1. Jefferson Landing State Historic SiteThis is where the town started. In the 1800s, this former riverfront was the hub of activity. The State Historic Site comprises this group of buildings and was completed to celebrate the U.S. bicentennial in 1976.

A. Charles Lohman Bldg. | 100 Jefferson. During the steamboat era, this stone Greek Revival building (built in 1839) was used as a hotel, store, warehouse, living quar-ters, and headquarters for the wharfmaster and steam-

boat company agents. Today the building features a visitors center with exhibits and a video presentation that pro-vide a helpful orientation to the city’s early history. NR

B. Union Hotel | 101 Jefferson. Charles Maus (pron. “Moss”), Lohman’s brother-in-law, built this hotel near the railroad in 1855 to meet demand for boarding facili-ties. Maus served in the Civil War; after his discharge in 1865, he reopened the boardinghouse and chose the name “Union Hotel” because of his strong feelings about the recent conflict. He sold goods and operated a ware-house on the lower level. Today the lower level is the Amtrak station; the second level houses the Elizabeth Rozier Gallery, which hosts temporary exhibits featuring Missouri artists. NR

C. Christopher Maus House. Built about 1854, this small brick house was owned by a brother of Charles Maus. The city’s numerous German immigrants built many modest brick houses like this before the Civil War. NR

2. Carnahan Memorial Gardens. These gardens began as a WPA project in the 1930s, but World War II interrupted work. After the war, First Lady Juanita Don-nelly pushed to complete the gardens, doing much of the work herself and employing inmates from the nearby state

prison. Donnelly was modest and did not want the gardens named after her, but a plaque in the garden commemorates her efforts. For years, this was called the Governor’s Gardens, but in 2001 it was renamed

| J E F F E R S O N C I T Y, M i s s o u r iDowntown Walking Tour |

Welcome to beautiful Jefferson City,

the capital of Missouri! Soon after

Missouri gained statehood, the City of

Jefferson was created in the early 1820s

by Missouri constitutional mandate.

It was named for President Thomas

Jefferson, who acquired for the United

States the vast Louisiana Purchase, which

included the land we now call Missouri.

It’s no accident that this centrally located

capital city is on the Missouri River, since

at that time rivers were the major arteries

for transportation and trade.

Jefferson City’s development began close

to the river and then moved up the hill

next to it (hence the name “High Street”

and the local habit of calling downtown

“uptown”). The city continued its growth

to the south, east, and west.

Many properties on the tour are listed on

the National Register of Historic Places.

These buildings are denoted by a circle

around their locator on the map, and NR

at the end of their description in the text.

Note: Always be a careful walker. Don’t attempt hills that are too steep

for you. Allow one to two hours to enjoy this walk.

to honor former governor Mel Carnahan, who died in a plane crash in 2000 while campaigning for U.S. Senate.

3. Lewis and Clark Monument Trailhead Plaza. In this naturalistic setting, bronze figures of explorers Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, George Drouillard, York, and a Newfoundland dog named Seaman look toward the Missouri River, which they traced in 1804–1806 as part of their trip from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean and back. The plaza is a trailhead for cyclists and hikers traveling the Katy Trail State Park, which in the future will be accessed via a pedestrian bridge across the river.

4. Jefferson State Office Bldg. and Frazier Sculpture | 205 Jefferson. Dedicated in 1952, this

14-story building has a bear sculpture in front. Grizzly bears have appeared on the state seal since 1822. The sculptor Bernard “Paco” Frazier of Tulsa created the bear, carving on-site from a 15-ton limestone block.

Frazier worked on the sculpture through the winter, erecting a temporary structure around the block and using a kerosene heater for warmth.

5. Governor Office Bldg. | 200 Madison. For 50 years, this massive building was where lawmakers and lobbyists ate, socialized, and negotiated deals. Originally called the Hotel Governor, it was erected in 1941–1942 and was the third hotel to occupy this location. The bar in the base-ment, the Rathskeller, was so popular among legislators it was nicknamed “the Third Chamber.” The hotel closed in 1988; after a decade of

disuse, it was rehabilitated as an office building.

