Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site
On top of two caves, high above Highway 50 outside of Sedalia, sits Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site (https://mostateparks.com/park/bothwell-lodge-state-historic-site). Built over a 30 year period from 1890-1929 by Sedalia lawyer John Homer Bothwell, the site includes a 31-room, 12,000-square-foot lodge and two trails (an historic trail and a three mile hiking/biking trail).
We stopped at the lodge during our drive back to Kansas City - the last day of a Memorial Day weekend journey.
It was hot, the wasps were active, and we were anxious to get home so we decided not to wait for the next tour. We hope to make it back for the tour and a hike someday. The lodge still contains many of Bothwell’s original furnishings. In addition to a successful career as a lawyer, Bothwell served eight years in the Missouri legislature, ran an unsuccessful bid for governor in 1904, and was one of the primary reasons Sedalia is the permanent location for the Missouri State Fair.