Giddyup to St. Joseph, Missouri for the 150th anniversary of the Pony Express, part 1

St. Joseph, Missouri’s motto is “Where the West Officially Started Getting Wild,” and there are plenty of wild and woolly things to see and do in this historic little town. So, dust off your spurs, cowpokes, and saddle up! We’re on our way out West, to the town named one of America’s “Top 10 Western Cities” by True West Magazine. No horsing around!

Settin’ Up Camp
I can’t imagine a more welcoming place to set up camp in St. Joseph than the Drury Inn & Suites. Not only is there a nice indoor watering hole for the young‘uns, but there’s also free hot breakfast, free wireless Internet, free popcorn, and free hot food and cold beverages (including three free alcoholic beverages for adults) each evening. The nights I was there, they served breaded chicken strips and charbroiled meatballs or hot dogs and chili, and there was always a baked potato bar, garden salad, and potato chips. Let the other cowboys make do with cans of beans (à la Blazing Saddles) around the campfire while getting eaten alive by mosquitoes—the Drury Inn makes getting in touch with your Inner Western Spirit downright civilized! “Rustic” is highly overrated.

Hittin’ the Trail
Now stash your saddlebags in the room, and get back on the trail! If you’ve got restless young buckaroos on your hands, the very first place to skedaddle to is the Remington Nature Center. Your kids can get up-close-and-personal with a Mammoth and her baby (See? I told you we’d be looking at woolly things!), stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a bison, see a black bear weighing over 600 pounds, and look into the glinty eyes of a wolf. Of course, these critters are all stuffed by taxidermists, so they won’t be hankerin’ to gobble down your young‘uns. There are plenty of other exhibits about nature and history, too (including a 7,000-gallon aquarium)—not just educational, but downright fun. Outside, you can enjoy scenic views of the Missouri River, while your small fry follow nature trails to their hearts’ content.

Meetin’ the Neighbors
Now that your kids have let off some steam on the trails, it’s time to say “howdy” to the neighbors. By “neighbors,” of course, I mean Jesse James and his band of outlaws, the original “neighborhood gang.” At the Jesse James House and Museum, you can still see the bullet hole in the wall at the spot where James was plugged by fellow gang member, Bob Ford. Yep, you’ll be standing in the same room where James rasped his last breaths. It’s enough to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. But do take off your cap. It’s the “right neighborly” thing to do.

Puttin’ On the Ritz
After you’ve paid your last respects to James, head to the Patee House Museum right next door. Built in 1858, this National Historic Landmark was a pioneer hotel and the headquarters of the Pony Express in 1860. But now this grand building houses such a fascinating collection of things that your eyes could wander around all day in here! You’ll see period rooms, an 1861 replica stage coach, an 1860 locomotive, antique toys, Walter Cronkite’s father’s dental office, and a lot more. Clamber aboard the vintage “Wild Thing” carousel for a ride you’ll never forget! It’s not “home on the range,” but you can actually ride a rhino! (That’s something John Wayne probably never got to do.)

THE FINE PRINT
To continue your journey through St. Joseph, Missouri, read Parts Two and Three of this series. For more information about St. Joseph (just 35 miles north of the Kansas City airport--perfect for a daytrip, but better suited for a long weekend's exploration) and upcoming events marking the Sesquicentennial of the Pony Express, go to http://www.stjomo.com/