Day 1  Learn about the Civil War, Outlaws, the Westward Trails and Lewis & Clark

Begin on Historic Independence Square, with a visit to the 1859 Jail, Marshal’s Home and Museum. Step into the dungeon like limestone cells with 2 foot thick walls and hear about their famous visitors, including outlaw Frank James, Civil War guerilla Cole Younger and William Clark Quantrill of Quantrill’s Raiders. The Provost Marshal who oversaw the 12 cells lived in the adjoining home, fully restored and furnished with period antiques. Through a connecting door lies the museum, boasting authentic clothing, uniforms, handcuffs and irons and an exhibit of  weapons confiscated from prisoners.

Just outside of the jail you can hitch a ride in the covered wagon and enjoy a horse-drawn ride and personally narrated tour through historic Independence, before returning to lunch at one of the quaint restaurants that line the square.

A few blocks away stands the Bingham-Waggoner Estate, a beautifully restored 26 room home that sits along the Santa Fe Trail. Early residents of the home could stand on their porch and watch wagons depart for the west, as well as later civil war battles. There are many evidences of the children who lived in the historic home, from the life sized doll in the kitchen highchair to buggies and children’s clothes in the bedrooms to a large display cabinet with a collection of authentic toys that belonged to the Waggoners on the third floor. About 90 percent of the home’s furnishings are original to its earlier residents. Along one edge of the property, wagon swales (or ruts) from covered wagons can still be seen. Take the self-guided quarter mile swales walking trail with 9 interpretative signs along the way.

 Across the street is the National Frontier Trails Museum, the only museum dedicated to the history and preservation of three major paths to the west; the Santa Fe, the Oregon and the California trails. Besides full size wagons, clothing, tools, artifacts found along the trail, letters and journals of travelers, and the film “West”, children can “pack” their own wagon with the items they might choose to take along with them. A display on “Blazing the Way West” also includes models of Lewis and Clark boats, reproductions of drawings, maps, and copies of pages from the journals of the explorers. Take a few minutes and play the “Oregon Trail” computer game to see what kind of traveler you would make.

Next door is the restored Chicago and Alton Depot, chock full of neat railroad equipment and memorabilia that was used during the 1800s in this working depot.

Evening activities include a trip to major league sporting events (Kansas City Chiefs Football, Kansas City Royals Major League Baseball or Kansas City Wizards Major League Soccer) at the nearby sports arenas a five minute drive away.

Day 2  Learn about puppets, village rural life of 1800s, a rebuilt 1800s Fort and How to Live in Peace.

Begin at the unique Puppetry Arts Institute, for an entertaining and educational

morning learning about the fascinating world of puppets.  This organization was created to help share the collection and inventory of world famous puppeteer Hazelle Rollins, who operated what was the largest puppet factory in the world from Kansas City. View beautiful, authentic ethnic puppets, including shadow puppets, hand puppets, rod puppets and marionettes in the International Room, and over 200 individually handcrafted puppets made by the Hazelle factory in the Hazelle room. There is also a Punch and Judy display, a puppet reference library, and a video of the life of Hazelle. The highlight comes when children are able to pick a head from the factory inventory, paint, dress and create their own puppet and then put on an impromptu show for the family on stage.

A 20 minute drive south is Missouri Town 1855, which is a village of 25 buildings on 30 acres with costumed interpreters, authentic crops and livestock. The village portrays rural life from 1820 through 1860 and includes a mercantile, blacksmith shop and surrey, church, law office, livery stable and stagecoach stop. The town offers occasional special kid-friendly programs.  Alternatively, a 15-20 minute drive east to Sibley takes your family to Fort Osage National Historic Landmark, a reconstructed fort which was built by William Clark on his return from the Pacific. Built in1808, the garrison offered sanctuary for pioneers heading west and also helped guard the frontier. It served as a trading house and also was an important resource for Indian relations. There are special demonstrations, festivals and exhibitions at the Fort during the year.

On your return to Independence, visit the one-of-a-kind Children’s Peace Pavilion, in the Community of Christ Auditorium. The Pavilion encourages children to touch, ponder and experiment through a creative display of interactive, hands-on exhibits and activities. Children can explore mazes, put on puppet shows, create artwork, do puzzles and crawl through a cave as they discover ways that they can discover four main areas of Peace.

Then head to the Truman Presidential Museum and Library, where interactive “decision” theaters let visitors “vote” on what they feel were important factors that influenced the President’s decisions. On the lower level, kids can dress up like Harry, Bess or Margaret, sort mail as Truman did while postmaster, make their own campaign buttons, engage in a computerized “race” to Bess’s home and play a Trivia game.

Unwind at an Independence amusement center, Cool Crest, with mini-golf, video arcade, batting cages, go-karts and pizza, or by visiting a new city attraction, the Oasis Adventure family aquatic center.  Also just opened the adventure oasis water park cutting edge water park  offers a 900 foot lazy river, water slides, water sprays, lap pool, sun deck and a zero-depth beach.