6. Governor’s Mansion | 100 Madison. The first state-house in Jefferson City was built on this site in 1826; it housed the governor’s resi-

dence as well as the offices of state government. The current mansion was built in 1871 during the adminis-tration of Governor B. Gratz Brown. The architecture is Second Empire. Many famous people have been wel-comed in the mansion; today it is visited by more than 60,000 people annually. NR

7. Madison Street Overlook. This small park offers a view of the river. Lewis and Clark passed this point on June 4, 1804; one of their men noted it was as “beautiful a piece of land as ever I saw.” The expe-dition passed by again on the way back in September 1806. According to Clark, they were in a hurry to get home: “the men ply their oars and we descended with great velocity, only came to once for the purpose of gathering papaws.” A plaque commemorates the expedition.

8. Upschulte House | 109 Rear Madison. This modest brick house is an antebellum German-vernacular structure originally located in the 300 block of W. High St. Preservationists moved it here, in the 1970s, when the new Truman Office Building would have caused its demolition. Legend has it that the first Catholic Mass in Jefferson City was held in the wooden portion of this house in 1831. NR

9. Cole County Historical Society | 109–111 Madison. These row houses were erected in 1871 and are about the same age as the Governor’s Mansion. Today they belong to the Cole County Historical Society and house the society’s museum. NR

10. Row houses with Eugene Field headquarters | 211–213 E. Capitol. These were built during the last half of the 1800s and have been rehabilitated. In 1875, Eugene Field (popular for his

children’s poem “Wynken, Blynken, and Nod” and many others) used 211 E. Capitol as his headquar-ters while working as a journalist for papers in St. Louis and St. Joseph,

reporting on Missouri politics. A plaque on the building notes his connection to this place.

Jef ferson Ci ty Convent ion & Vis i tors Bureau

This publication is partially funded by a grant from the Missouri

Department of Natural Resources, State Historic Preservation Office and

the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Grant awards

do not imply an endorsement of contents by the grantor. This program

receives Federal financial assistance for identification and protection of

historic properties. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section

504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act

of 1975, as amended, the U.S. Department of the Interior prohibits

discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability

or age in its federally assisted programs. If you believe you have been

discriminated against in any program activity, described above, or if you

desire further information, please write to: Office of Equal Opportunity,

National Park Service, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240.

100 East High StreetJefferson City, MO 65101

(800) 769-4183(573) 632-2820www.VisitJeffersonCity.cominfo@VisitJeffersonCity.com

1. Jefferson Landing State Historic SiteThis is where the town started. In the 1800s, this former riverfront was the hub of activity. The State Historic Site comprises this group of buildings and was completed to celebrate the U.S. bicentennial in 1976.

A. Charles Lohman Bldg. | 100 Jefferson. During the steamboat era, this stone Greek Revival building (built in 1839) was used as a hotel, store, warehouse, living quar-ters, and headquarters for the wharfmaster and steam-

boat company agents. Today the building features a visitors center with exhibits and a video presentation that pro-vide a helpful orientation to the city’s early history. NR

B. Union Hotel | 101 Jefferson. Charles Maus (pron. “Moss”), Lohman’s brother-in-law, built this hotel near the railroad in 1855 to meet demand for boarding facili-ties. Maus served in the Civil War; after his discharge in 1865, he reopened the boardinghouse and chose the name “Union Hotel” because of his strong feelings about the recent conflict. He sold goods and operated a ware-house on the lower level. Today the lower level is the Amtrak station; the second level houses the Elizabeth Rozier Gallery, which hosts temporary exhibits featuring Missouri artists. NR

C. Christopher Maus House. Built about 1854, this small brick house was owned by a brother of Charles Maus. The city’s numerous German immigrants built many modest brick houses like this before the Civil War. NR

2. Carnahan Memorial Gardens. These gardens began as a WPA project in the 1930s, but World War II interrupted work. After the war, First Lady Juanita Don-nelly pushed to complete the gardens, doing much of the work herself and employing inmates from the nearby state

prison. Donnelly was modest and did not want the gardens named after her, but a plaque in the garden commemorates her efforts. For years, this was called the Governor’s Gardens, but in 2001 it was renamed

| JEFFERSON CITY, MissouriDowntown Walking Tour |

Welcome to beautiful Jefferson City,

the capital of Missouri! Soon after

Missouri gained statehood, the City of

Jefferson was created in the early 1820s

by Missouri constitutional mandate.

