A guide to the history and natural resources of the Kansas City - St. Joseph area and surrounding communities

 

Calendar of Events
Museums 
 Historical Sites  Historical Organizations  Nature Centers  Environmental Groups Conservation Areas



WindingRiver.com is made
possible by these local sponsors

Smithville Marine
Serving Midwest boaters
for 25 years

Kansas City Paddler
Canoes, kayaks and
paddling gear

Hollingsworth Peonies
More than 200 varieties of
peonies for fall planting

Kincaid Gardens
100% stainless steel
plant markers

Sparks Antiques and
Collectibles Flea Market

400+ Dealers

Kalin Custom Homes
Rural estates and
residential
home building

 

Area Links

Quantrill Society 
The historical record of William Clarke Quantrill

Wizcowz Collectibles
Ebay store, antiques and collectibles in the metro area

2010 Monthly Calendars

[January]  [February]  [March]  [April[May]  [June]

[July]  [August]  [September]  [October]  [November] [December]


Current Exhibitions
The images and text below are courtesy of the hosting organization.

Please use the links below to check with each facility to confirm days they are open
 to the public, hours of operation and admission fees.

The First World War
in Color
 Desert and Winter Blooms

Mapping Missouri

Pony Express Riders
 
 
Opens 9 March
Stories in the Stitches
Opens March 13
Bound for Glory: America in Color
 
 
     
Opens 13 March
Orchids & Ferns
Opens 16 March
Deadly Medicine
   
 
America’s Favorite Doll Rings In
Her 50th in Kansas City!
Car Free Weekends on Cliff Drive


Current Exhibitions

Please visit the websites listed for information on operating hours and admission fees.


Through 7 March
Treasures of the Desert and Winter Blooms

It’s always warm and dry at Powell Gardens’ indoor exhibit of cacti and other succulents. Marvel at the great variety in nature: the spiky, blue-gray agave (used for tequila and mezcal), the leathery euphorbia, the furry white Old Man Cactus, the “living stones” lithops and the brilliant blossom-tipped Christmas cactus. Cool-season flowers add a splash of spring color to the desert exhibit; these include cyclamen, ranunculus, primula, gloxinia and fuchsia.  The Kansas City Cacti & Succulent Society will be on hand March 6-7 to answer questions and offer advice.
Powell Gardens    [Web Site] 
1609 NW Hwy 50, Kingsville, MO  816-697-26
00

5 March - 9 April
Stories in the Stitches Quilt Crawl

In honor of Women's History Month and the Sesquicentennial of the Pony Express this special exhibit features antique quilts that represent the history of quilting. Visitors can expect to find modern variations on traditional designs as well as contemporary designs, small and large quilting projects, quilted fabric dolls, antique sewing machines, and other antiques items related to quilting in the show. Each quilt will be displayed along with the story behind the design. A quilt in progress will also be available so that visitors can try quilting for themselves. the staffs of the Pony Express Museum, the St. Joseph Museum, and the Wyeth-Tootle Mansion are co-sponsoring the event.
The St. Joseph Museums, Inc.    [Web Site]
3406 Frederick Avenue, St. Joseph, MO   816-232-8471
The Pony Express National Museum  [Web Site]
914 Penn St., St. Joseph, MO 64503, 816-279-5059


March 13 – June 6, 2010
Bound for Glory: America in Color

Bound for Glory reveals a surprisingly vibrant world that has typically been viewed only through black-and-white images. The exhibit features work by photographers such as John Bachon, Jack Delano, and Marion Post Wolcott on behalf of the Farm Security Administration and the Office of War Information. They document not only the subjects in the pictures, but also the dawn of the Kodachrome era.
Kansas City Public Library (Central Library)   [Website]
14 W. 10th St.,  Kansas City, MO    816-701-3400

Through May 29, 2010
Mapping Missouri: Maps from the Collection of the Missouri State Archives

