Trip Three - Western Heritage

Kansas City's location on the Missouri River naturally positioned it to be a major part of the exploration of the American West. Beginning with the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804, four national trails west pass through Kansas City – including the Santa Fe, the California and the Oregon Trails. America’s western heritage began in Kansas City.

 

Day 1 – Exploring the West

 

1. Fort Osage National Historic Landmark

The point overlooking the Missouri River where Fort Osage stands today was noted in William Clark’s journal in June 1804 as a good location for a trading post. Clark returned in 1808 to build the fort, which was reconstructed in 1941. Today, you can tour the blockhouses, officers’ quarters and soldiers’ barracks that frequently come to life in living history programs of the period. Call 816-795-8200.

 

2. National Frontier Trails Center

The massiveness of the American West that opens up from the doorway of Kansas City is all but overwhelming in the floor to ceiling displays here that map each of the trails west. Interactive exhibits test your knowledge of the trails and allow you to see some of the supplies that explorers and pioneers brought through this region. Call 816-325-7575.

 

3. Alexander Majors Home

Alexander Majors and his freighting firms helped build many of the small town popping up along the Santa Fe Trail. For a short time, this farmhouse was the headquarters of Majors’ most well-known venture, the Pony Express. Call 816-333-5556.

 

4. Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop

Three original buildings of this last remaining stagecoach stop on the Santa Fe Trail are open for the public to tour. Take a stage coach ride and participate in the activities travelers of the 1860s did when they stopped here on their way west. Call 913-971-5111.

 

Day 2 - From Booty to Bounty

 

1. Jesse James Farm and Museum

This is where Jesse James was born and he and his brother Frank were raised in the mid-1800s. The house has been authentically restored and the museum contains the largest collection of James family artifacts in the world. His gravesite at Kearney’s Mount Olivet cemetery draws thousands of visitors a year, as does the Jesse James Festival in September. Call 816-628-6065.

 

2. Arabia Steamboat Museum.

In 1856, the Arabia Steamboat was on its way upriver to Fort Benton, Montana with all of the supplies needed for a small town on the western frontier. The boat hit a snag in the Missouri River and sank near Parkville. In 1988, the Arabia was uncovered with all of its cargo intact, which makes a fascinating display of early western life. Call 816-471-1856.

 

http://www.visitkc.com/visitor_info/index.cfm?page=visitor_info_itineraries.htm