The Famous and the Infamous: Museums Showcase KC Legends

Explore the museums and historic sites of our most famous, and infamous, citizens this fall.

The Bold, the Bad, the Bandit: Jesse James

The outskirts of Kansas City offers several attractions of historic importance in the life of the infamous outlaw Jesse James. Jesse was born and raised just 30 minutes from KC in Kearney, MO, site of the Jesse James Farm and Museum. The museum includes the largest collection of James family artifacts. Admission includes the museum, a movie and a tour of his authentically restored childhood home, including his original burial site. It’s nice that rooms and furnishings are not roped off. You still can’t touch anything, but it feels more like visiting than touring.

On the way out of Kearney, you can stop by the Mount Olivet Cemetery to see Jesse James’ grave..

The nearby Jesse James Bank Museum is the oldest standing building in Liberty and the site of the nation’s first successful daylight back robbery in 1866. Period furnishings and the original bank vault give a glimpse of the old bank. They also have a gift shop and small museum containing letters, photos and a rare clock.

Jesse didn’t take part in the actual robbery but is believed to be the mastermind behind it. The James Gang withdrew $60 thousand of uninsured money and killed a young witness. Though witness descriptions matched Frank James and the gang, no one was convicted. The missing money is a mystery that still intrigues treasure hunters.

The third weekend of September, Kearney, MO, hosts the Jesse James Festival, complete with a rodeo, carnival, barbecue competition, parade, craft fair and more.

African American Legends

Sharing the same new building in the 18th & Vine historic district of Kansas City, MO, the American Jazz Museum and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum are both small but well worth visiting. The live musical talents of a high school jazz band greeted us as we entered the complex. The Jazz Museum offers interactive multi-media displays that allow visitors to not only listen to the jazz greats but also mix and harmonize music. Also be sure to visit the Blue Room Jazz Club at night.

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum shows the history of American baseball from the African American perspective, beginning in 1863. Informative displays and short videos give visitors a great understanding of the history and social struggles of the league. Kids and adults alike will love measuring up against the life-size bronze statues of players in mid game on the baseball diamond. Admission is charged for both museums.

Across the street at the restored Gem Theatre, you can see performances by jazz masters in the Jazz Museum’s “Jammin’ at the Gem” concert series. Originally, the Gem was a silent movie theater for African American audiences.

Missing But Not Forgotten, Amelia Earhart

The Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum is located in the Amelia Earhart Historical District of Atchison KS, and is listed on the National Historic Sites Register. In the early 1860s, Earhart’s maternal grandfather, a judge, build the gothic revival style home overlooking the river. In 1897, Amelia was born in the home where she and her sister spent most of their childhood. Restored to reflect the period of Earhart’s childhood, the home includes period furniture and Earhart’s personal belongings, including furniture and family portraits donated by her sister. In the backyard, local school children constructed a half scale replica of Amelia and her sisters’ roller coaster. Admission is charged.

The nearby Amelia Earhart Earthwork is also worth seeing. The one-acre, artist-created living portrait consists of natural materials, such as perennial plants and stones.

Harry Truman

You can’t visit Independence, MO, without bumping into a Harry Truman historic site.

The Harry S. Truman Library and Museum exhibits memorabilia from Truman’s life and includes a research facility. It was the first of 12 presidential libraries. Truman was actively involved in the design and daily operation of the library. Today, you can see his preserved office and, in the courtyard, you’ll find his burial site. Check out the free film series and the “Second Saturday’s” information program.

The fact that the Truman home (Harry S. Truman National Historic Site) is elegant but unassuming attests to how down-to-earth the Trumans were. The home is a National Historic Site, located in the Harry S. Truman National Landmark District. After recent renovations, the dwelling has now reopened for tours with additional conservation work continuing in some rooms. Admission is charged for both museums.

Explore the historic district, laden with historic markers. See where the former president met his wife, went to school, worked, lived, played poker and drank whiskey. The restored Truman Courthouse, where he worked for county government is open for tours and is home to the Jackson County Historical Society.

Happy travels!Victoria Pressley is a freelance writer and mother of two who loves exploring historical sites.