Other Destinations and Attractions in Missouri

Bonne Terre Mine, named after the town Bonne Terre which is French for good earth, was the worlds foremost producer of lead at the turn of the century. The mine is shaped like a giant cone with 5 levels, all built using the room and pillar method, where pillars of unexcavated rock are left to support the ceiling.

Bollinger Mill is a 19th-century mill with a neighboring covered bridge. The present mill dates back to the Civil War. This four-story stone and brick building is where visitors can observe corn being ground into meal by water power.

The Bates County Museum of Pioneer History Complex contains an array of artifacts dating back to before the Civil War. On the grounds are a furnished log cabin with Daniel Boone memorabilia, a stagecoach depot, an 1894 county jail and Sheriff's home as well as two buildings filled with agricultural equipment.

The visitors center at Burgers' Smokehouse features dioramas that depict the seasons of the year and exhibits display ingredients, pictures, and artifacts that explain the art of meat curing.

Named in 1834, in honor of the Earl of Camden in appreciation for his stand against taxation without representation.

Camdenton is an ideal base for visitors to tour Bridal Cave, visit Ha Ha Tonka State Park as well as numerous golf courses.

Bridal Cave was name for a legendary Indian wedding ceremony tale that was held in the cave in the early 1800s. In keeping with the tradition of the Native American legend, the Cave can be reserved for as a wedding chapel. Within the cavern is Mystery Lake.

Located in a Victorian-style house with three floors of furnishings, clothing, tools and memorabilia from the Centralia area as well as adjoining 'Chance Gardens'.

Clarksville was founded in 1816 and became known as Appletown due to the large quantities of apples that were shipped from the town.

The main museum structure, for the Henry County Museum, is the historic Anheuser-Busch building constructed in 1886 and used as a distribution center. Collections include rare antiques from the Courtenay Thomas Collection as well as works by artists Louis and Elsie Freund.

The Homestead area, across the street from the main building, includes buildings from an 1800's farmstead such as a barn, corn crib, and outhouse.

Graham Cave State Park features an unusual sandstone cave that contained evidence of human occupancy as early as 10,000 years ago. Artifacts revealed human use of the cave with clues to the lifestyle of the ancient Dalton and Archaic period Native Americans uncovered.

The 1,005-acre Big Oak Tree State Park gets its name from giant trees, many have been identified as the largest of their species. Visitors can also get a close-up view of remnants of the vast swamp forest that once covered Missouri's Bootheel.

This bird watchers paradise has more than 150 species of birds, including some considered to be rare.

John Clemens moved to Florida from Tennesee in 1835 and his son, Samuel Clemens was born in the town. As Mark Twain, he wrote some of his early literature in Florida as well.

The Mark Twain Birthplace and Museum contains the preserved two-room cabin in which Samuel Langhorne Clemens was born, as well as first editions of Mark Twain's works, and a handwritten manuscript of "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer".

In 1839, several settlements were founded by a group of German Saxon Lutherans - Frohna was one of these settlements. These same settlers founded the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. The Saxon Lutheran Memorial features a visitor center, log parish schoolhouse, and a log and frame house built by one of the original settlers.

George Washington Carver National Monument has a historic museum and interactive exhibits about the life of George Washington Carver.

The grounds house the Carver Science Discovery Center featuring activities and lab experiments. The Carver Nature Trail has numerous stops including a boyhood statue of Carver.

House in an 1861 church building, the Glasgow Community Museum displays a period room preserved by the Presbyterian Church, photos and artifacts of Glasgow and nearby towns, as well as paintings by Cornelia Kuemmel.

The Truman Farm consists of a reconstructed farm house (the original house burned to the ground in 1893) and smokehouse; the Grandview post office that became the garage to store his 1911 Stafford automobile; a restored box wagon once used on the farm; as well as several stone fence posts marking the original boundaries of the farm.

Elephant Rocks are giant granite rocks standing end-to-end like a train of circus elephants. Visitors can easily view the granite boulders from the one-mile Braille Trail, designed to accommodate people with visual or physical disabilities, or go off the trail where they can explore the maze of giant elephant rocks.

The J C Penney Museum contains items belonging to JC Penney and explains his contributions to American retailing. The home was moved to the original farm site and has been renovated to its 1875-1900 appearance.