Mapping Missouri: Maps from the Collection of the Missouri State Archives  features examples of cartography from the collections of the Missouri State Archives and the National Archives at Kansas City. The exhibition includes historical maps from the 19th century that show how surveying and cartography were key to European American settlement of present-day Missouri. Other maps in the exhibit examine the ways in which geography helps to form a sense of identity and provide valuable information for historians attempting to recreate places and events from the past. Of special note is an 1837 Missouri River survey map attributed to Robert E. Lee, as well as Civil War-era district maps of Missouri and an 1835 hand-drawn map relating to Auguste Chouteau’s land claim near St. Louis.  The exhibit is free.
The National Archives at Kansas City  [Web Site]
400 West Pershing Road, Kansas City, MO     816-268-8000

13 March - 9 May
Orchids & Ferns Exhibit

Powell Gardens’ exquisite orchid collection goes on display alongside a variety of woodland ferns in the conservatory. Visitors also can purchase their own orchids from Bird’s Botanicals throughout the exhibit.
Powell Gardens    [Web Site] 
1609 NW Hwy 50, Kingsville, MO  816-697-26
00

March 16 - June 10, 2010
Deadly Medicine: Creating the Master Race

From 1933-1945, Nazi Germany enlisted the help of physicians, scientists, public health officials and academic experts to develop racial policies aimed at "cleansing" German society of individuals viewed as biological threats to the nation's "health". What begin with the mass sterilization of "genetically diseased" persons resulted in the near annihilation of European Jewry. To relate this history and explore its contemporary implications, the National Archives at Kansas City in partnership with the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education and in cooperation with the Center for Practical Bioethics, will present the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's traveling exhibition Deadly Medicine: Creating the Master Race. Featuring original artifacts, photographs, documents and historic film footage, the exhibit illustrates how Hitler's Nazi regime attempted to implement its vision of an ethnically homogeneous community through a program of racial eugenics that culminated in the Holocaust. This exhibition is appropriate for high school age and above. All exhibit tours are free of charge.
The National Archives at Kansas City  [Web Site]
400 West Pershing Road, Kansas City, MO     816-268-8000

The First World War in Color
Through
1 September
Vivid insight into the Great War through the presentation of newly acquired historical objects from countries around the world. Black and white photography which captured the grey images of the Great War failed to show the flashes of color seen by the soldier. The special exhibition shows the stark contrast between these black and white images and the colorful objects from the war.
National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial   [Web Site]
100 West 26th St., Kansas City, MO  64108   816-784-1918

America’s Favorite Doll Rings In Her 50th in Kansas City!
Opens 14 November and runs through 2010

Her name is universal. Her style is impeccable. Her image is iconic. Her world is a decade of dreams spanning 50 years of sensational style and luxurious living. Who else could we be describing other than the one, the only, the beloved Barbie®! This November, the Toy & Miniature Museum presents their collection of America’s favorite doll, a collaboration of items loaned to the exhibit by collectors, transforming the Museum halls into a shrine of all that is Barbie®. Explore her life of splendor and the evolution of the world’s most iconic toy, bringing joy and imaginative play into the lives of children across the globe.
The Toy and Miniature Museum of Kansas City   [Web Site]
5235 Oak Street  Kansas City, MO 64112  (816) 333-9328

February 1- December 15, 2010
Pony Express Sesquicentennial Event: Riders of the Pony Express

A fascinating overview of Pony Express riders’ lives and times, including19th-century photographs of actual riders, along with mochilas (mail bags), saddles, news clippings, drawings, maps and much more.  2010 Pony Express Sesquicentennial Event Program
The St. Joseph Museums, Inc.    [Web Site]
3406 Frederick Avenue, St. Joseph, MO   816-232-8471

Car Free Weekends at Cliff Drive
Ongoing

For the second summer, Cliff Drive will close to all motorized vehicles at 2 p.m. Friday and remain closed until 8 a.m. on the following Monday. (If a holiday falls on a Friday, the gates will close at 2 p.m. the preceding Thursday. If a holiday falls on Monday, the gates will re-open the following Tuesday at 8 a.m. Pedestrians and bicycle enthusiasts are encouraged to come to Cliff Drive and take advantage of the opportunity it offers to promote a healthy lifestyle.  Cliff Drive, in Kansas City's historic northeast area, was designated a State Scenic Byway in 2000.  The Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department has developed a flyer which describes the rich history of the neighborhood and Drive.  Additional information is also available at the
Cliff Drive Scenic Byway Corridor Management Committee.   website.


PO Box 119 ◦ Smithville MO ◦ 64089 Email Phone  816-898-7485