft. Leavenworth, KS 66027
913-684-3186
history.army.mil/museums/TRADOC/frontier-army-museum/index.html

Voted one of the top 10 attractions in Missouri in the 2017 USA Today Readers’ Choice travel contest, the Glore Psychiatric Museum takes visitors across the wide span of historical treatment of mental illness and social attitudes towards mental health. Exhibits illustrate the changing face of psychiatric treatment and present the history of “State Lunatic Asylum No. 2” Hospital.

3406 Frederick Ave
St Joseph, MO 64506
816-232-8471
stjosephmuseum.org/museums/glore/
Mon-Sat 10a-5p; Sun 1p-5p

Built in 1857, Grinter Place tells the stories of Anna Grinter, a French-Lenape (Delaware) and her husband Moses. This antebellum brick house, listed on the National Register, overlooks the Kansas River where Moses managed a ferry at Delaware Crossing and a Delaware trading post

1420 South 78th Street
Kansas City, KS 66111
913-299-0373
www.kshs.org/p/grinter-place/19564

12301 Blue Ridge Ext.
Grandview, MO 64030
816-254-2720
www.nps.gov/places/truman-farm-home.htm

233 N Main St.
Independence , MO 64050
816-254-2720
www.nps.gov/hstr/

500 W US Hwy 24
Independence, MO 64050
816-268-8200
www.trumanlibrry.gov

15918 Plattsburg Rd
Kearney, MO 64060
816-736-8500

20611 EE Hwy
Liberty, MO 64068
816-736-8500

712 West 121st St.
Kansas City, MO 64145
816-942-5033
kcparks.org/places/trailside-center/

The historic Jackson County Truman Courthouse is located on Independence Square and contains a vast collection of books, maps, documents, photographs, and materials dating from 1826 telling the history of Jackson County, Missouri.

P.O. Box 4241
Independece, MO 64051
jchs.org/home/
[email protected]

8201 S. Jasper Bell Rd.
Blue Springs, MO 64015
816-229-8980
www.Makeyourdayhere.com/historicsites

103 N Water
Liberty, MO 64068
816-736-8510
www.jessejames.org

21216 Jesse James Farm Road
Kearney, MO 64060
816-736-8500
www.jessejames.org

JoCo History is an online partnership between the Johnson County Museum, the Johnson County Library, and several other local historical organizations, museums, and sites.

9875 W. 87th Street
Overland Park, KS 66212
913-826-4600
www.jocohistory.org
Online only

6115 Wornall Road
Kansas City, MO 64113
816-444-1858
www.wornallmajors.org

Permanent and temporary exhibitions explore 200 years of history in the state's fastest growing county from its days as a Shawnee Indian Reservation to today's booming suburban communities. The museum offers an array of programs for children and families including Pop'n Play, monthly Family Fun Day, Musical Concerts, and a Summer Arts Program.

8788 Metcalf Avenue
Overland Park, KS 66212
913-826-2787
www.jcprd.com/museum

The Johnson County Genealogical Society was founded in 1972 to encourage the study of family history and to promote the preservation and publication of genealogical records in Johnson county, Kansas. Our library collection is housed in the Central Resource Brach of the Johnson County Library in the local history section

PO Box 12666
Overland Park, KS 66282
www.jcgsks.org

The Kansas City Public Library’s Missouri Valley Special Collections is located on the 5th floor of the Central Library. The Missouri Valley Room is open to the public and makes resources related to the history of Kansas City, Missouri, and the region freely available to curious researchers.

14 W 10th St
Kansas City, MO 64105
816-701-3427
www.kchistory.org/

5400 Johnson Drive, Ste. 275
Mission, KS 66205
816-853-1012
www.kcahta.org

15095 W. 116th Street
Olathe, KS 66062
816-322-4227
www.kansascityautomuseum.com

3218 Gladstone Blvd.
Kansas City, MO 64123
816-702-7700
www.kansascitymuseum.org

1450 Poplar Lane
Lawrence , KS 66045
785-864-4334
spencer.lib.ku.edu

Bring your group together at the Lanesfield School for a unique experience they won't forget at this National Register property. Step back to 1904 with a strict school teacher for challenging lessons in penmanship, arithmetic problems on a slate, geography, or participate in a spelling bee in a turnof-the-20th-century school environment. Lanesfield School offers special events throughout the year.

