What began as one man’s vision for a healing retreat grew into one of Excelsior Springs’ most iconic landmarks. The Snapp Hotel, now The Oaks Apartments, rose from the ashes of a devastating fire in 1912 to become a bustling destination of elegance and wellness. Today, it stands not only as a physical remnant of the city’s past but as a living tribute to its spirit.
Tucked between Excelsior Springs and Liberty, the Pharis Farm stands as a living reminder of Missouri’s rural past and the people who shaped it. From its 1836 founding by the Bell family to its transformation into a conservation-minded educational farm under Donald and Helen Pharis, the 160-acre property continues to preserve its history through community tours, agriculture exhibits, and hands-on learning experiences.
From quilting bees and card parties to cornerstone ceremonies and English stone donations, the story of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church is one of local devotion and transatlantic ties. Nearly a century later, the church remains a center of worship and tradition, echoing the prayers and perseverance of those who first imagined it.
Long after the Civil War, segregation lived on—in the cemeteries.
That’s the case public historian Jeffery Smith made in his talk at Watkins Woolen Mill, where he walked guests through the history of burial inequality, collective memory, and the stories preserved in African American gravesites.
