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St. Joseph is a historic river city of about 72,000 people on the Missouri River in northwest Missouri, about 55 miles north of Kansas City. Founded as a fur-trading post by Joseph Robidoux, it became a booming gateway to the West, and in 1860 it was the eastern starting point of the Pony Express, the legendary horseback mail service to California.
The Pony Express National Museum stands in the original stables where riders set out, and the Patee House Museum, the Pony Express headquarters, sits next to the small home where outlaw Jesse James was shot in 1882. The Glore Psychiatric Museum tells the unusual history of mental health care, and Robidoux Row preserves the founder's 1840s rowhouses.
The city's wealth from river trade and cattle built grand mansions in the Cathedral Hill and Museum Hill districts, the domed Buchanan County Courthouse and the ornate Livestock Exchange Building. The St. Joseph Parkway system links parks and boulevards across town, and the Pony Express Bridge crosses the Missouri into Kansas.
Museum in the original Pikes Peak Stables where the Pony Express mail service began its first run west in April 1860. Exhibits show the riders, the route to California and the stable's old well, with hands-on displays for kids. Allow about an hour and a half.
Grand 1858 hotel that housed the Pony Express headquarters, now a large, quirky museum of old vehicles, a recreated street of shops, a steam locomotive and a vintage carousel. It is a National Historic Landmark. Plan two hours; the Jesse James Home sits on its grounds.
Small frame house where outlaw Jesse James was shot by Robert Ford in 1882, moved to the grounds of the Patee House. The bullet hole in the wall and exhibits on the case draw visitors. A combined ticket with the Patee House is the best value; allow 30 minutes.
Unusual museum in a building of the former State Lunatic Asylum No. 2, tracing the history of mental health treatment with replicas of historic devices, patient artwork and stories. It is thought-provoking and well presented. Part of the St. Joseph Museums group; allow an hour.
Art museum in a Georgian-style mansion with a strong collection of American art from the 18th century to today, including works by Thomas Hart Benton and Mary Cassatt, plus a sculpture garden. Exhibits rotate often. Check opening days, as it is closed early in the week.
Row of brick houses built around the 1840s and 1850s by city founder Joseph Robidoux to house newcomers arriving to settle the town. A restored section is a small museum showing frontier-era living. Opening hours are limited; check with the local historical society before going.
Gothic-style 1879 mansion with turrets and ornate woodwork, built for a wealthy merchant family and now run by the St. Joseph Museums. Its rooms show Victorian decor and local history exhibits. It stands near downtown; combine it with a walk around Cathedral Hill.
Hilltop neighborhood around the Cathedral of St. Joseph, filled with large Victorian homes built when the city was rich from the westward trails and the river trade. It is one of the best places in town for an architecture walk. Most homes are private; stay on sidewalks.
Large brick office building from the era when St. Joseph's stockyards were among the busiest in the Midwest, where traders bought and sold cattle and hogs. It stands in the old stockyards district south of downtown. View it from outside as a reminder of the city's meatpacking past.
Domed courthouse built in the 1870s on a hill overlooking downtown St. Joseph, with classical columns and a tall cupola. It is still the seat of county government. View it from the lawn and continue on foot to the nearby historic districts and museums.
Historic city park with a stone castle-like shelter, lagoon, amphitheater, bison and longhorn enclosure and winding drives under old trees. In winter it hosts a popular drive-through holiday lights display. It is part of the St. Joseph parkway system; parking is free.
Nature center on the Missouri River with exhibits on regional wildlife, the river and early peoples of the area, plus aquariums and a woodland trail. It is a good stop for families. A small admission fee applies; walk the trail to see birds and the river close up.
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