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| DESCRIPTION: Located in nearby Kearney, Mo., the Jesse James Farm & Museum features the world's largest display of James family artifacts and the outlaw's original gravesite. Also on-site is the authentically preserved farm house where James was born in 1847. |
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| ADDRESS: 21216 James Farm Road, Kearney, Mo. |
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| LOCATION: About 25 miles north of downtown Kansas City. |
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| PHONE: 816-736-8500 |
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| WEB SITE: www.jessejames.org |
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HIGHLIGHTS:
- Each tour begins inside the museum with a short film introducing visitors to the James family, the criminal pursuits of the James brothers and the assassination of Jesse.
- Among the artifacts in the museum's collection are three of Jesse's guns and the boots he was wearing when he was killed.
- Guided tours of the farmhouse are offered every half hour. The home has been historically preserved and features James family furnishings and personal belongings.
- The museum store sells period games, toys and James apparel. An assortment of biographies, cookbooks and newspaper reproductions-including the St. Joseph Gazette announcing James' assassination in 1882, are also available.
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| HOURS: Open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily May- Sept. Reduced hours Oct.-April: Open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Sat. and noon-4 p.m. Sun. |
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| ADMISSION: Adults $7.50; seniors $6.50; children (ages 8-15) $4. Children under 8 are admitted free. |
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| ANNUAL ATTENDANCE: Almost 18,000. |
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| HISTORY: The cabin was originally built in 1822 by Jacob Groomer and is one of the oldest standing structures in Clay County. Jesse James' father, Robert James, purchased the property in 1845. In 1893, Jesse's mother, Zerelda, purchased an "Eastlake Cottage" addition from a mail order catalog. After Zerelda died in 1911, her son, Frank, and his wife Annie moved back to the home and greeted visitors. Frank died in 1915 and Annie lived there until her death in 1944. Frank's son, Robert lived in the home until his death in 1959. Jesse's grandsons then kept the house open to the public until they sold it to Clay County in 1978. At that point, the elements had just about claimed the farm and it was in ruins. The county began an extensive restoration of the cabin and by the next summer visitors were once again encouraged to visit the historic site. |
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| WHAT'S NEARBY: The Jesse James Bank Museum is a 15-minute drive south to downtown Liberty, Mo. Located on the historic Liberty Square, the bank was the site of the first daylight robbery during peacetime. Watkins Woolen Mill State Park and Historic Site is located 4 miles east of the James Farm. Both sites are open year-round. |
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| DID YOU KNOW: More than 50 movies have been made about Jesse James. Among the actors to portray the famous outlaw are Roy Rogers, Kris Kristofferson, Robert Duvall, Robert Wagner, Collin Farrell, Rob Lowe and Brad Pitt. |
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| GROUP TOURS: Discounts are available to groups of 15 or more. Contact the museum for details. |
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DRIVING THERE: From the north: Take I-35 south to exit 26. East on MO-92 through Kearney. Turn north (left) on Jesse James Farm Road. Follow this road to the farm approximately 1 mile. The museum will be on your left.
From the south: Take I-35 north to exit 26. East on MO-92 through Kearney. Turn north (left) on Jesse James Farm Road. Follow this road to the farm approximately 1 mile. The museum will be on your left.
From the west: Take I-70 east and exit on I-35 north to exit 26. East on MO-92 through Kearney. Turn north (left) on Jesse James Farm Road. Follow this road to the farm approximately 1 mile. The museum will be on your left.
From the east: Take I-70 west and exit on I-35 north to exit 26. East on MO-92 through Kearney. Turn north (left) on Jesse James Farm Road. Follow this road to the farm approximately 1 mile. The museum will be on your left. |
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| PARKING: Free in the museum's parking lot. |
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| PUBLIC RELATIONS CONTACT: Elizabeth Beckett, Clay County Historic Sites Director, at 816-736-8502 or bbeckett@claycogov.com. |
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