Our "Run-Of-The-Mill” Tourism Program

The historic exterior facade of the Victorian-era Mill Office of the original Waggoner-Gates Mill was beautifully restored in 2000. This ambitious project, which had NO funding from any level of government, included reconstructing the original Mansard-style roof with dormer windows, millwork, windows, and custom built-in eave gutters/downspouts. The entire roof had literally blown off its supporting walls from a massive explosion of the adjacent mill operation in 1967. 33 years later, a group of preservation-minded citizens volunteered their time and talents and a very proud and honorable gentleman from Lee’s Summit, Jim Noel, descendant of one of the original pioneer families in Jackson County, donated his Victorian family home on Pleasant Street to the cause. This also initiated the beautiful restoration of the Noel House in the heart of the Truman National Historic Landmark District, blocked further parking lot expansion by a politically-connected church, and generated around $60K for the Mill Office restoration project. The Noel House was listed by the National Park Service as a “Truman Property” with personal connections to the Truman family. Jim Noel, God rest is soul, passed away June 14th of last year at the age of 98. In the last 17 years under the city’s stewardship, they’ve done practically nothing but to allow deterioration, vandalism, and criminal trespassing into the structure. Now the city is complaining that it will take $300,000 of public money to reverse this neglect and poor stewardship. It seems ironic that the city plans to solicit substantial donations of private money for the expansion of the National FrontierTrails Museum property after it wasted past private donations and investments in the property. This neglect also created blight at the very entrance of the city’s premier museum. It’s no wonder that tourism head counts are just a fraction of what they used to be. And as we learn of the mismanagement of Event Center funds from the Missouri State Auditor, citizens should also be asking how is the City’s $1.4 million Heritage Tourism budget spent.