America 250: Presidents who have made their way to St. Joseph

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- In its early days, St. Joseph and the surrounding area drew interest, especially from presidents.

In a sit-down interview with Sara Wilson, Executive Director of the St. Joseph Museums, she shared stories about when leaders left the Oval Office for the home of the Pony Express.

One of those stories comes at a familiar place for some: South 20th Street in St. Joseph. It was here that Willard P. Hall had the biggest slave plantation in town, according to Wilson.

Although the ideas may have favored the South more at the time during the Civil War, Hall was more on the side of the Union.

So much so that when a Union-minded government took over the Missouri Capitol, Hall was installed as Lieutenant Governor. Eventually, he became governor after the sudden death of the then-governor, Hamilton Rowan Gamble, near the end of the Civil War.

Wilson shared that Hall's views eventually drew him close enough to lend then-President Abraham Lincoln a place to stay.

"I thought that was very interesting. So, that kind of got me looking at where they could find this mansion. And so it went; I looked, and it is actually today the headquarters of MidCity Excellence over there off of the same street," Wilson shared. "The mansion still stands, and if you look at some of the smaller houses around, you could probably think that some of those might have been slave cabins at some point."

Another of St. Joseph's jewels that still stands today is the Wyeth Tootle Mansion, a spot visited by President Rutherford B. Hayes.

The visit came as the nation continued to try to bounce back after the end of the Civil War. Hayes was set to deliver a speech in what was considered a prominent city to bring hope to the area.

The Wyeths were part of the hostess committee to welcome Hayes, and at the time, the Wyeth Tootle Mansion had recently been completed. He stayed at the mansion during his stop, adding to the relevance of a part of St. Joseph's cherished history.

"I think it does definitely add some gravity to the importance of the mansion and the importance of preserving it and having it open to the public, and for us to just see it," Wilson said. "Not only is it a prominent architectural gem here in Saint Joseph, but the history of the families is fascinating."

Wilson's final story was not about someone who visited who was president at the time, but about who would become one of the most iconic faces to lead the country: Theodore Roosevelt. He visited on July 4, 1900, to campaign for William McKinley, making a brief stop in St. Joseph before going on to a nearby favorite in Buchanan County, Lake Contrary.

It was there that he delivered a speech about the need for good, honest politicians to lead the country. Not long after that date, Roosevelt would take office after McKinley's assassination.

Wilson believes that St. Joseph is, and has long been, one of the best places to visit.

"I would say that we are one of the most hospitable cities around; people always remark on that. We get a lot of out-of-town visitors, and they always just say such great things about how hospitable St. Joseph is," Wilson said. "Certainly, because the World Cup is (nearby) and we're hosting people from all over the world."

For more information on the St. Joseph Museums that include the Wyeth-Tootle Mansion and what they have to offer, click here.