Day Trips - Independence, Missouri
Visit Independence, MO! It is only about 30 minutes east of downtown Kansas City off I-70. For more information, call 866-657-6338 or browse www.visitindependence.com.
Harry S. Truman Library and Museum
Enjoy a film by producer Charles Guggenheim, exhibits and memorabilia on Truman's presidency and private life. Of special interest is a full-scale reproduction of the Oval Office circa 1948 and the gravesites of Harry and Bess. The Museum has completed a $22 million renovation which includes a new multi-media exhibit with two interactive decision theaters on the Truman presidency. Discounts are available for groups of 15 or more. Guided tours are available, if requested at least four weeks in advance.
Allow at least 90 minutes
1859 Jail, Marshal’s Home & Museum
Massive walls and barred windows that once housed outlaw Frank James give a chilling look at frontier justice. Next to the jail is a federalist style house that was home for the county marshal until the 1920s.
Allow 45 minutes
Bingham-Waggoner Estate
Built in 1852, along the 1846 alignment of the Santa Fe Trail, this magnificient home was once owned by George C. Bingham, famed Civil War artist. In the 1890s, the Waggoner’s purchased the home and 95 percent of the furnishings today are original to the home.
Allow 45 minutes
Vaile Mansion
This home was built in 1881 by local entrepreneur and U.S. mail contractor Harvey Merrick Vaile. According to Architectmagazine, the ornate 30-room mansion is one of the finest examples of Second-Empire Victorian architecture in the country. Colorful ceiling murals, lavish furnishings, hand-painted murals and whimsical detailing make this home a “must see.”
Allow 45 minutes
National Frontier Trails Museum
Explore the story of America’s expansion in the 1800s along the three great trails that led pioneers west—The Santa Fe, Oregon and California Trails. All three began in or near Independence, known as the “Queen City of the Trails.”
Allow 1 hour
Community of Christ Temple & Auditorium
Visit two unique facilities serving as the world headquarters for the Community of Christ. The temple features a 1,600 seat sanctuary, a spiral ceiling raising nearly 200 feet, a 102 rank Casavant pipe organ and a chapel overlooking a meditation garden. The green-domed auditorium building features a 15-minute video presentation and tour of conference chamber with 114-rank Aeolian Skinner organ, one of the largest church organs in the United States. Organ concerts are offered daily in June, July and August.
Allow 1 hour
Leila’s Hair Museum
Leila’s Hair Museum pays tribute to the Victorian-era art of hair jewelry and wreaths. Family members would craft these keepsakes from locks of their loved-ones’ hair. Leila’s is a one-of-a-kind museum.
Allow 30 minutes