The birthplace of George Washington Carver is the sole location in the state of Missouri designated as a national monument. The National Park Service manages the Carver site, as well as four other Missouri points of great historical signficance. These consist of two national historic sites, one national battlefield and one national memorial.
George Washington Carver was born a slave near the town of Diamond, Missouri. His birthplace was designated a national monument in 1943, the first such site to honor an African-American. The Carver national monument was also the first historic birthplace recognized for a person other than an American president, the first site established for services to agriculture and the first site dedicated to an American educator.
George Washington Carver National Monument
5646 Carver Road
Diamond, MO 64840
417-325-4151
nps.gov
Harry S Truman was the only president ever elected from Missouri, originally taking office after the death of Franklin Roosevelt and acting as commander-in-chief during the final years of World War II. The Truman home in Independence and the Truman farm in nearby Grandview were the 33rd president's homes from the time he was 22 years old until his death in 1972.
Harry S Truman NHS
223 N. Main St.
Independence, MO 64050
816-254-9929
nps.gov
The focal point of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial is the Gateway Arch. The arch, constructed of stainless steel and reaching a height of 630 feet, is intended to symbolize Thomas Jefferson's contributions to the opening of the American west. The site is also the home of the Museum of Westward Expansion.
Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
11 N. 4th Street
St. Louis, MO 63102
314-655-1700
nps.gov
The Ulysses S. Grant home, once known as White Haven, was also the birthplace of his wife of 44 years, Julia Dent. It is partly a museum, chronicling the 18th president's prestigious career as commander of the Union army during the Civil War. The home is also something of a commemoration of Grant's marriage, a period seldom written about in history books that seems to have been both an adventure and four-decade love story.
Adjacent to the home is Grant's Farm, a 281-acre wildlife preserve offering free admission. Grant's Farm is also the home of the famous Budweiser Clydesdales.
Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site
7400 Grant Road
St. Louis, MO 63123
314-842-3298
nps.gov
Wilson's Creek, located a short distance from Springfield, Missouri, was the site of the the first major Civil War battle fought west of the Mississippi River. The Aug. 10, 1861 battle, though ultimately won by Confederate troops, saw a great loss of life by both the northern and southern armies. The site is also home to a Civil War museum that includes artifacts such as the telescope of abolitionist John Brown and the battle flag of the Confederate "Cherokee Braves."
Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
6424 W. Farm Road 182
Republic, Missouri 65738
417-732-2662
nps.gov
