What Is the Jesse James House?
This is the original house where notorious outlaw, Jesse James, was shot!
What Makes It Historical?
On December 24, 1881, after almost twenty years of robbing banks and train, Jesse James (disguised as Thomas Howard) moved his family into this home in St. Joseph, Missouri, hoping to settle down. Missouri, he figured, was a safe place to be, because of a law limiting the size of rewards offered for an outlaw’s capture. By this time, the infamous James-Younger Gang had been either killed or taken prisoner, leaving only Frank and Jesse James to carry on.
While Frank retired to Virginia, meaning to give up crime, Jesse couldn’t help himself! He recruited Charley and Robert Ford to help him rob the Platte City Bank the next spring, unaware that Robert Ford had secretly been talking to Missouri governor, Tom Crittenden, an elected official not to be outfoxed by pesky things like laws. Instead, the governor had convinced the railroads to put up a $10,000 bounty on Jesse James, which Bob Ford was more than happy to harvest.
So, on April 3, 1882, after robbing their final bank, they all came back to this house, where Bob Ford shot Jesse James in the back of the head while he was straightening a picture on the wall! Both Fords were charged with murder, then immediately pardoned by the governor, but they never got to collect their bounty. Turns out folks thought it was worse to shoot someone from behind than to rob a bunch of banks!
This house was originally about a block northeast, but the whole thing was moved first in 1939 then again in 1977 to the backyard of the Patee House, where it’s part of the museum complex!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
- Become a member of the Patee House!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
1202 Penn St
St Joseph, MO 64503
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
The Jesse James Home is open odd hours: 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. On Mondays and thursdays, it’s open from 12:00 PM until 4:00 PM!