 | The mission of the Pony Express Historical Association is to interpret the early history and development of St. Joseph, from the days of the Pony Express and Jesse James to the 1920s, using authentic artifacts in the buildings where these events actually occurred. Patee House MuseumThe luxury hotel was built in 1858 by John Patee. It served as the headquarters for the Pony Express as well as the Provost Marshal’s office for the Union Army during the Civil War. In 1965, it was designated as a National Historic Landmark.Admission
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The Buffalo Saloon
Built in 1854 and originally located at 4th and Edmond streets in St. Joseph, the Buffalo Saloon boasted the title of “the oldest saloon west of the Mississippi,” until it was closed on December 24, 1959. In the summer of 1966, the Pony Express Historical Association purchased the front and back bars of the old saloon to recreate it inside of Patee House. Don’t forget to drop a quarter into one of the slot machines to play a tune on our fully-functioning nickelodeon!
“Wild Things” Carousel
Our vintage carousel was built in the 1940s and moved to Patee House in 2003. It features a set of unique animals carved by St. Joseph native, Bruce White. Each animal has its own name such as Fred the raptor, Sam the patriotic bald eagle, and Mako the shark. The oldest animal is the dragon-headed chariot, which was part of the Lake Contrary Amusement Park carousel built in 1902. When the park closed in 1964, the chariot was donated to the museum, later added on to the “Wild Things” carousel.
Admission
- $1.50 per ride
- $5 for 4 rides
Patee House Museum & the Jesse James Home
1202 Penn St