It was named for President Thomas

Jefferson, who acquired for the United

States the vast Louisiana Purchase, which

included the land we now call Missouri.

It’s no accident that this centrally located

capital city is on the Missouri River, since

at that time rivers were the major arteries

for transportation and trade.

Jefferson City’s development began close

to the river and then moved up the hill

next to it (hence the name “High Street”

and the local habit of calling downtown

“uptown”). The city continued its growth

to the south, east, and west.

Many properties on the tour are listed on

the National Register of Historic Places.

These buildings are denoted by a circle

around their locator on the map, and NR

at the end of their description in the text.

Note: Always be a careful walker. Don’t attempt hills that are too steep

for you. Allow one to two hours to enjoy this walk.

to honor former governor Mel Carnahan, who died in a plane crash in 2000 while campaigning for U.S. Senate.

3. Lewis and Clark Monument Trailhead Plaza. In this naturalistic setting, bronze figures of explorers Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, George Drouillard, York, and a Newfoundland dog named Seaman look toward the Missouri River, which they traced in 1804–1806 as part of their trip from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean and back. The plaza is a trailhead for cyclists and hikers traveling the Katy Trail State Park, which in the future will be accessed via a pedestrian bridge across the river.

4. Jefferson State Office Bldg. and Frazier Sculpture | 205 Jefferson. Dedicated in 1952, this

14-story building has a bear sculpture in front. Grizzly bears have appeared on the state seal since 1822. The sculptor Bernard “Paco” Frazier of Tulsa created the bear, carving on-site from a 15-ton limestone block.

Frazier worked on the sculpture through the winter, erecting a temporary structure around the block and using a kerosene heater for warmth.

5. Governor Office Bldg. | 200 Madison. For 50 years, this massive building was where lawmakers and lobbyists ate, socialized, and negotiated deals. Originally called the Hotel Governor, it was erected in 1941–1942 and was the third hotel to occupy this location. The bar in the base-ment, the Rathskeller, was so popular among legislators it was nicknamed “the Third Chamber.” The hotel closed in 1988; after a decade of

disuse, it was rehabilitated as an office building.

6. Governor’s Mansion | 100 Madison. The first state-house in Jefferson City was built on this site in 1826; it housed the governor’s resi-

dence as well as the offices of state government. The current mansion was built in 1871 during the adminis-tration of Governor B. Gratz Brown. The architecture is Second Empire. Many famous people have been wel-comed in the mansion; today it is visited by more than 60,000 people annually. NR

7. Madison Street Overlook. This small park offers a view of the river. Lewis and Clark passed this point on June 4, 1804; one of their men noted it was as “beautiful a piece of land as ever I saw.” The expe-dition passed by again on the way back in September 1806. According to Clark, they were in a hurry to get home: “the men ply their oars and we descended with great velocity, only came to once for the purpose of gathering papaws.” A plaque commemorates the expedition.

8. Upschulte House | 109 Rear Madison. This modest brick house is an antebellum German-vernacular structure originally located in the 300 block of W. High St. Preservationists moved it here, in the 1970s, when the new Truman Office Building would have caused its demolition. Legend has it that the first Catholic Mass in Jefferson City was held in the wooden portion of this house in 1831. NR

9. Cole County Historical Society | 109–111 Madison. These row houses were erected in 1871 and are about the same age as the Governor’s Mansion. Today they belong to the Cole County Historical Society and house the society’s museum. NR

10. Row houses with Eugene Field headquarters | 211–213 E. Capitol. These were built during the last half of the 1800s and have been rehabilitated. In 1875, Eugene Field (popular for his

children’s poem “Wynken, Blynken, and Nod” and many others) used 211 E. Capitol as his headquar-ters while working as a journalist for papers in St. Louis and St. Joseph,

reporting on Missouri politics. A plaque on the building notes his connection to this place.

