Born in the year 1847 on a farm in Kearney, Missouri, few might have guessed that Jesse James, the son of a Baptist minister, would grow into a legend known generations later. Jesse was just 16 years old when the American Civil War called him and his brother, Frank, to fight. He fought on the side of the Confederates, riding with Bloody Bill Anderson.
The Jesse James Bank Museum:
Time is frozen within this old Missouri bank—literally. Period style furniture still fills the bank,
and the walls are painted a mint green. A rare Seth Thomas clock hangs within the bank, forever set to the exact date and time that the James Gang committed the first successful daytime robbery during peacetime in
American history. It was February 13th, 1866—a young man standing outside, a student from nearby William Jewell College, was shot and killed in the panic. The emerald green safe—still firmly placed in its limestone vault—is the same safe that sat in the bank the day of the robbery. Guided tours of the bank are available.
The Jesse James Birthplace:
While walking through the restored childhood home of Jesse and Frank James, you’ll feel like you’ve taken a step back in time. Visitors first tour the Jesse James Museum, home to the world’s largest collection of James family artifacts. After watching a brief film on the life and exploits of the infamous brothers, you will follow a winding trail to the humble cabin where the legend began. Jesse James’ original burial site was at the farm, his tombstone still remains, but his body has since been relocated to Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Kearney,
Missouri. You can visit Jesse’s grave. He is buried beside his wife, Zee.