Lexington, MO

Lexington, MO, a small town of about 4,500, is 30 miles north east of Grain Valley.  We took a trip there today to view some of it's history. The Courthouse was built in 1847 and is the oldest in continuous use west of the Mississippi.

Lafayette County Courthouse, Lexington, MO 

Statue of Liberty replica placed in 1951 as an Eagle Project, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the BSA.  In the background, a WWI memorial erected in1922.

Lafayette County Veterans Memorial, 2006

The home office of the owners of The Pony Express was located in Lexington.

Coincidentally on Juneteenth, a holiday celebrating the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the United States, we stopped at the Battle of Lexington State Historic Site.  The largest battle in the western campaign of the American Civil War took place here.  The Anderson House on this site was used as a hospital, and seized by both sides in the Battle of the Hemp Bales. At the Courthouse you can see where a cannonball fired from the Battle of Lexington is lodged in it's upper pillar.

The Anderson house

Cannon on the Battle Field

Cannonball embedded in the Courthouse pillar.

Near the Missouri river is "Madonna of the Trail."  It has been there since 1928 and is one of 12 placed in states that the Santa Fe Trail crossed.  

Madonna of the Trail

At the same site there was a marker for the Potawatomi Trail of Death. In 1838, 859 Potawatomi Indians were forced to march 660 miles from Plymouth, IN to Osawatomie, KS. On arrival there were only 756 of the tribe left.  Markers were placed near where they camped along the way.  I know a little bit about this.  Our youngest son placed a marker in West Quincy, MO for his Eagle Scout Project in 2003. Here is a link to the Potawatomi story:   http://www.potawatomi-tda.org/

The Potawatomi Trail of Death marker in Lexington, MO.

Chris Pieper at dedication of Potawatomi Trail of Death marker in West Quincy, MO in 2003.

I love the Missouri landscape!