18745 S. Dillie Rd
Edgerton, KS 66021
913-893-6645
www.jcprd.com/museum

100 N. 5th Street
Leavenworth , KS 66048
913-758-2948
visitleavenworthks.com

220 SW Main St.
Lee's Summit, MO 64063
816-287-4477
leessummitmuseum.com/

14907 W 87th Street PKWY
Lenexa, KS 66215
913-477-7133
lenexa.com/leglerbarn

1200 Kansas City Road.
Olathe, KS 66061
913-971-5111
www.mahaffie.org

The Daughters of the American Revolution marker commemorates one of the few authentic wagon ruts, (called swales) left in this area made by traffic traveling the National Historic Santa Fe, Oregon and California Trails beginning in 1821 by trader and trapper, William A. Becknell. Distinguished is the Old Red Bridge, built in 1933 and dedicated by Harry S. Truman. Historical panels and silhouettes of pioneers are installed to illustrate the history of this historic crossing. The interpretive panels on the New Red Bridge Road Bridge show biographies of 10 historical figures from the Trails era.

Red Bridge Rd & Holmes Rd
Kansas City, MO 64131
816-942-3581
www.newsantafe.org/

Experience the sights, sounds, and smells of a small Missouri town on the eve of the Civil War. Missouri Town 1855 is a living history museum with more than 25 buildings dating from 1820 – 1860 spread across nearly 30 sloping acres. Original structures from seven western Missouri counties are filled with historic tools and furnishings, setting the stage for life in the mid-1800s.

8010 E Park Rd
Lee's Summit, MO 64064
816-524-8770
www.makeyourdayhere.com/213/Missouri-Town-Living-History-Museum

This historical society is devoted to the appreciation, preservation, and celebration of the history and heritage of the Monticello area (township) of Johnson County, Kansas.

23860 W 83rd St
Shawnee, KS 66227
913-667-3706
www.monticelloks.org

455 E Park St.
Olathe, KS 66061
913-324-5348
museumofdeaf.org

New Santa Fe, Missouri, in 1851 by Dabney and Elizabeth Lipscomb, stood at the western edge of the United States (today the Missouri-Kansas Border) as the crossroads of pioneer commerce and history. It is the location of a small cemetery on the Santa Fe Trail and is a memorial to those who first came to the wilderness and cleared a path for the generations to come. The New Santa Fe marker on the northeast corner of Santa Fe Trails and State Line Road was the first historic marker dedicated by the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1909. The swales in the New Santa Fe Cemetery were certified by the National Park Service as National Historic Santa Fe, California and Oregon Trails in 1995, and the site was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012.

122nd St & State Line Road
Kansas City, MO 64145
816-942-5033
www.newsantafe.org

216 N Delaware St.
Independence, MO 64050
816-254-2720
www.nps.gov/places/noland-home.htm

on
line, MO 64110
816-714-6552
orderlypackrat.com

7319 W. 79th St.
Overland Park, KS 66204
913-381-8867
ophistorical.org

11025 E Winner Road
Independence, MO 64052
816-833-9777
puppetryartsinstitute.org

Built in 1879, the depot is believed to be the oldest restored two-story wood frame train depot remaining in Missouri. It was moved to the National Frontier Trails Museum Campus in 1996. The first floor was restored to an 1890s working depot and the second floor Station Master’s residence was refurbished with 1890s furnishings.

318 W. Pacific
Independence, MO 64050
816-325-7955
www.chicagoalton1879depot.org

The 1844 Rice family home is one of Jackson County's most prominent early plantations. The home, along with the last one of many slave cabins, is preserved on property that originally comprised several hundred acres. The westward trail traffic rolled by this popular homestead, many camping on the property. Survivor of Civil War "Order - NO 11."

