Visit Missouri Town: A Journey Through Time

A Living History Museum

Missouri Town is a living history museum located in Jackson County, Missouri. It’s about 30 acres containing over 25 buildings dating from 1822–1860. The buildings came from several different counties around Missouri. They were moved or reassembled here, restored, and furnished with items and furniture from the period.

You walk through this town on a graveled path taking in the landscape, buildings, and livestock. There are homes, outhouses, shops, barns, a tavern, a schoolhouse, and a church.

The General Mercantile is a shop containing canned goods, eggs, fruits, vegetables, and other items.

There’s an old cash register and scale on the counter.

Some of the homes were very basic. Not many could afford frivolous decor.

Others had amenities, though by today’s standards, they’re still probably viewed as basic. The workers actually cook in the fireplace during events at Missouri Town.

There was a small schoolhouse as well. I doubt many students today could even recognize the cursive letters and Roman numerals on the board.

We also saw sheep, cows, chickens, and horses.

It was late afternoon/early evening when we were there, and it was time for the sheep to come out and graze. We witnessed the mini “stampede” of sheep.

The rooster wanted to make his presence known.

The tavern wasn’t the type you might imagine. There was a piano in the corner, which sadly, wasn’t in working order.

Upstairs were two bedrooms — one for women and one for men. You can probably guess which is which as the men’s room is very plain.

Here’s the blacksmith’s workshop. You can see the blacksmith’s “apprentice” in one corner, but my phone’s camera did something funky with it.

There was a two-story house on one end of the property that wasn’t open at the time because they were doing renovations for a Christmas event. It would be interesting to tour it someday, so I may go back again.

If you’re ever in the Kansas City area, I recommend checking it out. Visit their website for more information.

*Originally published in New Writer’s Welcome on Medium.

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