April 2007 Calendar of Events
Area Museums, Historical Sites and Historical Organizations

New Links

Announcements
News and views related to our history and natural resources.

Antique and Collectibles
2008 Show Calendar

Free 2008 Calendar (downloadable) with historic images when you sign up to receive our weekly email newsletter.

WANT TO BECOME A MASTER GARDENER?
Join the Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City!

Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City educate the public on gardening topics, answer gardening questions, and are proud contributors in their community.  Some of the programs Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City are involved in are Hotline, Speakers Bureau, Garden Tour, Demonstration garden plots, Special Events, and Community Projects, which include: Ronald McDonald House, Watkins Woolen Mill historic heirloom garden, Martha LaFitte Thompson Nature Sanctuary, Harvesters, and much, much more.   Application for the next class is due on June 9.  Additional Information.

Through April 7, 2007
Buck O'Neill: Right on Time
This traveling exhibit from the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum was originally unveiled in 2001 to commemorate the 90th birthday of baseball legend John Jordon "Buck" O'Neill, Jr.  It has been touring the country since that time and makes a brief return visit to Kansas City where it is on display in Kirk Hall of the Central Library.  Regular library hours; exhibit is free. (Calendar listing from Kansas City Public Library website.)
Kansas City Public Library (Central Library), 14 W. 10th St.,  Kansas City, MO  816-701-3543  [Website]

Through April 29, 2007
The Photographer's Eye: Kansas City through the lens of Warner Studio
As a commercial photographer living and working in Kansas City in the 1950's, Warner Untersee made a living promoting "The American Dream."  Without intending it, Untersee also became a visual anthropologist.  His work is an invaluable record of mid-20th century American life and culture, providing historical perspective on sociology, architecture, urban planning, sports, leisure, fashion and pop culture in Kansas City.  Regular museum admission and hours.  Suggested donation of $2.50 for adults and $2 for seniors and children ages 3-17; Tuesday-Saturday 9:30-4:30, Sunday 12-4:30.
Kansas City Museum at Corinthian Hall, 3218 Gladstone Blvd., Kansas City, MO  64123   816-483-8300  [Web Site]

Through May 27th, 2007
Foundations of Victorian Fashion
Imagine trying to lace your waist to less than 20 inches.  How do you walk through a crowded room with a hoop skirt?  What is a bustle and why would anyone wear one?  Explore these questions and more through an exhibit of petticoats, bustles, crinolines, corsets and gowns displayed in the fully restored 1858 antebellum home of John Wornall.  Regular museum admission.
The John Wornall House Museum,   6115 Wornall Road,   Kansas City, MO  
(816) 444-1858  [Web Site]

Through 24 June
Finding Alvin Ailey
Papers, scripts, study notebooks and photographs will be presented for the first time from the Allen Gray Collection at the Black Archives of Mid-America. Opening reception Sunday, April 1 at 2:00 pm. with special guest, Mr. Kevin Rotardier. [Additional Details] (Listing from the Heritage League of Greater Kansas City member notification program,  Web Site)
Kansas City Museum at Corinthian Hall  [Web Site]
3218 Gladstone Blvd., Kansas City, MO  64123   816-483-8300

Through August 12, 2007
Made in Johnson County
Locally made products and inventions are the subject of the Johnson County Museum's latest exhibit, Made in Johnson County.  Exhibit presents the major enterprises in Johnson County from the 1850s to the modern day and the major technological changes which sparked greater diversification in our local business community.  Regular museum hours; admission is free.
Johnson County Museum of History, 6305 Lackman Rd., Shawnee, KS  66217   
913-715-2550  [Web Site]

1 April, Sunday, 2:00 pm
Opening Reception for the Finding Alvin Ailey Special Exhibit
Papers, scripts, study notebooks and photographs will be presented for the first time from the Allen Gray Collection at the Black Archives of Mid-America. Opening reception. Special guest, Mr. Kevin Rotardier. [Additional Details] (Listing from the Heritage League of Greater Kansas City member notification program,  Web Site)
Kansas City Museum at Corinthian Hall  [Web Site]
3218 Gladstone Blvd., Kansas City, MO  64123   816-483-8300

3 April, Tuesday, 7:00 pm
Treasures from the Collections of the St. Joseph Museums, Inc.
A series of programs presenting a different selection of fascinating artifacts from The St. Joseph Museums, Inc., collections on three consecutive Tuesday evenings. The artifacts and the background behind them will be presented by Museum Curator of Collections Sarah Elder, and Museum Head of Security and Maintenance, Andy Meyer. Admission is free and refreshments will be available. Please call 816-232-8471 for more information.
The St. Joseph Museums, Inc.    [Web Site]
3406 Frederick Avenue, St. Joseph, MO   816-232-8471

5 April, Thursday, 2:00 pm
Gallery Walk Guided Tour: Children on the Trails
Join us for a 30-minute guided tour of the gallery focusing on the experiences of
children on the Oregon and California Trails. Regular Museum Admission
National Frontier Trails Museum      [Web Site]
318 W. Pacific, Independence, MO 64050, 816-325-7575