8801 E 66th St
Raytown, MO 64133
816-510-8179
www.rice-tremonti.com/

Experience the small rural Kansas farm town that was Shawnee in the 1920s. It includes a working farm and town. Take in the Visitor’s Center, orientation exhibit, and gift shop.

11501 W 57th St
Shawnee, KS 66203
913-248-2360
www.shawneetown.org/

1301 Mississippi St.
Lawrence , KS 66045
785-864-4710
www.spenerart.ku.edu

The St. Joseph Museum features “Lines and Legacies – The Harry L. George Collection,” which is one of the largest collections of American Indian items in Missouri. The collection includes archaeological items, pottery, baskets, pipes, clothing and accessories from ten cultural regions. In 2019, the museum will exhibit blankets from the Buell Manufacturing Company of St. Joseph, which was incorporated in 1877. The Buell Woolen Mill was the primary source for blankets headed west and they were known for quality, the blankets were strikingly colorful and many designs were based on patterns used by different Native tribes in paintings and bead work. In the History Galleries the 2019 featured exhibit is “World War I St. Joseph – Reflections on Community and Conflict.”

3406 Frederick Ave
St Joseph, MO 64506
816-232-8471
www.stjosephmuseum.org

The library contains and preserves a wealth of information including a collection of historical materials pertaining to local history, genealogy, westward expansion and the Civil War. Until 1854, St. Jo, was the westernmost boundary of the United States where overland emigrants "jumped off".

927 Felix St
St Joseph, MO 64501
816-232-4038
sjpl.lib.mo.us/

This Victorian style house was built in 1887 by John G. Braecklien and was later used as an orphanage. It was converted into a museum in 1988 and is dedicated to the promotion and preservation of the Slavic heritage in the Kansas City, Kansas area. Featured are displays of traditional items of handmade clothing, musical instruments, glass works, and wood craftsmanship made by immigrants who settled in the Strawberry Hill area around 1900. View Pope John II items from his trip to the United States on TWA.

720 N. 4th Street
Kansas City, KS 66101
913-371-3264
www.strawberryhillmuseum.org

The museum is in the former Lane University building, which is where Pres. Eisenhower's parents met and were married. Exhibits span the territorial days of Lecompton, the territorial capital, through the 1900s.

640 E Woodson
Lecompton, KS 66050
785-887-6148
www.lecomptonkansas.com/

The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures preserves and exhibits the world’s largest fine-scale miniature collection and one of the nation’s largest antique toy collections. Explore centuries of childhood, culture, and manufacturing through dolls, dollhouses, trains, soldiers, teddy bears, and more. View room settings, architectural structures, and decorative arts stunningly crafted in 1:12 or smaller scale from major miniature artists.

5235 Oak St
Kansas City, MO 64112
816-235-8000
www.toyandminiaturemuseum.org

Virtually untouched since the famous Missouri artist's death in 1975, this eclectic house constructed of native, quarried limestone with simple furnishings in neutral tones contrasts Benton's vibrant paintings. The converted carriage house stands as his studio.

3616 Belleview Ave
Kansas City, MO 64111
816-931-5722
www.mostateparks.com/benton.htm

The Society collects, preserves, displays and makes accessible to the public any and all objects that reflect the history of the Tonganoxie, Kansas community. The museum and buildings, on a 10-acre historic site, are comprised of the Honey Valley one-room schoolhouse, Reno Methodist Church, Fairfield/Knox Dairy barn and milk parlor, and a1936 Fire Pumper Truck.

201 W Washington
Tonganoxie, KS 66086
913-845-2960
www.tonganoxiehistoricalsociety.org/

This 3-trails Corridor location contains The Watts Mill Room for community meetings and is a Kansas and Missouri tourist and public information facility. The center provides historical resources on the Civil War, New Santa Fe and Watts Mill history and the Vault Museum is dedicated to the Battle of Westport, the largest Civil War battle west of the Mississippi.

