We visited the museum on December 20, 2024, as I wanted to go to the same place my Grandpa had visited. I am not usually a museum visitor, but this museum had more things in it than we could have ever saw in one day, although we tried. It is run by the Pony Express Historical Society. The Jessie James home is behind the museum, but it was not open when we were there. It is owned by the Historical Society. It's original location was a block or so away from the river, but another entity bought it and moved it out by the highway where the business was unsuccessful. Thereafter the Historical Society bought it and moved it to its present location, and also bought the original ground where it stood and put a monument there. The Patee Hotel which houses the museum has quite the history, as can be seen in the above video. Jesse James's family stayed here after his murder while there was an investigation going on. Lots of famous people in history stayed here too. The Pony Express was operated and the route began here, traveling to Sacramento, California, for only 18 months in 1861.
This video was created by my Grandpa and his second wife, Mary, at the start of their journey out west. Those videos out west are on this page. The Pony Express National Museum is located at 914 Penn St, St Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri. The Jesse James Home Museum is located nearby at 1201 S 12th St, St Joseph, Missouri.