St. Joseph, often referred to as St. Joe, is the county seat of Buchanan County with a population of 72,661 (2005). Founded by Joseph Robidoux, the city was incorporated in 1843. A frontier town, the city carries the slogan "where the Pony Express Started and Jesse James ended." Jesse James, who was killed in St Joseph is memorialized in a small museum at the Heaton-Bowman-Smith Funeral Home (whose predecessors conducted the funeral). Another major Jesse James tourist attraction is his home which memorializes not only his life, but also his death, as it contains the bullet hole from the shot that took his life.
St. Joseph has gained recognition from the National Civic League as an "All-American City" and from True West Magazine as the tenth in a list of top "true western towns." Visitors will want to be sure to visit the Pony Express Museum which is located in the refurbished Pikes Peak Stables. Both the Parkway Saint Joseph and Krug Park are enduring aspects of the city sure to make for a lovely afternoon outdoors enjoying nature.
In higher education, Saint Joseph is home to Missouri Western State University. Living in St. Joseph is to be surrounded by art. Sculptures decorate the city, many reflecting on the city's colorful past. Each year the Allied Arts Council of Saint Joseph sponsors the largest arts festival in the area. The city is also home to the Albrecht-Kemper museum which houses 18th, 19th and 20th century art.
