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HISTORICAL TOUR HOMES



ALEXANDER MAJORS HOUSE    56      

8201 State Line Road
Kansas City, MO
816-333-5556
ADMISSION: Varies in price
HOURS: April-Dec 1: Sat-Sun 1pm-4pm

Constructed in 1856, Majors' 3,400 sq. ft. antebellum home was restored in 1984. The home features original white pine floors and millwork, as well as furnishings of the era. Also on the site is a blacksmith shop with displays of tools, conestoga freighting wagons, buggies, ect. and herb and vegetable gardens. Majors ran one of the country's largest freighting companies from Kansas City, created the Pony Express and gave Buffalo Bill Cody his first job.

BEN FERREL VICTORIAN MUSEUM    57         

Third and Ferrel
Platte City, MO
816-431-5121
ADMISSION: Small fee
HOURS: April-October
Tuesday-Saturday, Noon-4pm

Built in 1882, the Mini-Mansion is very rare architecture for the area. The exterior is a fine example of Renaissance Revival architecture with French Influence. The home has been elegantly restored and furnished to the period of the 1880's. The museum has a two week Christmas tour. The museum also houses the genealogy Library for Platte County and surrounding area.

BINGHAM-WAGGONER ESTATE    58         

313 W. Pacific
Independence, MO
816-461-3491
ADMISSION: Varies in price
SEASON: April 1-October 3
HOURS: Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm; Sun, 1pm-4pm
ADMISSION: Varies in price


This 1855, 26 room house has been restored with original furnishings. Many of the original out-buildings still exist. This was once the home of George Caleb Bingham a politician and frontier artist. In 1879 Peter Waggoner purchased the estate and used it as the family home until 1976.

CLAYBROOK-ANTEBELLUM HOME    59           

92 Hwy & Jesse James Farm Road
Kearney, MO
816-628-6065

The restored antebellum home of the daughter of Jesse James, Mary James Barr, serves as a fine example of mid-1800's rural Missouri architecture. Built by Virginian George Claybrook in 1858, the home is located across the road from the James Farm and was originally developed as a southern style plantation.

DILLINGHAM -LEWIS HOME    60         

15th & Main
Blue Springs, MO
816-228-4146
ADMISSION: Free
HOURS: Thursdays from 12-2pm and Saturdays 11am-2pm.
Open for tours from April - December, 2 days a week (except holidays).

Early 20th century home of Morgan Vachel Dillingham, Eastern Jackson County's largest farmer. The home is furnished with period furniture over one hundred years old and local historic items.

GRINTER PLACE STATE HISTORICAL SITE    61         

1420 S. 78th Street
Kansas City, KS
913-299-0373
ADMISSION: Free
HOURS: Wednesday-Saturday, 10am-5pm
Sunday, 1pm-5pm;
Closed Monday and all legal Holidays

This Greek Revival brick home built in 1857 by Moses and Anna Grinter was located on the Delaware Indian Reserve. Moses Grinter operated one of the first river ferries on the Kansas River dating from 1831 as well as the first civilian post office and a trading post. The home is decorated with period furnishings.

HARRIS-KEARNEY HOUSE    62         

40th & Baltimore
Kansas City, MO
816-561-1821
ADMISSION: Varies in price
HOURS: Monday-Friday, 10:30 am-3pm
Weekends by appointment
Closed: All legal holidays

Built in 1855, it is Kansas City's oldest 2-story brick home. The bricks were locally fired and the walnut staircase was cut from the nearby woods. The antebellum house has been recently restored and is furnished in the 1870's period.

HARRY S. TRUMAN FARM HOUSE    63         

12301 Blue Ridge Road
Grandview, MO
816-254-2720
ADMISSION: Free
HOURS: May 8-August 25
Friday-Sunday, 9am-4pm

In this farm home Harry Truman formed his personal, business and fraternal associations which became the roots of a career in public office that carried him to the White House. This modest two-story white frame house along with original out-buildings are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The restored home includes both original family furnishings and period pieces from the early 1900's.

