Wornall Majors House Museums
Visit the John Wornall House and Alexander Majors House and Barn where history is brought to life and you’re whisked back to the Wild West. Wornall’s house features Greek columns and layers of brick, which to him was a sign of wealth and prestige, but it was quickly dubbed the “most pretentious house in that section.” Just 200 feet from the main road between Westport and the Santa Fe Trail, pedestrians couldn’t help but think the owner of the house with soaring 25-foot columns was massively wealthy.
Built in the mid-1800s, skilled architects were brought on board, though most were dreamers and weren’t technically trained. Featuring walls that are one foot thick, hand-kilned bricks on site, Flemish bonds to boast a more gorgeous surface and a limestone foundation, it’s become a staple of the KCMO landscape.
Blast Into the Past
At Majors’ house, you’ll discover a rare antebellum home that survived the Civil War. Completed in 1856 and situated on a 300-acre farm, it faces west for views of the old Kansas Territory (and where the Majors’ freighting took place). This let him manage his stage coach businesses and freighting while steering clear of taxation. There are still remnants of massive corrals, ox pens and barns, and blacksmithing that was done on site.
Today, you can opt for group trips, private tours, simply stop by and start exploring, or even rent one of the many beautiful spaces for private events. Hours are Wednesday – Sunday with adult tickets starting at $8, but every Wednesday is Wornall Wednesday with admission for just $5. What will you learn and discover at one of KCMO’s most historic of sites?
