There aren’t too many historical locations whose claims to fame include more than one memorable event. Patee House is different in that respect.
St. Joseph, Missouri, is known for the beginning of the first formal mail delivery system in the United States, the Pony Express, and also for the ending of the life of one of the nation’s most infamous men, Jesse James. Patee House, which first opened in 1858 as a hotel, played roles in both occurrences – and it is the only place in St. Joseph that is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
From 1860-61 it served as the headquarters of the Pony Express. The nation was in tumultuous times, however, the Union Army took over the property as a station during the nation’s Civil War. They used it as their Marshal’s headquarters, and they held trials for war crimes in the hotel ballroom. Just one block away is the home where Jesse James lived. It is also where he was shot by Bob Ford. James’ family was interviewed after his death in one of the rooms within Patee House.
Patee House is now a museum that houses one of the most eclectic collections of western memorabilia. The museum occupies two floors of the four-story, entire-city-block-sized building, and waiting inside is a fully functional train from 1860 which beckons all aboard, as well as a vintage carousel known as the Wild Thing.
Because of the building’s size, many of the exhibits are much larger than you would find in most comparable museums; for instance, there is an actual railroad depot inside that dates from 1877, blacksmith and dressmaker shops, as well as various period stagecoaches, vehicles, horse buggies, and even an actual gallows. One wing of the museum was designed to recreate life on the streets of St. Joseph during the 1860s-80s.
Among these exhibits is also a gas station from the 1920s, Walter Kronkite’s father’s dentist office, and a full size steam engine train on tracks.
Admission varies by age, but the most you’ll pay for admittance is $6 for adults, and children five and under are free.
Hakuna maeneo mengi ya kihistoria ambayo madai ya umaarufu ni pamoja na zaidi ya tukio moja la kukumbukwa. Nyumba ya Patee ni tofauti katika jambo hilo. St. Joseph, Missouri, ni maarufu kwa mwanzo wa mfumo wa kwanza rasmi wa utoaji wa barua nchini Marekani, Pony Express, na pia kwa mwisho wa maisha ya mmoja wa watu maarufu zaidi wa taifa, Jesse James. Patee House, ambayo ilifunguliwa kwa mara ya kwanza mnamo 1858 kama hoteli, ilicheza jukumu katika matukio yote mawili na ni mahali pekee huko St. Joseph ambayo imeorodheshwa katika Usajili wa Kitaifa wa Maeneo ya Kihistoria. Kuanzia 1860-61 ilitumika kama makao makuu ya Pony Express. Hata hivyo, wakati huo taifa lilikuwa katika wakati mgumu, Jeshi la Muungano lilitwaa mali hiyo kama kituo wakati wa Vita vya wenyewe kwa wenyewe vya taifa hilo. Walilitumia kama makao makuu ya Marshal wao, na walifanya kesi za uhalifu wa vita katika chumba cha kucheza dansi cha hoteli. Jengo moja tu mbali na hapo ni nyumba ambako Jesse James aliishi. Pia ni mahali ambapo alipigwa risasi na Bob Ford. Familia ya James iliongea baada ya kifo chake katika moja ya vyumba ndani ya Patee House. Nyumba ya Patee sasa ni jumba la makumbusho ambalo lina mojawapo ya makusanyo ya vitu vya kukumbukwa vya magharibi. Jengo hilo lina ghorofa mbili na lina majengo ya ghorofa nne, na ndani yake kuna gari-moshi la mwaka 1860 ambalo linawaalika watu wote kuingia ndani ya gari-moshi hilo, pamoja na gari-moshi la zamani linaloitwa Wild Thing. Kwa sababu ya ukubwa wa jengo, maonyesho mengi ni kubwa zaidi kuliko utapata katika makumbusho mengi ya kulinganisha; kwa mfano, kuna hifadhi ya kweli ya reli ndani ambayo ni ya tarehe ya 1877, fundi wa chuma na maduka ya nguo, pamoja na stagecoaches mbalimbali za kipindi, magari, farasi buggies, na hata gallows halisi. Sehemu ya kwanza ya jumba hilo la makumbusho ilijengwa kwa ajili ya kuwakilisha maisha ya watu wa St. Joseph katika miaka ya 1860 na 1880. Miongoni mwa maonyesho haya pia ni kituo cha mafuta kutoka miaka ya 1920, ofisi ya daktari wa meno wa baba ya Walter Kronke, na gari-moshi la injini ya mvuke la ukubwa kamili kwenye reli. Uandikishaji unatofautiana kulingana na umri, lakini zaidi utalipa kwa uandikishaji ni $ 6 kwa watu wazima, na watoto wa miaka mitano na chini ni bure.