Many one of a kind lodgings such as charming B & Bs or national chain motels abound, and unique eateries on the square  offer choices for all ages.

INFO FOR NEW RELEASE – FREE THINGS TO DO IN INDEPENDENCE

The Community of Christ Temple, 201 S. River, Independence, 816-833-1000 x 3030. Open year round, free tours are offered from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 1 to 4:30 Sunday. Spiraling 300 feet into the air, this striking modernistic building houses a museum, two theaters, bookstore, a 1600 seat sanctuary, multi-cultural artwork and a 102 rank Casavante Freres pipe organ. Free thirty minute organ recitals are presented daily at 3 p.m. in June, July and August. Across from the street at the Community of Christ Auditorium, 1001 W. Walnut, is a terrific children's attraction. The Children's Peace Pavilion is free and open for visits 9:30 a.m. through 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The interactive displays and exhibits encourage the challenge of building peace through such activities as weaving, doing puzzles, working through mazes, acting out resolutions skills through oversized puppets, computer games, music and art. Appropriate for children up to age 12.

Adjacent to the Auditorium is a the third attraction related to Mormon religious heritage. The Mormon Visitors Center, 937 W. Walnut, is currently closed until the fall for major renovation. If the writer's article is not appearing this spring or summer, she may be able to use the following information. The Center has been a wonderful free destination for more than 25 years and is undergoing extensive improvements but will still remain as a free family attraction. Here visitors can learn about the key roles that the Mormons (the Church formally known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) played in the early tempestuous history of Independence. Although specifics are not known, there will probably still be exhibits, displays and multimedia presentations of the doctrine and history of the faith, including artifacts, artwork and hands-on activities. The best estimate is that the Center would re-open in October or November of 2005. The hours and dates of operation will most likely still be 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on a daily basis. The web site for the Church is www.lds.org.

A fourth religious heritage site is the Church of Christ (Temple Lot), at 200 S. River, phone 816-833-3995. This Church offers a Visitors Center I the lower level where people can learn about the original stone markers of a temple lot dedicated by the prophet Joseph Smith in 1831. Open October- April 9 to 4:30 p.m. Mon-Friday, 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday and May through September 9 a.m.  - 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Free. No web site. 

The last Mormon religious heritage attraction is the Heritage Plaza, 1034 W. Lexington, 816-461-6578. Take a free guided or self-guided tours (times are posted at the site), or other times by appointment. Includes the Flourney Home and F.M. Smith Library, built in the 1820s.

Next are two historic sites that relate to the frontier/pioneer era in Independence.  the 1827 Log Courthouse, 107 W. Kansas, 816-325-7431, is a sturdy black walnut structure with a fascinating tale to tell. For forty years, it was the only courthouse between Independence and the Pacific Ocean. Open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Pioneer Spring Cabin, southeast corner of Truman and Noland Roads, 816-325-7111 offers a glimpse of lob cabin life in the 1800s. From April 1-October 31, it is open 10 am. through 2 p.m. Closed Nov-March.

The Chicago and Alton Depot was built in 1879 and is believed to be the oldest two story framed depot remaining in the state of Missouri. It has been meticulously restored, painted, decorated and furnished to be an authentic working depot, complete with waiting room, station office and baggage room. Upstairs are the lovely quarters of the station master and his family, all adorned with period furnishings and artifacts. Also on the upper level are artifacts from the trains which ran on the Chicago and Alton line. Located on the campus of the National Frontier Trails Museum, 318 W. Pacific, phone 816-325-7955. Free, donations accepted. Take a tour of the depot April 1 through October 31 Thursday through Saturday 9 a.m. - 4:30 and Sun 12:30 - 4:30.

The Harry S Truman Home National Historic Site Ticket and Visitors Center, 223 N. Main, 816-254-9929, sells tickets for the Home, located at 219 N. Delaware, which is a paid attraction. The Ticket and Visitors Center, however is free year round. It is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is a gift shop, a display/exhibit area and a free  twelve minute film about the home and its famous inhabitants. Also, visitors may obtain a free map at the Visitors Center for use in a self-guided historical walking tour of Truman sites and neighborhood. The trail begins here and includes 43 customized brass plaques imbedded in the sidewalks throughout the Truman district for 2.7 miles.

Another fascinating historic walking trail is the similarly marked Missouri Mormon walking trail. Beginning at Walnut and River, across the street from the Community of Christ Auditorium, the trail is one mile long, featuring 14 brass sidewalk plaques depicting key early Mormon sites. Brochures available at key sites along the way or at the Temple, Auditorium and (when open) Mormon Visitors Center.

The last walking trail, focused on wagon swales (ruts from covered wagons and animals), is found at the Bingham-Waggoner Estate, just off the parking to at 313 W. Pacific. Across the foot bridge is a one-quarter mile paved surface with nine interpretative signs focusing on the fabled Santa Fe international trade route, which began in Independence. Thousands of wagons and emigrants passed along this trail on their way to the West.  

Janeen Aggen