318 W. Pacific, Independence
9:00-4:30 Monday –Saturday
12:30-4:30 Sunday
Adults $5, Children 6-17 $3, Under 5 FREE
816.325.575
www.ci.Independence.mo.us/NFTM
Take your family back to a time when it took five months to travel 2,000 miles to reach the “Pacific country.” Embark on an adventure at the National Frontier Trails Museum in Independence, MO, the “jumping off” point for more than 250,000 daring trails travelers of the past.
Housed in a former mill, the museum conveys the frontier spirit of the overland trails era. An introductory video (slightly dated), prepares visitors for the exhibits beginning with Lewis and Clark’s exploration through the Gold Rush. The recreated general store and Santa Fe Plaza provide a rich sensory experience. I especially enjoyed the “graffiti rock” that simulates the rocks into which settlers carved their names and dates; a notebook and pen invite visitors to leave their “mark.” Also of interest to families with young children is a hands-on room where visitors can load a wagon and pack a saddle.
Children will need some guidance, as the exhibits are a bit text-heavy, but it is worth reading/listening to some of the travelers’ accounts. It’s also worth remembering that writing and sketching were the only ways to tell others about their adventure. Also helpful are the “mile markers” that give the distance traveled from Independence and show a picture of what the travelers saw along the route.
The museum is tucked away in a tranquil neighborhood, where you will forget you are near a busy city. The well-manicured site also houses a restored 19th century passenger train station, which is open for tours. Across the street, visit the magnificent Victorian Bingham-Waggoner Estate and its sprawling grounds. At the back of this property is a ¼-mile paved walkway where you can view wagon ruts dating to the 1830s. Everyone in the family is sure to find something of interest here.
Kathy Stump and her family visit area historic sites; she occasionally writes about them from home in Parkville.