The site was the location of the Confederate Home which provided refuge to more than 1,600 veterans and their families for nearly 60 years. Visitors can stroll through the restored 106-year-old chapel and historic cemetery.

Hogan is located at the foot of the Taum Sauk Mountain. According to American Indian lore, the mountain's rugged face is attributed to the unhappiness of Mina Sauk, daughter of Taum Sauk, chief of the Piankishaws.

Taum Sauk is a water reservoir plant that is used to produce electricity. An observation platform is available for viewing.

The renovated Oliver House from the late 1800's provides a look at home life from 1850-1900 including period furniture, historic photographs and turn of the century clothing. The Oliver family lived in the house from 1881 to 1896.

Jesse James was born on this farm in 1847. The Jesse James Museum is divided up between three rooms filled with artifacts that include the remains of Jesse's original headstone base that has survived from vandals; clothing worn by Jesse and the rest of the James family; three of Jesse's guns; documents, photos of the family bible; Jesse's boots worn the day he was murdered, and parts of Jesse's original wooden casket are displayed along with pictures of him the day he died.

Powell Gardens is a 915-acre botanical garden that has served as a dairy farm, Boy Scout camp, as well as an agricultural and natural resource center. Powell has four major gardens--the Perennial Garden, Rock & Waterfall Garden, Island Garden and the Visitor Center Gardens.

The latest addition is the Fountain Garden where visitors can sit and relax or enjoy a cooling dip.

Laclede is home to Locust Creek Covered Bridge, built in 1868.

The house is a shrine to the leader of America's forces in World War I, General John Pershing, and is furnished with antiques and personal belongings.

Lake Ozark is named for the lake it surrounds. It is a popular resort area that offers fishing, swimming, and boating.

The Truman Birthplace was built between 1880 and 1882 and occupied by the Truman until 1885. The furnishings inside the house and the surrounding landscape represent a typical home of its style during that time period. It has neither electricity nor indoor plumbing.

Onondaga Cave is one of the largest lighted caves in Missouri. It has lacy patterns and large formations of onyx. Onondaga Cave State Park provides opportunity for camping, fishing, hiking and swimming.

Linn Creek offers historical and recreational attractions.

Big Surf is a 22-acre waterpark that offers waves, white-water rapids, flumes and a lazy river ride. There is a Tropical Island for infants and an activity pool for older children.

Lake of the Ozarks Waterpark offers bumper cars, bumper boats, Nascart and Pro-Trac racers, and a miniature golf course.

Visitors can view a decorated living area with period furnishings and clothing exhibits at the Malden Historical Museum. An extensive collection of period garments and accessories from the 1900s, along with a shawl from the 1800s. Other exhibits include World War I memorabilia including weapons, tools, coins and surgical instruments used by doctors during the Civil War.

Scenic drives, hunting, camping, fishing, canoeing and hiking are available throughout the Mark Twain National Forest.

Van Meter State Park was once the homeland of the Missouri Indians, they inhabited the area through the early 1700s. Prehistoric Indian tribes also lived in the area dating back to 10,000 BC - their burial mounds remain in the park. The "old fort," a six-acre, Missouri Indian earthwork construction of unknown purpose is featured.

The park features hiking trails, fishing opportunities, camping, a fresh-water marsh, upland forests and picnic sites.

Maryville is named for Mary Graham, the first woman settler of European decent, in the village. She built the first house in Maryville, along with her husband, in 1844. Nearby Mozingo Lake offers fishing, boating and hiking trails.

The Nodaway County Historical Society Museum has an interactive children's area, Asian artifacts, horse-racing memorabilia and military uniforms on display.

The Downing House is a Greek Revival style mansion built in 1858, it features exhibits and memorabilia of 8'4'' Ella Ewing, known as 'Missouri's Giantess.' The Boyer House displays items of county history and period furnishings.

Squaw Creek, located along the Missouri River floodplain, was established as a refuge for migratory birds and other wildlife. Currently 268 species of birds inhabit the refuge. Hiking trails, observation towers, exhibits and an auto tour route are also available.

In the 1850s Nevada found itself in the middle of a violent border war between those who supported slavery and those who wanted to abolish it. The situation worsened after the Civil War began, and Nevada became the Bushwhacker Capital.

The Bushwhacker Museum chronicles the history of Vernon County through displays that include an 1860s jail, 1870s Sheriff's home, Osage Indian display, Civil War display, 1900s doctor's office and home.

