St. Joseph Mo Is A Place Where You Can Literally Step Back In Time

St. Joseph MO is a place where you can literally step back in time and we can also bring history to life. Re-enactors help tell the stories of Calamity Jane miss Lizzie King and others st. Joseph's citizens are steadfast about preserving their city's history and nowhere in the West are there more unique museums all conveniently clustered one distinctive downtown structure.

St. joseph´s first police station houses the National Military Heritage Museum US military uniforms and artifacts from the last century are displayed along with documents dating back 150 years. The wealthy of the late 19th century also imported children's toys and dolls. The Society of memories doll museum contains dolls miniatures and other fine items from around the world. Down the street at the fire museum visitors can see an example of the first brass fire pole which originated in Saint Joseph as well as other firefighting mementos dating to the Civil War.

On the grounds of the St. Joseph museums visitors can see some of the finest Native American artifacts in Missouri and learn about the city's rich black cultural heritage. Also located in the same building is the gloss IKEA tricked Museum one of the 50 most unusual museums in the US which is a unique illustration of how mental illness has been portrayed and treated over the past seventy five hundred years. More than 3000 works of art are displayed in the Albrecht Kemper museum of art one of the finest collections of 18th through 20th century art in the entire Midwest.

Get a feel for the rich economic history of the city at the Missouri Valley Trust building built in 1859 to house the state savings Bank of Missouri. Steamboat captain's and fur traders transacted business their legend says that Jesse James counted this Bank in hopes of making an unauthorized withdrawal just before he was killed near downtown. Admire the breathtaking stained-glass windows of the twin spires church, once a convent.  An 1879 Victorian residence the Wyeth tootle mentioned beautifully illustrates the cultural and economic history of the 19th century with its pristinely renovated rooms during the mid-1800s

St. Joseph's was growing quickly both in population and status. The city's position as a funnel for expansion into the Western continent established st. Joseph's as a regional economic hub,  In 1887 St. Joseph's was the second city in the U.S. to have an electric streetcar system. In fact for a period the city had more miles of streetcar rails than New York City. Wholesale houses boosted the city's prosperity during the last half of the century. At one time st. Joseph ranked fourth nationally in dry goods sales and fifth and Hardware homes of merchants and traders began to reflect the optimism and prosperity of the times. The wealthy hired architects from the east and Europe so many houses and buildings still standing today represent the Victorian and Italianate design styles of the last half of the 19th century.

One of the most interesting architectural gems in St.  Joseph is the completely renovated Missouri theater. A 1,200 seat 1927 movie palace that today serves as a Regional Center for the Arts. St. Joseph's citizens have long been interested in preserving their community and its natural surroundings. In 1927 a 26 mile serpentine Parkway system was opened this well landscaped Parkway is listed on the National Register of Historic Places one of 50 such designations in the city.  The era of commerce and creativity sparked many innovations to this Western community today.

St. Joseph is a regional hub built on a diversified economy of agribusiness foodstuffs pet foods and tourism. Cattle made St. Joseph for livestock Center and today the stockyards remain a major part of the economy just as our location attracted Old West pioneers and settlers today. St. Joe is convenient for tourists who want to experience history. We are easy to get to.  An interstate highway brings tourists within a mile of many of our historic sites and Kansas City International Airport is just 30 miles to the south.