On April 3, 1860, a lone rider set out from the Pikes Peak Stables in St. Joseph, marking the beginning of the Pony Express. This story opens a window onto different facets of the past: museums about communication and transportation, historic buildings, and exhibitions each offer a different focus.
Traces of the Pony Express and Regional History
The Patee House is a National Historic Landmark. In 1860, it served as the headquarters of the Pony Express; today, it is a museum of communication and transportation. The stables at the Pony Express National Museum house a modern, interactive, and educational presentation of the history and legend of the Pony Express. Together, these two perspectives offer insight into both the historical significance of the Express and the stories that grew up around it.
The Buchanan County Courthouse also connects a building with a specific historical event. Built in 1873, it was where the Ford brothers stood trial in its courtroom for the murder of Jesse James. The courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Jesse James himself was shot and killed at his home on April 3, 1882. The Jesse James Home is a museum about his life and death. Items from his grave on display there include coffin handles, a tie pin, a bullet removed from his right lung area, and a cast of his skull.
Museums with Different Perspectives
The east wing of Robidoux Row is a house museum featuring a reconstruction of Joseph Robidoux’s private rooms. Another room depicts a pioneer family’s winter encampment while they were passing through. The focus here is on private spaces and life on the road—a different way of exploring the past than the major historical events brought to life at the courthouse or through the Pony Express.
The Glore Psychiatric Museum documents the history of State Hospital #2. Replicas of historical treatment devices made by George Glore remain a key part of its exhibits. The Black Archives Museum focuses on different topics: its exhibits cover the Underground Railroad, the Middle Passage, desegregation, education, sports, and music. Both museums explore history through themes and objects, but from distinctly different perspectives.
The Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art’s collection of American art spans the 18th through the 21st centuries. It includes colonial portraits, American landscape painting, and important examples of American Impressionism. Art enthusiasts can explore several periods and artistic traditions in a single collection, while the historical museums focus instead on people, institutions, and social issues.
Another cultural highlight is the Coleman Hawkins Jazz Festival. It takes place on the third weekend in June at Coleman Hawkins Park on Felix Street; exact dates may vary. The festival adds music and a specific event venue to the museum offerings.
Trails, Landscapes, and Camping
The Remington Nature Center is located on the Missouri River in St. Joseph. Its surroundings include natural habitats for birds and other animals, prairie and wildflower areas, and a paved walking trail. Krug Park offers unpaved hiking trails and a lagoon. The trails described here differ in their surfaces: one paved walking trail winds through an area with habitats and wildflowers, while unpaved trails run alongside a lagoon.
Mount Mora Cemetery also brings landscape and history together. Founded in 1851, the cemetery is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its features include scenic, winding paths and impressive monuments. The grounds thus combine historical significance with a distinctive landscape.
The campground at Lewis and Clark State Park offers basic campsites as well as sites with electricity and sites with electric, sewer, and water hookups. Availability and reservation policies may change; check the park’s current information before planning. Details about the types of campsites help distinguish this camping option from the destination’s cultural and scenic attractions.
Discover more destinations: Saint Joseph, Nodaway County, St. Charles, Hickory County, St. Francois County, Dunklin County, Cooper, Barry.
For the overview of the wider region: Missouri.
