In 1821, Jefferson City was chosen as the site for the capital of Missouri.  It is located on the tree lined bluffs of the Missouri River.  Rand McNally named the city as “Americas Most Beautiful Small Town.  The Governors Mansion is shown in the above picture.

Given the small town size, my goal was to bicycle to see the sites.  I parked the van at the Red Wheel Bike Shop which is located near the downtown area.  The shop is housed in a restored red brick building near the river.  I would recommend the shop as they were very friendly, provided maps and information, a derailleur adjustment, and allowed free parking for the day.   

The shop staff noted that the Missouri River had recently overflowed it’s banks and flooded the store.  When it was safe to return, they found catfish swimming inside.  Making the best of the situation, they made up T-shirts for memories.

The Missouri River was still high at the time of my visit:

As a start to the day, the bicycle staff recommended a ride on a green way trail along Wears Creek.  This is approximately a 15 mile round trip from the bike shop.  Next, I rode into the downtown area.  The city has many historic buildings and special landmarks.

The capital building dome is under restoration and expected to open in early 2020.

Post Office Building – Sure makes a statement!

Old State Penitentiary

Lewis and Clark Monument at the Lewis and Clark Trail head Plaza:

Other sites:

Jefferson City had a couple of natural disasters right before my visit.  Along with the flooding, a tornado had recently hit the town.  It was sad to see the damage and repairs were underway:

Jefferson City is worth a visit.  The town is very bicycle friendly and a person could easily spend a couple days exploring the city.

Now off to Springfield, Illinois and the land of Lincoln.   By the way, still on goal for no interstate highway travel until Ohio.  Traveling the back roads tells a tale of how many small towns are “drying” up.  When Kansas and Missouri were first settled, people did not have today’s infrastructure and means to travel distances.  Towns sprung up to provide local needs.  Many of these towns did not thrive / survive into the changes of the 21’st century.