Page 455 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

MISSOURI  453

Environs
The suburb of Independence,
15 miles (24 km) east of
downtown Kansas City, has one
of the country’s best westward
expansion museums, the
National Frontier Trails Center.
It was also the home of Harry
S. Truman, 33rd US president.
His simple downtown home is
now a national historic site.

Sprawling lawn of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City z St. Joseph
* 77,000. @ n 109 S 4th St, (800)
The 217-ft (66-m) Liberty signing with the all-white 785-0360. ∑ stjomo.com
Memorial overlooks the old Brooklyn Dodgers in the
train depot on the grassy bluffs National League. Like many Missouri River
of Penn Valley Park. It houses Once an outfitting post for communities, St. Joseph grew
the nation’s only World War I travelers on the Santa Fe and from a fur-trading post into a
museum. The “Torch of Liberty” Oregon Trails, the village of wagon-train outfitting center. Its
observation tower offers a Westport became part of position as the nation’s western-
sweeping view of the city. To its Kansas City in 1899. In the retail most railroad terminal instigated
south, the Hallmark Visitors district along Westport Road, local entrepreneurs to launch the
Center presents the history shops and restaurants occupy Pony Express in the mid-1800s.
of Hallmark, the well-known some of the city’s oldest This service sought to deliver mail
greeting card company. buildings, such as Kelly’s from St. Joseph to Sacramento – a
Southeast of downtown, Westport Inn, an 1837 tavern. 1,966-mile (3,214-km) trip – in less
the 18th & Vine Historic Jazz Several blocks south of Westport, than ten days. Infor mative displays
District commemorates the the Country Club Plaza, the in the Pony Express National
city’s rich African-American nation’s first planned suburban Museum relate the story of this
heritage. In the shopping short-lived enterprise, while the
1930s, all-night district, was Patee House Museum preserves
jazz clubs designed in an 1858 hotel that served as the
showcased 1922. To its head quarters of the Express. On
the innovative east, the its grounds is the house where
riffs of local Nelson-Atkins the notorious Missouri outlaw
musicians such Museum of Art Jesse James was killed by one of
as Count Basie, has a stellar his former gang members in 1882.
Lester Young, Mural at the American Jazz Museum collection of
and Charlie paintings by P Pony Express
Parker. This was Kansas City’s Missouri’s George Caleb Bingham National Museum
heyday, when, under the and Thomas Hart Benton. The 914 Penn St. Tel (800) 530-5930.
free-wheeling “rule” of Tom outdoor sculpture garden Open 9am–5pm Mon–Sat, 1–5pm
Pendergast, a local concrete features 13 exclusive works by Sun. Closed Jan 1, Thanksgiving,
contractor, it was known as a British artist Henry Moore. Dec 24, 25 & 31. & 7
“wide-open” town that stayed ∑ ponyexpress.org
awake all night. Refurbished E Kansas City Museum
to form the backdrop for 3218 Gladstone Blvd. Tel (816) 483-
Robert Altman’s 1996 film 8300. Open 10am–4pm Wed–Sat,
Kansas City, the district’s premier noon–4pm Sun. Closed Jan 1,
attractions include the Thanksgiving., Dec 25.
American Jazz Museum, which & (free during renovation). 7
re-creates the city’s swinging E American Jazz Museum
jazz era, and the Negro Leagues 1616 E 18th St. Tel (816) 474-8463.
Baseball Museum, which Open 9am–6pm Tue–Sat, noon–6pm
honors talented African- Sun. Closed public hols. & 7
American baseball players who ∑ americanjazzmuseum.com
toiled in low-paid obscurity for E Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
all-black teams in the US, 45th St & Oak St. Tel (816) 751-1278.
Canada, and Latin America. In Open 10am–4pm Wed, 10am–9pm
1945, Kansas City Monarchs Thu & Fri, 10am–5pm Sat, noon–5pm
shortstop Jackie Robinson Sun. Closed public hols. 7 Bronze statue of a Pony Express rider,
broke the color barrier by ∑ nelson-atkins.org St. Joseph

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