Patee Pumpkinfest Park

Blazing a trail northward again for the bustling metropolis of St. Joseph, the newest members of the crew cared nothing about where we were going, only that we were going.  "The Park" is all they knew.  Thirty minutes later, they began to inquire as to why it was so far away.

The Patee House Museum had been noted on a previous excursion into the city just the week before.  There had not been sufficient time to investigate then, but it had promised a lot more than met the eye, on first examination.  It did not disappoint, except in the area of lacking sufficient time to investigate.    The museum itself proved as exciting as flying on a Pegasus at a smooth 3 kph. The collection held here is plentiful and amazing, touching on nearly every aspect of regional existence since the inception of the hotel in 1858.  In particular for this adventure, access to a working carousel salvaged from an amusement park on Lake Contrary at the turn of the 20th century.

Exhausting most of the afternoon, everything in the hotel had still not revealed itself. Another visit is undoubtedly in order as a proper investigation really will require a full day.  Finding our way down to nearby Patee Park, we managed a bit of shade beside the 1937 Chicago, Burlington, & Quincy locomotive that once hauled both freight and passengers across the mid-west during the same period.

On the other side of that, in addition to a playground that enabled some of the crew to blow off some steam, preparations for the Pony Express Pumpkin Fest were well underway.  Vendors unpacked their wares in preparation for huge profits, in the shadow of a great wall of pumpkins emblazoned with names of various sponsors and hosts.  The scene was set for a great gathering.  A closer inspection of this particular ritual would have to wait for a smaller party or more escorts.

... Further Reading ...

Patee House Museum

Pony Express Historical Association

Lake Contrary & Amusement Park

St. Joseph Memory Lane

CBQ 0-5a #5614

rgusrail.com

Pony Express Pumpkinfest

Pony Express Museum

An encounter with Saint Joseph

Another beautiful Sunday afternoon inspired touring out to St. Joseph to inspect what many have suggested is a treasure trove of historical architecture. 

The first encounter downtown showed off a 140-room luxury hotel from 1858 masquerading as a museum.  Built around the development of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad station, Pony Express headquarters leveraged some of the space at the Patee House at that time.  Life after the Civil War had it hosting war trials in the ballrooms, before turning collegiate for women, then towards a career in the exciting field of manufacturing.  These days it simply houses an array of artifacts, including an original 1892 steam locomotive, carriages, stagecoaches, and other forms of high-speed travel, encased within the walls of this museum of U.S. History emphasizing transportation.

Just next door, a unique little "Japanese Tea House" was put together in 1916, by one of the more prominent residents from town history, for one purpose, to host a parties.

Signage indicating a carousel led around the corner from there to find a relocated machine from the amusement park formerly at Lake Contrary.  It is very well maintained, hosting an diverse menagerie, each with a peculiar story all to itself.

There is no avoiding the death home of Jesse James on the way to the carousel.  This little house sits snug against the Patee Hotel and is the scene of the crime from 1882; well almost.  It was moved to the current spot from a couple of blocks away back in 1977. 

Seeking out more curiosities found us stumbling across what turned out to be an excellent fake.  This Pony School stands as an authentic reproduction of an 1860's schoolhouse, dedicated in 2011.  It is fully stocked with all of the latest accouterments for the era, facilitating learning on a different, more personal level.

The Missouri Theater demands attention for anything walking, flying, or driving through.  The tile and masonry work are colorful and amazing.  The town claims it as a "historic masterpiece" of architecture that first opened in 1927 featuring the silent film "Rough House Rosie" for the cost  a quarter.

Looking homeward, a pause to stroll around the block of property that is the Wyeth Tootle Mansion encountered quite a variety of interesting and unique architecture.  Assumed to be affiliated with the aforementioned owner the "Japanese Tea House," the mansion itself is undergoing some civic improvements and is inaccessible. 

The few encounters and brief walkabouts in town impressed upon our troupe the need for deeper examination of old St. Joseph in the near future.  There is a lot more going on here than most are probably aware; at least, more than our group.  I suppose it is that way with larger metropolitan areas in the mid-west.  So much is going on in one town that nobody thinks much about the other.

. . .

Further Reading

Patee House Museum & Jesse James Home

Pony Express Historical Association

Lake Contrary & Amusement Park

St. Joseph Memory Lane

Missouri Theater

St Joseph, MO

Wyeth-Tootle Mansion

Saint Joseph Museums