Features of this living cave, Onyx Mountain Caverns, are the onyx formations 35 feet high as well as flowstone draperies, stalagmites and stalactites. Indian tribes used this cavern for shelter thousands of years ago. This is known from the ash beds, bear beds, and fire pits that have been discovered. The underground river flows through the caverns without an end in sight!

Located in the Ozarks, Osage Beach is a popular vacation spot.

Located in an outlying portion of Lake Ozarks State Park, Ozark Caverns is a fairly large cave offering tours that go into detail about caves and cave life. Water recreation is available at the public swimming beaches, which also offer shady picnic areas nearby.

The Ozarks are one of the oldest mountain ranges in North America. The hardwood forests conceal over 4,000 caves. The Riverways are portions of Jacks Fork and the Current Rivers. They are noted for the many springs - over 60 in total and the two rivers provide opportunity for water recreation.

Lead mining began in Missouri nearly 280 years ago, Missouri Mines State Historic Site features a museum with restored underground mining equipment and a powerhouse that houses mining machinery and a mineral collection.

Twelve recreational areas within the Clarence Cannon Dam and Mark Twain Lake water project provide for a variety of activities that include boating, fishing, swimming, camping, hiking and hunting. The Clarence Cannon Powerhouse exhibit has hands-on displays, the history of the Army Corps Engineers project and natural history displays.

General Sweeny's Museum of Civil War History displays thousands of artifacts including weapons, uniforms, photographs, flags and other relics. The artifacts and weapons are mainly from the war in the Trans-Mississippi, the area west of the Mississippi River.

Twenty-five rooms of artifacts dating from about 1910 include Civil War memorabilia, genealogy, library, and Indian artifacts. Several special rooms such as the Black Heritage Room and the Mormon Room are also featured.

The Chariton County Historical Society Museum is located in the renovated Fellows Hatchery with a new addition that houses a replica of early 1900's main street. The main street addition features a general store, blacksmith shop, printing shop, barber shop and bank.

Exhibits depict the history of Andrew County including the permanent exhibit, A Rural Way of Life, which focuses on the people and places of Andrew county from 1841-2001. The Duncan Gallery has exhibits featuring Kewpie and French dolls, and antique cars.

Fort Osage was the second U S outpost built in the Louisiana Purchase. It received explorers and dignitaries, trappers, trades and Native American leaders. The Fort is a reconstruction from original plans still in existence.

The Maramec Museum houses natural and cultural history exhibits. Displays show the native wildlife in their natural habitats and the history of the Iron Works is explained using working models and displays.

Maramec Spring Park was the site of the first successful ironworks west of the Mississippi River. The Maramec Spring produces an average of 96,000,000 gallons of water per day.

The primary emphasis of the Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge has changed from ducks to Canada Geese. Each winter it attracts more than 100 bald eagles.

Grand Gulf State Park is also referred to as Missouri's "Little Grand Canyon," offering visitors a chance to view a variety of natural wonders such as a canyon, cave and natural bridge. The story of the Grand Gulf is explained through outdoor exhibits.

The Grundy County Museum is housed in a building completed in 1895. The main building houses three floors of historic items such as railroad toys, furniture, farm implements, Indian artifacts, school items, military memorabilia, radios, and telephone artifacts.

Unity Village is home to Unity School of Christianity. Flower gardens, fountains, and nature trails are found on the grounds. The onsite library features a collection of metaphysical material and archives.

Bonniebrook is the family homestead of Rose O'Neill, artist, writer and creator of the Kewpies. The Victorian home was reconstructed after a fire burned it to the ground in 1947. The replica Bonniebrook contains over 50 of Rose O'Neill's original artwork and Kewpie items as well as antique furniture and other household items.

The Maggie Fisher Centre is located on the grounds and houses the museum, gift shop, and banquet facility.

Located at the head of Lake of the Ozarks, Warsaw is a popular vacation center. The early stagecoach route, the Butterfield Overland Trail, can be hiked within the town.

Located in the 1886 Warsaw schoolhouse, the Benton County Museum features items from the early 1800s to 1935.

The Harry S Truman Dam Visitor Center provides a spectacular view of the dam and reservoir from the Kaysinger Bluff. Exhibits include an audiovisual display of the Ozark Mountains, a photography exhibit of the area and a fossil display.