9901 Holmes Road
Kansas City, MO 64131
816-942-3581
www.trailsidecenter.org

UFDC's goal is to create, stimulate and maintain a national and international interest in all matters pertaining to doll collecting. The museum is open to the public for viewing and in-depth study. In addition to dolls, holdings include a reference library and permanent archival collections consisting of catalogs, research materials, patent papers, patterns and other ephemera.

10900 N. Ponoma Avenue
Kansas City, MO 64153
816-891-7040
www.ufdc.org

The Kenneth J. LaBudde Special collections department of the UMKC University Libraries offers a wealth of historic resources in a variety of formats. The collection focuses on local and regional history, the early exploration of the American West and Southwest, and American sheet music, among other topics. The world famous Marr Sound Archives, a unit of the department, offers researchers access to over 300,000 sound recordings that document the American experience as reflected in sound. One of the archives’ primary strengths is Kansas City jazz.

800 E. 51st Street
Kansas City, MO 64110
816-235-5712
//library2.umkc.edu/labudde

For a full complement of where to go and what to do in the Kansas City region, stop by Visit KC. Located in downtown Kansas City, MO.

1321 Baltimore Avenue
Kansas City, MO 64105
816-691-3800
www.visitkc.com
Call for hours

26015 County Road RA
Excelsior Springs, MO 64024
816-580-3387
watkinsmill.org

The Watkins Museum of History is housed in the Watkins Land Mortage and National Bank Building. The most significant exhibit is, perhaps, the building itself, a classic example of the Richardson Romanesque influence onKansas's architecture. It was Commissioned by Lawrence financier Jabez Bunting Watkins, constructed in 1888, and considered one of the most magnificent buildings west of the Mississippi River at the time. Activities, events, educational resources, programs, and changing exhibits explore the heritage of Douglas County, Kansas.

1047 Massachusetts Street
Lawrence, KS 66044
785-841-4109
www.watkinsmuseum.org

The 1860 mill is the only 19th century textile mill in the country with intact, original machinery. A visitor center offers an introduction to the Watkins family, their life and times.

26600 Park RD N
Lawson, MO 64062
816-580-3387
www.watkinsmill.org

This 3-Trails Corridor location contains The Watts Mill Room for community meetings and is a Kansas and Missouri tourist and public information facility. The center provides historical resources on the Civil War, New Santa Fe and Watts Mill history in the Vault Museum.

103rd St & State Line Road
Kansas City, MO 64114
816-942-3581
www.newsantafe.org/mill.php

The Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau for the City of Weston, Missouri promotes the uniqueness of Weston and its rich heritage, as well as provides a tourism outlet for other small towns in northwest Missouri and eastern Kansas. Weston, Queen of the Platte Purchase, became a significant mid-nineteenth century Missouri River port community, the second largest port on the river, second only to St. Louis.

526 Main Street
Weston, MO 64098
816-640-2909
www.westonmo.com

601 Main St.
Weston, MO 64098
816-386-2977
westonhistoricalmuseum.org

4000 Baltimore Ave.
Kansas City, MO 64111
816-561-1821
www.westporthistorical.com

631 N 126th St.
Bonner Springs, KS 66012
(913) 573-5002
www.wycokck.org/museum

This 1879 Gothic style, castle-like mansion illustrates the cultural, architectural, and economic history of 19th century St. Joseph. The interior features oil-on-canvas ceilings, ornate walnut woodwork and staircase, and stained glass windows. Explore Fame & Politics: The Life of Ruth Warrick, which focuses on the accomplishments of the famous St. Joseph born actress. The history of local architecture is shared through the Intersection of Time & Buildings exhibit and the Architecture of Edmond Eckel. On the third floor, Confluence: The Great Flood of 1993 depicts the impact of flooding on the area.

1100 Charles
St Joseph, MO 64501
816-232-8471
stjosephmuseum.org/wyeth-tootle-mansion