7 April, Saturday, 10:00 am
Dougherty District - Liberty, MO Historic Architecture Tour
The Dougherty District tour will be led by Paul Victor, Dougherty Historic District Group.  Meet at Rotary Park at the corner of Franklin and Gallatin Streets.  Highlights century-old residences and commercial structures in Liberty's celebrated historic district.  Tour is on foot and lasts approximately one hour; participants are reminded to wear comfortable walking shoes.  Hosted by the City of Liberty and Historic Downtown Liberty, Inc.
Historic Downtown Liberty, Inc.  [Web Site]
The City of Liberty [Web Site]

7 April, Saturday, 9:00 am
The Lone Jack Civil War Museum Preservation Trust Park Clean Up Day
Assist cleaning up the Lone Jack Battlefield. Lunch and T-shirts will be provided.
Lone Jack Civil War Battlefield, 301 S Bynum Road, Lone Jack, Missouri 64070
816-805-1815  [Web Site]

7 April, Saturday, 8:00 am-12:00 pm
The Great Jesse James: Shoot Out and Festivities
Commemorative Frontier Shoot Out, commemorating the 125th anniversary of the assassination of Jesse James.  $15.00 Entry Fee, includes one-year membership in The Friends of the James Farm.  On-site registration begins at 8:00 am, registration ends promptly at 9:00 am.  Prizes available for 1st, 2nd, 3rd places.  Afterwards attend a hot dog lunch, a memorial tree planting, and presentations on "The Life and Times of Jesse James" and "Social Outlaws and Notorious Persons of the Missouri-Kansas Border Area 1860-1880" by local experts.  Sponsored by the Clay County Parks & Recreation Department and The Friends of the James Farm.
The James Farm,  21216 James Farm Road,  Kearney, MO 64065  (816) 628-6065
[Web Site]

10 April, Tuesday, 7:00 pm
Treasures from the Collections of the St. Joseph Museums, Inc.
A series of programs presenting a different selection of fascinating artifacts from The St. Joseph Museums, Inc., collections on three consecutive Tuesday evenings. The artifacts and the background behind them will be presented by Museum Curator of Collections Sarah Elder, and Museum Head of Security and Maintenance, Andy Meyer. Admission is free and refreshments will be available. Please call 816-232-8471 for more information.
The St. Joseph Museums, Inc.    [Web Site]
3406 Frederick Avenue, St. Joseph, MO   816-232-8471

12 April, Thursday, 2:00 pm
Gallery Walk Guided Tour: Children on the Trails
Join us for a 30-minute guided tour of the gallery focusing on the experiences of
children on the Oregon and California Trails. Regular Museum Admission
National Frontier Trails Museum      [Web Site]
318 W. Pacific, Independence, MO 64050, 816-325-7575

14 April, Saturday, 10:00 am
Walking Tour: Trails From the Square
Thousands of peopleembarked on to the Oregon, California and Santa Fe Trails from
Independence, Missouri. On this one-hour walking tour, you will explore the historic Independence Square, talk about the jumping off experience, and discuss the methods used to commemorate this important era in United States history. $5.00 per person Advanced reservations are required. Weather permitting. Meet at the Truman Statue on the east side of the Courthouse Square
National Frontier Trails Museum      [Web Site]
318 W. Pacific, Independence, MO 64050, 816-325-7575

15 April, Sunday, 2:00 pm
Border War Reenactors at Beautiful Historic Elmwood Cemetery
The LeCompton Players, the Sons of Confederate Veterans, Harold Dellinger, period musicians, and a host of other characters will be at the Elmwood Cemetery to tell their tales of Kansas and Missouri battles that eventually give rise to the nation's Civil War. John Brown, Abraham Lincoln, James Lane, Reverend Thomas Johnson, and Harriet Beecher Stowe will be but a few who will be represented that day! Admission is $10.00 for adults, $5.00 for children under 12 years of age.
Historic Elmwood Cemetery, 4900 E. Truman Road, Kansas City, MO 64127 
816-231-0373

15 April, Sunday, 2 pm
Recovering the Life of Clarina Nichols: 19th Century Abolitionist and Suffragist
Abolitionist and suffragist, Clarina Nichols left a privileged New England life to come West and take up women's rights and the abolition of slavery in Kansas Territory.  Local author Diane Eickhoff will discuss how assembling the fragments of Nichols' story - stretching from Vermont to California - changed her own life, and how breakthroughs in digital technology allowed her to establish the Quindaro Press publishing company with her husband, Kansas City Star TV critic and co-presenter Aaron Barnhart.  Eickhoff is the author of Revolutionary Heart: the Life of Clarina Nichols and the Pioneering Crusade for Women's Rights.
Kansas City Public Library (Plaza Branch), 4801 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64112  816-701-3491 [Web Site]
(Calendar listing from Kansas City Public Library Brochure)

