St. Joseph, MO by Kandy Derden

Gateway: Continued

They sued for their freedom in 1846 in the St. Louis Circuit Court. Their suit was based on an 1824 decision by the Missouri Supreme Court stating “once free always free”. Their owner had taken them to Wisconsin, a free state, to live. Later he returned them to Missouri. When a slave filed a freedom suit he was placed in custody and a bond was paid. The court then hired out the slave with wages going to the owner if the suit was lost. The case went through several trials until The US Supreme Court ruled against them in 1856. Chief Justice Taney wrote that blacks had no rights, could never be citizens and the Louisiana Purchase’s provision in the Missouri Compromise was illegal. Under a new owner Dred Scott was freed in 1857, he died in 1858. The courtroom used in the case has been restored and a statue of the Scotts is on the exterior.

The Old Courthouse held slave sales on the steps until 1861. A crowd of about 2,000 hecklers disrupted the final sale

The Missouri History Museum is a gem waiting to be discovered. A portion of the building was the Jefferson Memorial Building, first national monument to Thomas Jefferson. It was constructed with money from the 1904 World’s Fair. Exhibit highlights include the 1928 Spirit of St. Louis’ sister plane. The 2,850-lb wooden airplane is covered with fabric and suspended 18-ft above the Grand Hall. It was made for the Jimmy Stewart “Spirit of St. Louis” movie.

St. Louis was a cultural crossroad and nowhere is that better explored than the Missouri History Museum. Currently a special exhibit, “St. Louis Sound”, is on view until January 22, 2023. The 6,000-ft. exhibit features 200 artifacts, audio stations, videos and interactive displays. Gallery highlights range from Chuck Berry’s guitar to Tina Turner’s dress. The exhibit covers ragtime, blues, jazz and country from the early 1800s until now and how St. Louis artists have had an international impact on music. The National Blues Museum presents and preserves the historic legacy of the Blues. It presents the Blues historically, by genre and styles as well as recognizing individual musicians. Excellent videos move the stories along. The Delmar Loop neighborhood has several significant sites all within a short distance. An 8-ft. tall statue of Chuck Berry stands vigil over The Loop while playing his Gibson guitar. Directly across the street is the iconic Blueberry Hill Restaurant & Music Club. The restaurant has an enormous, award-winning, menu and one could spend hours looking at the memorabilia and playing pinball and video games. Best of all, you can find your

thrill 365 days a year. Just outside the door you will find the St. Louis Walk of Fame. Scott Joplin, “Father of Ragtime”, lived in St. Louis from 1900-07, considered his most productive period. He supplemented his writing by playing in bordellos, clubs and saloons. He moved into an upstairs flat, now a State Historic site and museum. The first floor has displays on his life and music career. The second level is outfitted, as his home would have been. Guided tours are available and end with a timeline of his life and a mini-concert on a player piano. After a three-month stay Joplin died in Manhattan State Hospital in 1917. He was 48.

The Missouri African American Heritage Trail includes many unique sites. Lynch’s Slave Pen was on Locust Street. Lynch converted a row house into a slave holding place. Some of the cells were underground and had bare floors and a bench. During the Civil War the Union took over the building and used it to hold Confederate POWs. The facility stood until 1963. Elizabeth Keckley lived at 5 North 5th Street. As a slave she was a seamstress and by 1855 she had saved enough to purchase her freedom and that of her son for $1,200, now $44,000. She moved to DC to teach school and sew for wealthy women. She eventually became Mary Todd Lincoln’s dressmaker and confidant.

St. Louis provides a unique lens through which to view the country’s legacy. #explorestlouis

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Things to Do: St. Joseph City Full of History

As a child, my weekend getaways consisted of spending the night at my grandparent’s house. One day when I was ten, our doorbell rang and there stood my grandparents with suitcases packed and an invitation to join them on an impromptu excursion. We all scurried around and within thirty minutes we were on our way to our home state’s busiest tourist town.

I don’t remember much about the drive or what we did for the first evening, but I do know we weren’t the only ones doing it. Our proof of this was discovering there was not a single hotel room available anywhere. Eventually, we were forced to give up and make alternate arrangements.

The six of us spent the night sitting in the car. Our biggest problem was the loss of sleep. On the bright side, we didn’t create much laundry since we were pretty much stuck in the clothes we had on.