Jefferson City Convention & Visitors Bureau

This publication is partially funded by a grant from the Missouri

Department of Natural Resources, State Historic Preservation Office and

the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Grant awards

do not imply an endorsement of contents by the grantor. This program

receives Federal financial assistance for identification and protection of

historic properties. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section

504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act

of 1975, as amended, the U.S. Department of the Interior prohibits

discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability

or age in its federally assisted programs. If you believe you have been

discriminated against in any program activity, described above, or if you

desire further information, please write to: Office of Equal Opportunity,

National Park Service, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240.

100 East High StreetJefferson City, MO 65101

(800) 769-4183(573) 632-2820www.VisitJeffersonCity.cominfo@VisitJeffersonCity.com

B. Caplinger Bldg. | 207 E. High. Built in 1884 as a photographer’s studio and residence. The facade of this Italianate commercial structure was restored in 1992.

C. Hope Bldg. | 201 E. High. Restored in 1982, this is one of the oldest commercial buildings in the downtown area. Built in 1841, it is an example of a German double-commercial structure, which was fairly prevalent during the town’s early days. In 1854

the building had a retail store on the first floor, selling hides, furs, food, clothing, toys, tobacco, and tailoring. The second floor was devoted to gaming rooms for keno, roulette, poker, and faro. NR

D. Hawthorn Bank | 132 E. High. This commercial building was originally erected in the 1920s for the First National Bank, which in its day was the largest bank in the city. Note the building’s impressive bronze windows and grillwork. The sidewalk clock, installed while the bank was known as Exchange Bank, has been a local landmark for 75 years. NR

E. Central Bank | 238 Madison. Another of architect Frank B. Miller’s creations, this impressive Renaissance Revival building was built in 1915–1916 as the city’s “first skyscraper.” It is made of the same kind of stone used for the Capitol. The bank’s influence historically extended into the world of state and national Democratic politics; for decades the bank was the cornerstone of the state Democratic establishment. NR

F. Tweedie’s Building | 122 E. High. This Italianate, three-story building is significant for its two-story oriel windows of cypress and lathed in copper. A saloon and theater were located here, and later a pool hall, feed store, shoe store, and a variety of shops. NR

G. Porth’s Jewelry Store | 110 E. High. Built for the George Porth Jewelry Company in 1899, this two-part commercial building with Late Victorian and other eclectic styling exhibits gloriously complex brick masonry. The interior was remodeled in the 1920s, and many of the same

cabinets and showcases are used in the shop today.

H. Lohman Opera House | 102 E. High. This Italianate struc-ture was built by Louis Lohman, son of Charles Lohman. The 1870s and 1880s were the golden years of small-town opera houses. The expansion of railroads following the Civil War allowed performers to travel from one community to another with relative ease. This opera house’s grand opening was in October 1886. NR

I. Louis Lohman’s General Merchandise Store/Schoenbeck Bldg. | 100 E. High. Louis Lohman worked in his father’s store at the north end of Jef-

ferson during the late 1860s, then worked on a steamboat, but returned and became a partner in his father’s store in 1874. In 1879 he bought out his father and moved the business to this location. Con-structed in 1880, this building

now houses the Jefferson City Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.

J. Jefferson Theater site | 103 E. High. This small storefront was once the entry to the Jefferson Theater that sat behind the store-fronts on High Street. Looking up at the second floor you can see two lion heads that held the marquee for the theater.

