1859 Jail Museum

05/31/2026

Please Join us on June 13th! at The 1859 Jail Museum!

On June 13, 1866, our first jailer, Henry Bugler, was murdered in his office at the county jail by members of the James/Younger gang. We will give a short presentation of the events on that night, and their effect on the local people followed by a three-hour investigation with P.A.I. - Paranormal Activity Investigators.

Tickets are $35 plus ticketing fees, with all proceeds benefitting the preservation and operation of The 1859 Jail Museum.

217 N. Main St. Independence MO 64050
816-252-1892
[email protected]

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/death-of-a-jailer-tickets-1990681367558?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

05/26/2026

https://www.independencemo.gov/events/restoring-1859-jail-howard-schoolhouse

05/13/2026

It's a beautiful day on The Independence Square!

The Howard School restoration is nearly complete, and we are working on the courtyard garden.

Spring has been good to us.

We are open, and would love to introduce some new visitors to The 1859 Jail Museum!

Hours:

Tuesday - Saturday
10 A.M. - 4 P.M.

04/11/2026

The 1859 Jail Museum is open for the 2026 season!

Regular Hours:
Tuesday - Saturday 10 A.M. - 4 P.M.

To contact us, you can....

Comment here
Send us a private message at 1859 Jail Museum
Email us at: [email protected]
or call 1-816-252-1892

03/31/2026

03/26/2026

The 1859 Jail Museum will be open for the 2026 season next week!

Our regular season runs from April 1 to October 31.

We are open Tuesday - Saturday, from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

Stop by and see us at 217 N. Main St. in Independence, MO!

02/18/2026

Happy mid-February everyone! The unseasonably warm weather has given us the opportunity to continue work on the Howard School. We've replaced all the siding, the small porch on the front, and the windows are on their way to be restored. We'll have another update as soon as the painting is complete. It's exciting to see the little school come back together!

01/19/2026

SAVE THE DATE!

It’s time for “A Patriotic Celebration of History” at the 2026 Jackson County Historical Society Annual Dinner, to be held at the Midwest Genealogy Center in Independence, MO.
To celebrate the United States' 250th Birthday, the JCHS will explore Jackson County’s 250 years of history. We will also share recent JCHS achievements, such as the restoration work underway on the Howard Schoolhouse.

Join us in celebrating!

12/15/2025

We thought we'd share a short video of the Howard School flying to it's new foundation on Thursday, December 11.