Early the next morning, we went to breakfast in a little café because it was the only place open. Surprisingly, it was crowded! I remember someone making a comment about sleeping in the car and that was all it took to get the conversations started. Come to find out, there were over twenty cars full of people who had also slept in their vehicles.

What a disaster! Or maybe not. Things did not go as expected, but it was great for making some very distinct memories of spending time with family.

That was my first actual Extended Weekend Getaway. My most recent outing was to St. Joseph, Missouri. Staying within my home state still provides a wealth of opportunities both historical and entertaining. It took most of the morning to drive there so upon arrival, the first stop was lunch. Our guide, Ryan Menley, made arrangements for us to eat at Frederick’s Inn and Steakhouse, the oldest restaurant in town. Even though it has changed hands over the years, it has been a restaurant in that same location for more than seven decades.

I have no idea why this happens, but often when we eat out, we end up ordering the same thing. Not so with this group. There were six of us, so six different items were ordered. Naturally, the first thing which happens whenever a travel writer tries a new restaurant is snapping a picture of the food. I was impressed by the variety available. I had a tenderloin sandwich and the person next to me ordered a burger, but across the table I saw a ham steak, fish and one even ordered liver and onions. Now, how long has it been since you’ve even seen that offered on a menu?

But wait: there’s more! The dessert menu listed warm homemade cinnamon rolls, lemon or coconut meringue pie and Andes mint cheesecake. Decisions, decisions! Like I said, with a group of travel writers, we tried them all. The intent was to share, but after one bite of the cheesecake, I turned selfish and ate it all myself. YUM!

Our first activity was to visit the Patee House. This museum houses quite an extensive collection of items to capture the interest of all ages. There are displays of various businesses such as a barbershop, an ice cream fountain,

By Kandy Derden Things to Do Editor

St. Joseph City Full of History

musical instruments, eyeglasses, dolls, tools and various toys. In addition to being the location of the first Pony Express dispatch, it is also the home of the house where Jesse James was fatally shot. You may also explore historic exhibits where you can learn about buffalo soldiers, early lightbulbs and other inventions. Also, you may examine a collection of retired modes of transportation including a stagecoach, a train, fire engine and a carrousel. Don’t miss the grand ballroom of this building which was previously a premier hotel.

To help stimulate interest and channel participation, there is the opportunity to play a game while there. Obtain a playing card at the entrance and fill it out as you investigate the wide variety of exhibits and displays. Find the one object in each which does not belong, either because it is not of the right topic or because it is from another era. For example, you may see a modern device in a historic setting.

This just barely skims the surface of interesting items, but with limited time, we had to move on.

Our next stop was the Glore Museum which is actually four museums in one. The doll museum is still in its infancy but will be expanded soon. The native American section was mostly pictures on the wall and plaques to read. The macabre factor almost prevented me from going to the psychiatric hospital museum. Historically, it is important to recognize the progress which has been made in this area.

Although a visit to this location can present you with some disturbing images, it is encouraging to understand such places no longer exist. Perhaps the most touching portion of our tour was at the very end when the guide told us how she came to be working in this job. In her case, it was very personal. A relative of hers suffered from mental illness and even though it took a few years to properly diagnose and treat, this relative ultimately received the help needed and is now living a fulfilling productive life.

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Our evening meal was enjoyed at the Wyatt House. This lovely old home has been restored to the glory of bygone days and filled with furniture indicative of the era. As much as I can appreciate fine antiques, I believe we enjoyed chatting with the owner the most. His story began with 9-11 and the subsequent price hikes thereafter in light of the need for housing. So rather than invest in NY, he chose to use his financial assets to purchase a location in a more affordable area, away from the hectic life of NY. The move to St. Joseph was an adjustment, but for the past twenty years, partners Jim Pallone and Jeff Keyasko have thrived in their new home state and business adventure.

Our meal was prepared by Jeff, a chef of extraordinary skill who studied at the French Culinary Institute in New York City. The first course was a choice of watermelon salad, a uniquely flavored shrimp cocktail or a gourmet pizza. The filet mignon was tender, juicy and delicious served with a side of potato, vegetables and a roll. Other entrée choices were chicken served with a mango salsa or salmon. Rather than needing to select a dessert, each of us were served a three-item dessert sampler of warm chocolate truffle, caramel cream and cheesecake with honey glazed peaches.

