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The city's surprising list of attractions includes two features with widespread appeal: the Jesse James and Pony Express museums. As some promotional literature says, St. Joseph is the place where the Pony Express began and Jesse James ended. St. Joseph was one of the area's main "jumping off" spots for the Gold Rush and westward pioneers, rivaled only by Independence and Westport. A major landmark from this era includes the Patee House, an elegant 140-room hotel built in 1858 during St. Joseph's heyday as a pioneer starting point. Not far from the Patee House are the Hall Street mansions, elegant structures built during St. Joseph's "Golden Age" in the 1890s. In 1974, the neighborhood became St. Joseph's first Historic District and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Back downtown, even more is going on today. With its unique architecture and pedestrian friendly design, the area is finding new life as a shopping and entertainment destination. Downtown has be-come a focus for specialty shops, rest-aurants and nightclubs that fit the historic area perfectly. The city's most unique attractions may be its highly-regarded symphony and two resident theater organizations. Other "big city' features include a community chorus and numerous expositions and festivals. The city's performing arts association consis-tently books national entertainers.
St. Joseph's Parkway System is a lush greenbelt running through 26 miles of the city's most glorious neighborhoods. Developed in 1918, the Parkway is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Parkway connects a number of St. Joe's extensive park and recreation facilities. Recent developments in St. Joseph include the opening of the Frontier Casino Riverboat and several riverfront developments. The most dramatic plan includes a greenway being developed just south of the casino being developed by St. Joseph Parks, Recreation & Civic Facilities. Nearby, access to the Missouri River provides one of the most protected ramps into the river. St. Joseph is near several major outdoor attractions and many residents cite this easy access to natural settings as one of the city's biggest strengths. Outdoor features include the Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge and the Bluff Woods State Forest. Other state parks, wildlife areas and natural areas are within minutes of St. Joseph. The city's "resident" poet is Eugene Field. While attending the University of Missouri, Field visited St. Joseph and met his future wife. His St. Joseph-related work include the poems "Lover's Lane St. Jo," "The St. Jo Gazette," "With Brutus in St. Jo" and the surprisingly tragic "Little Boy Blue," which is about one of Field's eight children who died. |
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St. Joseph is one of the few communities that can draw international visitors for both a bandit and a poet. 
The Allied Arts Council of St. Joseph is one of the oldest in Missouri and is acknowledged statewide as an arts leader. The Council provides educational programs and art exhibits. It also operates the annual "Trails West!" arts festival.
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