Missouri Town Living History Museum
Preserving the Authentic Experience of 1800s Western Missouri Agriculture
DETAILS
Project: Cultivating Connections: Bringing Mid-1800s Agriculture to Life
Term: Five Years
Commitment: $125,000
DESCRIPTION
The Missouri Town Living History Museum cultivates connections between the past and the present for a diverse audience by sharing Jackson County’s mid-19th-century history through interpretation, experiential learning, and historic preservation. Missouri Town features more than 25 buildings dating from 1822 to 1860 spread across nearly 30 picturesque acres. Original structures from seven western Missouri counties are filled with historic tools and furnishings, setting the stage for life in the mid-1800s.
This project aims to use living history to give visitors a better understanding of the connections between the history of mid-1800s Western Missouri agriculture and its politics, economics, society, and culture. Program offerings will include historic agricultural workshops, expanded and enhanced pastures, an expanded crop program, and creation of a toddler and a homeschool program. Funding will also be used to expand the museum’s livestock program as well as enhance its volunteer program and community partnerships.
OBJECTIVES
Marketing: Increase admissions and attract additional volunteers through expanded marketing efforts
Programming: Purchase materials for agricultural workshops, pasture maintenance, and hands-on demonstrations using historic agricultural equipment.
Volunteers: Purchase more interpretive clothing for volunteer interpreters, provide opportunities for training in historic crafts
Livestock: Purchase cattle, related care supplies, and interpretive signage.
Learn more about the Preserving America Partners program.