Our accommodations were in the Stoney Creek Hotel. The décor was exactly as you would expect with wagon wheels and other woodsy accents and art-

work, fireplaces, leather armchairs and an occasional stuffed bear or mounted buffalo head over a door.

A full hot breakfast was provided. Anyone who travels much will recognize the standard menu: scrambled eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy and sometimes hash browns. I sometimes skip these choices in favor of oatmeal or a waffle, but this smelled good, looked good and tasted good! I can honestly say, they had the best breakfast potatoes I have ever eaten anywhere anytime, from home, a hotel or restaurant. The biscuits were fresh and fluffy with either jelly or gravy. High praise indeed. All in all, an excellent breakfast from an attentive staff. This location also had a feature I have never seen before. At night, for one hour after the pool closes officially, there is an adults only quiet session for those who need to unwind without children around. What a perfect arrangement for the hot tub. The following morning, we were scheduled to visit the Pony Express Museum. I was confused to say the least because I thought we had already been there with our visit to Patee House. To clarify, there is a corner of one of the rooms with information about the Pony Express located in the Patee House. This was where the first bundle of mail was sent out via the Pony Express.

The actual Pony Express Museum is in a different location and is

exclusively about the Pony Express. The history of how this network of riders delivered mail in such an accelerated manner is explained. Lifestyle of those who were employed is explored. There are many areas where children can enjoy handson activities while learning about this bygone era. Stories of dedication, perseverance and heroism inspire a respect for what they accomplished.

While traveling from restaurant to museum to local attractions and beyond, we noticed several murals painted on downtown buildings which depicted historical aspects of St. Joseph. Parks were all well-maintained with sculptures depicting significant aspects of life from ponies to jazz musicians and more.

RC’s Lunchcar was an interesting choice for downtown dining. Members of our party ordered Cajun wings, BBQ wings, burgers and a BLTA which is basically a BLT with avocado added. This is a trendy type of place where you place your order at a counter and pick it up yourself. From the cooler to the grill to the plate to the table, there is a streamlined process of preparing unique combinations and variations of familiar favorites. The grill is visible and watching the grillmaster is quite entertaining in itself with flying spatulas and a special coordination needed when plating and dressing the orders. This is not just a hobby; it is serious business.

Within the same block, there is a bar located in what used to be a bank. The vault is still in place because it is such a perfect storage place for use as a wine vault. However, I found it more interesting to note the sign which is located near the door: Speakeasy. Say what? That’s right. This is the home of a speakeasy reminiscent of prohibition. Within the vault, a hole has been cut and a spiral staircase descends into the basement where a bar is located with comfortable leather chairs and TV’s. It’s amazing what people will do to escape to a sports bar to watch . . .what? Football of course. You see, St. Joseph is also home to the Kansas City Chiefs training camp. If you think KC is enthusiastic about their team, you’ll be surprised by the way St. Joseph residents declare their preference. If you ask them, they claim the Chiefs as their home team.

Boudreaux Cajun provides an experience like no other. We sampled fried alligator and fried pasta appetizers. Naturally the menu included items such as gumbo and jambalaya. Don’t worry, there are plenty of local favorites such as chicken fried chicken and pasta dishes. One of the unique features was perfect for our group. We like fries and onion rings and often have trouble deciding between the two. Not here. They offer a half and half combo of these two items as a choice among their sides. Why has no one else thought of this before? Dessert was delicious: bourbon pecan pie. There was not a major difference between this and regular pecan pie, but the flavor was ever so slightly richer with the bourbon flavor.

Our host planned a grand finale to our tour of historic St. Joseph. We were going to watch a fireworks display which is a nightly occurence in connection with a baseball game of the St. Jo Mustangs. This is a collegiate baseball team which participates in the M.I.N.K. league. But alas, there had been a delay and the game was so late, with our early departure times the next morning, we opted not to wait.

However, he came to our rescue by taking us to Kris n Kates ice cream. This pink building is shaped like a gigantic ice cream cone. We all enjoyed this nostalgic location for our final farewell. We started out as strangers thrown together for one weekend but ultimately left feeling like family.

Yes, there is quite a contrast from my first weekend getaway. Planning does make a difference. So when you get ready to organize your next Extended Weekend Getaway, be sure to call ahead because some of the most popular of the above mentioned locations require reservations. For more on Missouri

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