18-22 April, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
The Coalition of Historic Trekkers & Natural World
Trek along the banks of the Missouri River and explore, as documented by the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the plants and animals of nearly 200 years ago.  Morning and afternoon sessions offered.  Adults-$5.00, Youth 5-13 and Seniors-$3.00, Under 5yrs.-Free 
Fort Osage, 105 Osage St.,  Sibley, MO 64088  816-503-4860   [Web Site] 
(Calendar listing from the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Website)

19 April, Thursday, 2:00 pm
Gallery Walk Guided Tour: Children on the Trails
Join us for a 30-minute guided tour of the gallery focusing on the experiences of
children on the Oregon and California Trails. Regular Museum Admission
National Frontier Trails Museum      [Web Site]
318 W. Pacific, Independence, MO 64050, 816-325-7575

19 April, Thursday, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Contemporary History --- Observations from the Field
Presented by Dr. Don Wright. All programs are free, and open to the public. You need a picture identification card to enter Fort Leavenworth.
Location: Frontier Army Museum on Fort Leavenworth
Presented by the Fort Leavenworth Historical Society  [Website]

21 April, Saturday, 1:00 am - 4:00 pm
Spring on the Farm at Watkins Mill
Spring has come to the Watkins farm! The public is invited to visit for a day filled with fun and learning! Witness 1870's style sheep shearing. Enjoy our American Livestock Breeds Conservatory display of rare and endangered livestock. Take a stroll through our heirloom garden while 1870's attired interpreters prepare the raised beds and plant vegetable seeds saved from our heirloom plants the year before. Other activities throughout the day will include heritage cooking demonstrations in the Summer Kitchen, Victorian era games, and a special bee keeping demonstration: 1870s style!
Watkins Woolen Mill State Park and State Historic Site, Lawson, MO 
816-580-3387    [Web Site]

21 April, Saturday, 3:00 pm
The Great War:  Tragedy or Mistake?
The first of five forums on the impact of World War 1, each featuring a conversation between two leading authorities and audience members examining the legacies of the First World War and its continued relevance to our lives.  The forums are hosted by The National World War One Museum, The Truman Presidential Library & Museum and The Kansas City Public Library. Visit website link for additional information on speakers. Free admission, but reservations strongly recommended through host facility.  Host facility for this forum:
National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial   [Web Site]
100 West 26th St., Kansas City, MO  64108   816-784-1918

21 April, Saturday, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Fort Leavenworth 30th Annual Historic Homes Tour, Dragoon Encampment and Pioneer Cultural Exhibit
12 homes with a variety of architectural style are featured on this years tour as well as the historic Memorial Chapel.  In addition to the tour the Living History Association's annual Dragoon Encampment will be at the Main Parade Field. Other events include a pioneer cultural exhibit.  A picture I.D. is necessary to enter the Fort.  Tickets available at the Frontier Army Museum Gift Shop, $8.00 in advance, $10 day of tour.  Photo courtesy of The Frontier Army Museum, Fort Leavenworth, KS. [Additional Information]

April 25 Through August 31, 2007
What Does it Mean to be an American Girl?
An original exhibit, anchored by the popular American Girl Collection®.  The exhibit explores the spirit of girlhood through several periods in American history and is complemented by an exciting interactive event series.  Regular museum hours and admission. 
The Toy and Miniature Museum of Kansas City,  5235 Oak Street,  Kansas City, MO 64112  (816) 333-9328  [Web Site]

26 April, Thursday, 2:00 pm
Gallery Walk Guided Tour: Children on the Trails
Join us for a 30-minute guided tour of the gallery focusing on the experiences of
children on the Oregon and California Trails. Regular Museum Admission
National Frontier Trails Museum      [Web Site]
318 W. Pacific, Independence, MO 64050, 816-325-7575

26 April, Thursday, 6:30 pm
Guided Tour: *Evening Wagon Ride and Swales Walk*
Explore the Santa Fe exhibit gallery, take a ride in a wagon pulled by genuine
Missouri Mules, and investigate swales (grassed over wagon ruts) made by Santa Fe-bound caravans. $12.00 for adults, $8.00 for children 6-17 Advance reservations are required. Weather permitting.
National Frontier Trails Museum      [Web Site]
318 W. Pacific, Independence, MO 64050, 816-325-7575

26 April, Thursday, 6:00 pm
Women of the Border War - Border War Social Dinner and Forum
"Women of the Border War" presented by Jean Warren, Women's Historian and Author, co-owner of James Country Mercantile in Liberty, Missouri.  Event held at Homestead Country Club, 6510 Mission Rd., Prairie Village, Kansas.  Social Hour with a cash bar will begin at 6:00 pm.  Dinner begins at 6:30 pm.  $23.00 per person, reservation required.  Please make checks payable to the Monnett Fund and mail to: Monnett Fund, 23414 W. 54th St., Shawnee Mission, KS 66226-2709.  Sponsored by the Shawnee Indian Mission State Historic Site and the Monnett Battle of Westport Fund.