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Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site is one of the best representations of early 20th Century sensibilities in the Midwest. Walk through the 31-room, 12,000-square-foot lodge built atop two natural caves by Sedalia lawyer John Homer Bothwell. You will marvel at the owner’s eclectic tastes and how a country gentlemen furnished a recreational lodge for himself and his friends. Most of the furnishings in the house are original. The property also has a three-mile hiking and mountain biking trail.
It took 31 years and four building phases to complete the 12,000-square-foot Bothwell Lodge. It contains 31 rooms on three levels (the tower has four). These illustrate many cultural and architectural changes of the period from 1890 through 1929. This imposing structure was positioned to command a broad view and has become a landmark in Pettis County along Highway 65. Bothwell Lodge was an appropriate gift to the state from a man who brought so much to his adopted state.
MOVE TO MISSOURI
Born Nov. 20, 1848, in Maysville, Ill., John Homer Bothwell moved to Sedalia in 1871 and opened his first law office. From the time of his arrival in Sedalia, Bothwell promoted the community. On the local level, he was president of the Sedalia Board of Trade and the Sedalia National Bank as well as serving as an assistant prosecuting attorney. He represented the Sedalia area for eight years as a legislator to the Missouri General Assembly and unsuccessfully ran for governor in 1904. His influence helped to make Sedalia the permanent location for the Missouri State Fair.
In hopes of saving the wooded hilltop for future generations, Bothwell purchased the property that he called Stonyridge Farm in 1896, now the home of Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site. Frustrated that much of the timber on top of the ridge had been cut, Bothwell spent years restoring the native vegetation. Bothwell built a trail along the wooded slope surrounding the lodge. Visitors hiking Stonyridge Trail will pass by one of three rock quarries, and a stone gazebo, as well as, a small three-sided stone shelter used as a resting spot.
Bothwell died in 1929 leaving his estate to a group of friends and relatives he called “The Bothwell Lodge Club,” who used it until 1969 when it was offered to the state of Missouri. In 1974, the state acquired the property and began development of Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site, which is administered by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
PARK ACTIVITIES
Today, visitors can tour Bothwell’s lodge and enjoy the natural beauty of Stonyridge Farm while hiking Stonyridge Trail. A picnic area, complete with picnic tables, as well as, a shelter and playground equipment, provides the perfect location for a quiet picnic lunch or a gathering place for friends and family similar to gatherings hosted by Bothwell himself. The newest trail, Radiant Trail, provides challenging hiking and mountain biking, as well as, scenic views for outdoor enthusiasts.
PARK HOURS & FEES
Contact Park
PARK PHONE
660-827-0510
PARK ADDRESS
19349 Bothwell State Park Road
Sedalia, MO 65301-9407
For more information click HERE.
Have you visited this state historic site? If so, please leave a comment. Thanks.
BREATHE LIFE!
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