Missouri – Day Trip to Independence - National Frontier Trails Museum & Harry Truman NHS
Independence, Missouri is located just to the east of Kansas City. Its history is tied to the westward expansion of the United States, and there are a few interesting sites to visit if you are in the area for the day.
The National Frontier Trails Museum is not part of the National Park Service, but it is telling the story of several National Park Service Historic Trails. Independence is the starting point for several major westward trails. The information at this museum is wonderful, and the stories it tells are great.
As with any great visitor’s center, there is a film to watch. It talks about the westward migration during the 1800's, why it was occurring and what the people that made the trip were facing. The City of Independence had many outfitters and was used as a place to stock up on provisions, get horseshoes made, and to gather information about the routes to the west.
This museum focuses on the Lewis and Clark Trail, Sante Fe Trail, California Trail, Oregon Trail and the Trail of Tears. There are exhibits outside where you can see large ruts still visible from the wagons and get a feel for how muddy and difficult the ride could be. Inside, in addition to the film, there are excerpts from the diary of Lewis and Clark, along with maps and other information for reference.
This is a great museum to stop at, and for a mere $6, it is a great way to get a better understanding of the trails, how and why they were used, and what life was like for a family that was using the trail to go west. The website for this museum is at: http://www.ci.independence.mo.us/NFTM
Independence, Missouri is also the birthplace of former president Harry Truman, and has several sites related to Harry S Truman.
The Harry S. Truman National Historic Site and the Harry S. Truman Library are both located a short distance from the Trails museum. The Historic Site consists of a Visitors Center, which is located on one of the downtown streets, and his home, which is a short distance away. The Visitor's Center has a film about his life, as well as a few historical displays and a small shop. The film was very insightful, and covered Truman's life in Independence, as well as his life in the White House.
This is a nice spot for a day trip that can take you through a few different times in our nation’s history.
