Follow In The Footsteps Of Jesse James

M ovie tourism has been           was shot in Alberta, Canada,       growing in popularity for      James hailed from Kearney,         decades and the USA is a       Missouri. His notoriety began in   prime destination as so many          February 1866, when he and his     global cinematic blockbusters are     gang, which included his brother   made there. Movies have the power     Frank, stole $60,000 from a bank   to bring characters from the past     in the town of Liberty.            alive again in glorious                                                  Technicolor and this rekindles        Today the same building houses     interest in the places and            the Jesse James Bank Museum –      people.                               here you can see period                                                  furnishings, look into the         Following the release of the          original bank vault, and read an   ‘Assassination of Jesse James by      account of that fateful day’s      the Coward Robert Ford’, starring     action. For 15 years the James     Brad Pitt, interest in the iconic     gang traveled throughout the U.S.  outlaw has reached a new high. If     robbing trains and banks.          you have a yen to learn more                                             about Jesse James, after seeing       At the Jesse James Farm and        the movie, and to sort out some       Museum, in Kearney, you can visit  of the fact from the fiction that     his old home. An audio-visual      has grown around his life and         presentation recaps the exploits   times, visit Missouri and follow      of Jesse James and his gang of     in the footsteps of this infamous     outlaws, and there is a large      gunslinger, who later died by the     collection James family artifacts  hand of an associate. Most sites      on display, including Jesse's      are located within 50 miles of        boots and spurs. His original      Kansas City.                          burial place is also at the farm.                                        Near the farmhouse is the          Not withstanding that the movie       childhood swimming hole where      Jesse and brother Frank spent         travellers as the railroad pushed  many a hot day. Mount Olivet          westward to St. Joseph and the     Cemetery, also in Kearney, is         starting point of the Pony         James’ final resting place, after     Express. Today, the extensive      his remains were moved there in       museum has an 1854 Buffalo Salon,  1902, to lie beside those of his      and exhibits of western art,       wife Zerelda.                         antique toys, and other western                                          memorabilia.                       Winston's Historic Depot Museum,                                         once home to the Chicago, Rock        You should also visit the nearby   Island and Pacific Railroad           Jesse James Museum Home, where     Depot, is where the Jessie James      the outlaw was shot and killed by  gang’s Great Train Robbery took       Robert Ford in 1882. Interesting   place in 1881. The displays           displays include mementos from     relate railroad and local             Jesse's grave when he was exhumed  history, as well as James gang        in 1995, and a bullet hole in the  lore.                                 wall reputed to be from an                                               unsuccessful attempt on his life.  Finally, at Independence,                                                Missouri is the two-story Jail,                                          Marshal's Home And Museum, dating      Hotel, a luxury hotel that served     align="center">                    About the Author: Rod Ritchie, a travel writer and editor, writes for many publishers including AA Publishing and Fodors. Go America offer cheap flights to America plus discounts on USA car hire and hotels. Published At: www.Isnare.com