K. Merchant’s Bank | 101–103 W. High. In 1889 Louis Lohman joined several city businessmen to form the Merchant’s Bank. This High Victorian commercial building was built about that time. The Jefferson City Commercial Club, the predecessor of the Chamber of Commerce, occupied part of the second floor; the third floor was the Masonic Temple. The influence generated from this building must have been substantial. NR

18. Missouri State Supreme Court Bldg. | 207 W. High. Facing the Capitol, the State Supreme Court Building was completed in 1907 and holds the offices of the Missouri attorney general and the state supreme court. The lobby fea-tures a massive marble staircase, and on the second floor the Supreme Court Library contains more than 110,000 volumes. The stacks in the library have glass floors, allowing natural light to flow through the room; the building’s designers forsook the use of electricity, believing it a short-lived fad. NR

19. St. Peter Catholic Church | 216 Broadway. This impressive church was dedicated on August 12, 1883, replacing a structure built in 1856. The current church was also the first cathedral for the Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City. The inauguration of Missouri’s governor traditionally takes place on the south steps of the Capitol, just as the clock on this church strikes twelve noon. NR

20. Missouri State Capitol. A $1 million budget surplus remained after the Mis-souri State Capitol was completed in 1917. The Capitol Decoration Commission was created to design interior and exterior artwork for the building. The Missouri State Capitol has been ranked #1 as state capitol building with the most beautiful interior by USA Today. Free tours are provided at the information desk in the rotunda. The Missouri history museum on the ground floor is free and open to the public. NR

11. Missouri Pacific Railroad Depot. (Note: The station is closed to the public.) The original railroad depot stood near the Lohman Building in the Jefferson Landing area, but as railroads boomed after the Civil War, Missouri Pacific built this larger station in 1898. During World War II, when trains came through carrying servicemen, locals handed out refreshments to the traveling soldiers. In 1946, President Harry S. Truman and Winston Churchill arrived at the depot on their way to Fulton, where the latter delivered his famous “Iron Curtain” speech. NR

12. First United Methodist Church | 201 Monroe. This church was erected in 1900 in the Romanesque Revival style. Across the street is the First Baptist Church; both congregations were formed in 1837. NR

13. Commercial Way. After the Civil War, this alley, between Capitol and High, was called “Hog Alley” because of the pigs that roamed in search of garbage. Job opportunities were extremely limited during the late 1800s, and “Hog Alley” offered cheap housing near affluent homes where many residents of the alley were employed as day laborers or domestic servants. Hog Alley was a dirty, dangerous place during the 1880’s. Discussion about the conditions there frequently surfaced in local newspapers and in the meetings of the city Board of Alderman.

14. Cole County Courthouse | 301 E. High. The first courthouse was built in 1837 and burned in 1895, leaving only the stone hull. The fol-lowing year, some of its stones were used to build the present structure, designed by local architect Frank B. Miller. It was seriously damaged by fire in 1918 but was restored with plans by Miller. In 1971 the courthouse was renovated, and more recently, individual courtrooms were restored to their original magnificence. The Missouri Senate used this courthouse as a temporary seat of government following the 1911 fire that destroyed the second capitol. NR

15. Cole County Democrat Bldg. | 300 E. High. This Victorian building with its distinctive turret was erected in 1873. The turret, with its large windows, was a dentist’s office, designed to provide maximum light for the dentist’s work. The building is named for the Cole County Democrat, a newspaper that was published here in the 1880s. NR

16. Temple Beth-El | 318 Monroe. Constructed in 1883 in the Gothic Revival style, this is the oldest Jewish

temple west of the Mississippi that is still in use and the four-teenth oldest in the country. On April 3, 1882, the six members of the local Hebrew Ladies Sewing Society pro-vided the funds to purchase the land and construct the

synagogue. A year later, it was completed. The architect was Frank B. Miller, who also designed the county court-house. NR

17. Downtown Jefferson CityMost of the buildings on the next few blocks were built in the late 1800s and were designed for retail at street level and offices and residences above. Take note of the details incorporated into the exteriors of these buildings, particularly in the upper stories. A recent movement to restore the facades to their earlier splendor is letting us see the buildings as they were originally designed. At the same time, the upper floors are being restored and opened again for use as offices and residences. For more information, an architectural video tour is available.

A. Monroe House | 235 E. High. Built in 1884, this was for decades a popular gathering place for Missouri Republicans, especially during the administration of Governor Herbert Hadley (1909–1913). Construction on the building took a century to complete, as the originally planned top floor was not finished until 1984. NR