HARRY S. TRUMAN HOME    64         

219 N. Delaware Street
Independence, MO
816-254-9929
ADMISSION: Varies in price
HOURS: 8:30am-5pm 7 days per week
Labor-Memorial, 9am-5pm; Closed Monday
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years

This home was built by Bess Truman's maternal grandfather in 1867 and was the home Bess and Harry Truman from the time of their marriage in 1919 until their deaths. All the original furnishings are displayed throughout the home. At the Truman Home and Ticket Information Center a free audio/visual is offered before the tour that depicts Truman's life in Independence.

LONGVIEW FARMS MANSION    65         

3361 S.W. Longview Rd.
Lee's Summit, MO
816-761-6669
TOURS: CLOSED

Longview Farms was the home of the world renowned Loula Long Combs, daughter of the lumber baron, Robert A. Long. Loula was a pioneer for women in the horse show world and she was known as "The Queen of the American Royal." The mansion was completed in 1914 and the construction of the estate was the; largest construction project of its' kind in the world at the time. Brunch, Lunch, Tea, or Dinner also available with tour. Tour information: Minimum number in all tours are 20, smaller groups are added to others. The tour takes about an hour. Tea and Tour-$5.00, Lunch or Dinner and Tour-$ varies

MAHAFFIE FARMSTEAD (1865)    66         

1100 Kansas City Road
Olathe, KS
913-782-6972
ADMISSION: Varies in price
TOURS: Feb-March; Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm
TOURS: April-Dec; Mon-Sat, 10am-4-pm; Sun, 12pm-4pm
Closed January and all major holidays

The Mahaffie Farmstead has three structures on the National Register of Historic Places: a woodpeg barn, stone ice house and the J. B. Mahaffies home. From 1865 to 1869 the Mahaffie Farmstead was used as a stagecoach stop. The basement was used as a dining room and kitchen for this period.

RESTORATION HERITAGE PLAZA    67         

1034 W. Lexington
Independence, MO
816-461-6578
ADMISSION: Free
HOURS: Mon, Wed, Fri, 9am-5pm
Tue and Thur, 9am-1pm
Other times by appointment. Call before going.

The Plaza includes the Flournoy House built in 1826. This is one of the first brick homes in this area and reported to be one of the oldest homes in Independence. Also included is the Frederick M. Smith Study. This structure was built in the early 1830's and is reported to be one of the oldest slave cabins in Missouri. It is one of the few pioneer homes left in Jackson County that represents the era of the early Latter Day Saints.

SAUER CASTLE    68               

945 Shawnee Dr.
Kansas City, KS

Presently being restored. Completion date is not available. This beautiful home will be worth visiting after restoration.

THOMAS HART BENTON HOME AND STUDIO    69         

3613 Belleview
Kansas City, MO
816-931-5722
ADMISSION: Varies in price
HOURS: Monday -Saturday, 10am-4:pm
Sunday, (Summer) 12am-5pm; (Winter) 11am-4pm

The Benton home is a 2 1/2 story structure built in 1903-04 in an eclectic style of architecture. Its interior includes a dining room, living room, foyer, kitchen, library, and three bedrooms, all furnished in the period of the Benton family's
occupancy. The artist's studio, in which a great many of Benton's famous works were painted, was converted from a carriage house in the 1940's. It still holds many of his tools and equipment. Benton painted in the studio from 1939 until he died here on January 19, 1975.

VAILE MANSION    70         

1500 N. Liberty Street
Independence, MO
816-325-7430
ADMISSION: Varies in price
SEASON:Mayl 1-October 31
HOURS: Thur-Sat, 10am-4pm; Sun, 1pm-4pm
Open for three weeks after Thanksgiving

A must to see. The Vaile Mansion built in 1881 is one of the best examples of Victorian architecture in the United States. The once entrepreneur and U.S. mail contractor was indicted for allegedly defrauding the government but was acquitted in 1883. He lived in his palatial mansion until his death in 1894.




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