Visiting the Jesse James Home: Where the Outlaw was Killed
Tucked away on a quiet street in St. Joseph, Missouri, is an unassuming house that is home to one of the most infamous moments in Wild West history—the assassination of Jesse James.
A Historic Landmark with a Dark Past
One of America’s most famous outlaws, Jesse James met his maker on April 3, 1882. James was gunned down by Robert Ford—a member of his own gang looking to cash in on the bounty.
We pulled up in front of the house mid-morning on a beautiful fall day. My wife and I were very excited to visit. We’d visited a few other historical sites associated with James. In fact, that day, we’d just left the Jesse James Bank Museum in nearby Liberty, Missouri.
The small white home is modest. If you were just driving by, you would not notice or think twice about it. It looks like an average house someone’s grandma has lived in for a few decades.
While unassuming, the significance of what happened within its walls makes it truly fascinating.
A Story of Betrayal and Notoriety
The story of Jesse James’s death is as captivating as his life. James was 34 when he was killed. He’d been living the life of an outlaw for 16 of those years. After years of robbing banks and trains with his brother Frank and their gang, Jesse had settled down with his wife and two kids in St. Joseph under the alias Thomas Howard.
Unbeknownst to James, his trusted gang members Bob and Charley Ford secretly made a deal with Missouri Governor Thomas Crittenden to kill him in exchange for a pardon and $10,000 in reward money.
On a spring day in 1882, Jesse James and Ford ate breakfast and then walked into the living room of his home. James had recently learned from a newspaper that gang member Dick Liddil confessed to participating in killing his first cousin Wood Hite. After reading it in the paper, James grew suspicious of why the Fords didn’t tell him of the treachery. Later, Robert Ford admitted that he believed that James knew they had betrayed him and he needed to act quickly. Jesse set his revolvers on a sofa in the living room and walked across the room. He’d noticed a crooked picture. He grabbed a chair and stood on it to straighten it. That’s when Ford drew his 44 and shot the unarmed Jesse James in the back of the head.
“the dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard.”
Jesse James Killed by Robert Ford
The death of Jesse James became a national sensation, with the court of public opinion divided between Bob Ford being a traitorous coward and it being about time something was done about outlaw Jesse James. That would soon slant in favor of legendary James, who would quickly be and continues to be romanticized in Western dime novels and Hollywood.
After the killing, the Fords did not deny they gunned down Jesse James. They quickly connected with Governor Crittenden to claim their reward money. The Fords turned themselves in to the law but were surprised to be charged with first-degree murder.
In a single day, the Ford brothers were charged, pleaded guilty, and sentenced to death by hanging, but within a couple of hours, Governor Crittenden made good on his word and granted them a full pardon.
Robert “Bob” Ford Murdered
The assassination cemented Ford’s place in history as “the dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard.” Robert “Bob” Ford would go on to operate a saloon in mining boomtown Creede, Colorado.
On June 8, 1892, just over ten years after he killed Jesse James. Bob Ford was murdered. Edward O’Kelley walked into Ford’s Saloon and said, “Hello Bob,” before unloading a double-barrel shotgun into Ford’s throat, killing him instantly.
O’Kelley was convicted of the murder and sentenced to life in prison. The Governor of Colorado pardoned him on October 3, 1902, after more than 7,000 people signed a petition calling for his release.
Jesse James is buried in the Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Kearney, Missouri.
What to Expect During Your Visit
Today, the Jesse James Home is part of the Patee House Museum Complex and is maintained as a historic site and museum. Although the home has been moved a short distance from its original location, it’s preserved with original and period furnishings and historic artifacts.
We were the only two people there besides a museum volunteer who collected our small entrance fee when we walked in.
Walking through the small rooms, you can almost feel the tension of that fateful day. The house is small. The self-guided tour weaves through the rooms. In the living room, the hole in the wall from the bullet that killed James is still visible. Above the hole is the original picture that he was straightening when he was shot, which still hangs crookedly.
Other Jesse and Frank James Artifacts on Display
That was the highlight, but the artifacts on display were also fascinating. There is a 44-caliber Smith & Wesson on display. This was the same type of gun Ford used to kill James.
There is a bullet that was found in James’ right lung on display. It is believed to be from the near-fatal wound he received in 1865 from Union soldiers while trying to surrender near Lexington, Missouri, after the Civil War. To be clear, this is not the bullet that killed Jesse James.
Other things that caught my eye include a tie pin. It was found in the chest area when his body was exhumed. It is believed to be the one he was wearing the day he was killed. You can see it in his death picture. His coffin handles and fragments from his wood coffin are also on display, as well as Frank James’ rattlesnake necktie and his Smith & Wesson revolver.
There is also a spinning metal cast of the Skull of Jesse James, which was made when his body was exhumed in 1995. This was done to put to rest rumors that Bob Ford had not killed the real Jesse James and that it was all an elaborate plot to allow him to escape. DNA would ultimately prove Ford did kill James.
Planning Your Visit
The Jesse James Home is open year-round, and admission is affordable. Combination tickets are available to visit both the house and the nearby Patee House Museum. Check the museum’s official website for current hours and ticket prices.
Nearby Attractions
While in St. Joseph, immerse yourself further in local history by visiting:
- Patee House Museum: Once a luxury hotel and headquarters for the Pony Express.
- Pony Express National Museum: Dive into the daring days of the Pony Express.
The Jesse James Home is more than just a house; it’s a window into the violent past of the Wild West. While Jesse James is often glamorized in history’s eyes, make no mistake—he was an outlaw and killer. Regardless, standing in the room where Jesse James met his end was both eerie and enthralling. Visiting the Jesse James Home was stepping back into a piece of American history that still echoes through the halls of this unassuming house.
