My favorite new town – Harrisonville Missouri

Hi!  I am Cami.  I write this travel blog about small towns in the Midwest, spotlighting their history and genealogy.

Today I went to Harrisonville Missouri.

 I am in the gallery of their historic courthouse, which stands in the middle of the town square, surrounded by charming brick roads.

Whenever I visit an old courthouse, I always ask the staff – what was their most notorious court case. The Soper murder trial occurred in this one in 1899.  E. Bates Soper was found guilty and hanged.  I can’t bring myself to type out his crime, as it would either bring me to tears and make me physically ill.  Be forewarned before you look it up yourself.  His was the last hanging in Harrisonville.

To clear my head of that horror, I took a stroll around the square.   I stopped into a lovely boutique, the Artisan’s Corner.   Regional vendors each host a booth with their creations.

The booths are individually designed and arranged.  It is a treat to enjoy each one.

It is a large boutique with much to see.   I told the owners, Chris and Kelly Filer, how impressed I was with their careful restoration of the building.  It was built in 1886 and was originally a dry goods store.  Chris did the restoration himself.   I was shocked to learn he is not a developer or architect.  He is in the Agricultural business.  He just has a gift.  Thankfully he is using that gift to restore a few more historic buildings on the town square.  I told them that in San Diego, where I am from, the Old Town is a huge draw for travelers.   I am always saddened when I see historic town squares in the midwest in disintegrating states.  But Harrisonville is doing it right.   The majestic buildings are alive again and honored.

My favorite part of the Square is in the basement of Artisan’s Corner.   It is a tombstone.

It is freestanding, meaning it is not attached to a grave.  She is not buried in the basement.  The headstone is leaning up against the wall, in a corner.   It appears to say:  “Ida Mae.  Wife of John W. Harris.  Died Nov 24, 1890 or 1896.”  I did some research but couldn’t find her.   Who is she?   What is her story?   She haunts me.  I think about sweet Ida Mae.  I don’t want her to be forgotten.  If anyone knows, please tell me.   And I will update this blog.

Underneath the Artisan’s Corner is a newer restuarant, The 1886 (the year the building was built).

Danny, the young proprietor, previously owned a restaurant in Leawood, Kansas.     Ambiance is huge for me, so I was thrilled when I entered The 1866.

It has a cavelike feel, and is reminiscent of the unground speakeasies.   It is super cool.   Danny does not have formal culinary training.   Rather, he began bussing tables and learned as he elevated roles.   But more than that, I believe he has an innate sense of how to blend and heighten flavors.  My Caprese Flatbread was beyond delicious.  I love a good cocktail, and they offer a large variety of creatively crafted drinks.   Danny changes his menu four times a year.  I suggested he make a cocktail named the Ida Mae.

I continued on down the Square.   I came to the Chamber of Commerce, where Bing stopped everything he was doing to give me a tutorial on the town history.  He had fabulous photos to share.   You must stop by and let him show you himself.    Bing said the High School Journalism class is making a video about the history of the region, and will drop it on YouTube soon.   Who better to do it?  Truly.   I would like to parlay my blog into a Vlog, but commandeering a computer is not as easy for me as the ones who were raised on them.   I am super excited to see what this Class has produced.

Bing also told me huge breaking news!   They are in the process of creating their own town history museum.   Since they have enormous history in this region, this is exceptionally good news.   Which leads me to the Cass County Historical Society (inside the Harrisonville library).   What a repository!  Rarely have I seen one so voluminous and organized.

There are endless rows of these shelves.  As only 10% of all information has been scanned and digitized so far, everyone will always hit a deadend researching online.   The rest of the 90% is stored in facilities like this.   I often wonder if students and family researchers and authors and film makers are making use of these preserved records.   I have invented a career to help people at a distance find their ancestors when their online searches dry up.  But I use this blog to encourage people to do it themselves, when they live nearby the towns they are researching. It is extraordinary to experience the finds. And please share everything you unearth with the world on Ancestry.com and/or FamilySearch.org.

This repository houses records back to 1835.  They hold court records, marriage licenses, a large collection of obituaries, birth records, etc.  And they have a plethora of books written by local authors, who tend to be the most acutely familiar with their topics.

Conveniently, the Genealogical Society is downstairs.   They have the Cass County newspapers on microfilm.  They provide a large research room with thousands of books about the regional families.  I asked them if they could find something on Ida Mae.   They were not able to find anything yet….

If your ancestors lived here, follow these organizations on Facebook.  They will regularly post wonderful stories and photos that will give you a feel for the era and lifestyle of your grandparents.

It was time for my daily Fall hot cocoa, so I went to the Brickhouse Coffeeshop.

The young staff made me a light and delicate hot cocoa in a pretty porcelain cup.  I scouted out the customers.  Most were coupled up or sitting with friends.  I spotted an older gal sitting alone.  I sat in an adjoining chair and we became instant friends.   The people here are so amiable.  Her name is Frosty and she is an artist.  We talked about her possibly showcasing her work in town.  I hope she does.   I know her art must be beautiful and special, because she is.   Thank you, Frosty, for keeping me company.

Before leaving town, I spotted Birdie’s Boutique & Antique.  The shop designers in Los Angeles, New York, and Paris would be impressed and could learn much from the stores on the Square in Harrisonville.

I am always astounded by these intensely creative people in small towns who have not had years of professional schooling in their crafts.  They just make it happen.  The owner of this boutique, Kathy Waddle, and her husband have made a magical place on this earth.  It filled me with that special happiness that comes from beauty.

So, put Harrisonville Missouri on your travel list, especially if you want to experience some fascinating history, productive family research, and some really good people.