What are the opening hours?

Thursday 10am - 2pm Friday 10am - 2pm Saturday 10am - 4pm

Lee's Summit History Museum

Home
United States
Lees Summit, MO
Lee's Summit History Museum

Call Directions Website Contact the organization

We are a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Lee's Summit, Missouri's rich heritage. We believe history begins today.

The museum opened in 1991 and was originally housed in the south side of the old depot. In 2015 it moved to its present location which was a WPA era post office. The Historical Society of Lee's Summit was established in 1973 and operates the museum through volunteers, admission fees, memberships and donations. Our mission is to inspire curiosity and foster learning about Lee's Summit's past by providing engaging, individual and unique experiences for the community. Membership information for the Historical Society can be obtained here: https://leessummitmuseum.com/membership/

Our mailing address is:
PO Box 835
Lee's Summit, MO 64063

10/13/2026

In January 1975, police responding to an anonymous tip about prowlers made a disturbing discovery in Kansas City. A Western Electric employee Eldon McMahan was found shot to death inside the trunk of his own car.

The evening before, he had been seen purchasing groceries for dinner at the Lee’s Summit A & P. When officers examined his vehicle, those groceries were still inside along with his wallet, ruling out robbery as a motive.

Investigators checked into a potential connection between McMahan’s murder and a bank robbery that took place at the Bank of Lee’s Summit earlier that same afternoon, but police were unable to establish a link between the two crimes. As far as we know the murder went unsolved.

10/11/2026

Welcome to Sunday Drives Through History, where we pull over each week to explore how our local roads got their names.

Today, our route brings us the legacy of William T. Hearne (1834–1916), who arrived in Lee's Summit in 1881 and purchased 590 acres. Hearne became a prominent Shorthorn cattle breeder and farmer.

He was instrumental in bringing the Kansas City Boulevard into Lee's Summit by donating a three-quarter-mile right-of-way directly through the center of his farm and overseeing the opening and grading of the road. He platted several additions to the town in 1887 and 1889.

In 1888, local citizens presented Hearne with an elegant ebony staff featuring a gold head as a token of high esteem, honoring his untiring energy in advancing public interests. He also served on the first board of directors for Farmers Bank when it was established in 1899.

Hearne named several streets after those closest to him:

Hearne Street - A stretch of Douglas running from the Baptist Church to Chipman Road. It was renamed Douglas in the early 1950s.

Maggie Street - Named for his daughter Maggie (1861–1941).

Lizzie Street - Named for his daughter Lizzie (1869–1893), which was once a short section of what is now Chipman Road.

Our cruise doesn't end here! Tune in next Sunday as we shift gears and explore another piece of local history waiting for us right around the next bend.

10/09/2026

Our next event will take place on Sunday, October 11, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the museum, 220 SW Main Street. The featured guest speaker is Nancy Kathleen Boswell of the Missouri Speakers Bureau, who will portray the aunt of George Whiteman, believed to be the first American pilot killed in World War II and the namesake of Whiteman Air Force Base. Through this character presentation, Boswell will share Whiteman's life story as an early Veterans Day tribute and as part of the museum's ongoing commemoration of the United States Semiquincentennial.

10/07/2026

Partially solved! Helen Ewing on the left was identified. Anyone know the other two?

Who is it Wednesday? The Jackson County Busy Homemakers donated several scrapbooks to the museum. They captured a lot of history and creativity in these books, but not all photos were labeled. We need your help to identify these lovely ladies from 1961. Do you recognize any of them?

10/05/2026

Happy World Teachers’ Day! Every one of us can look back and remember a educator who shaped our lives, sparked our curiosity, or simply showed us kindness when we needed it most. We would love to know: who was your favorite teacher, and what made them so special? Share your memories and stories in the comments below!

In honor of the occasion, we are sharing the story of Miss Bette Cooper, a local educator who dedicated half a century to teaching young minds. Miss Cooper concluded her 50-year teaching career in 1931, having first started teaching in September 1880. Her journey began at the High Grove school, located nine miles southwest of Lee’s Summit, before taking her to Brush College just south of Greenwood in Cass County the following year.

She then taught at Hazel Grove, the school she had attended as a child. Miss Cooper taught at Hazel Grove for four and a half years, where she instructed pupils who had once been her own classmates. Teaching in those days presented challenges. She recalled one term with 65 pupils enrolled, where some students arrived at 8:00 and others at 9:00 AM, and the day wasn't through until 5:00 PM. Following ten years in the Lee’s Summit schools, she joined the Kansas City school system, where she served for the remainder of her career. When she retired, nearly four hundred of her former students gathered at her home to express their lasting gratitude and congratulate her on a lifetime of devotion to education.

10/04/2026

Have you ever thought about the street signs you pass by each day having a story behind it? Welcome to another Sunday Drive Through History, where we pull over to explore the people behind those street names. Buckle up and let’s take a drive back in time!

When William B. Howard platted the original townsite in October 1865, he knew a growing town needed a dedicated physician. To convince Dr. William W. Miller to set up practice here, Howard gifted him four town lots. (Dr. Miller’s daughter, Bettie, went on to become the town’s very first female schoolteacher.)

Dr. Miller also claimed the distinction of building the very first house in town, located "away out on the prairie" on the corner of East Main and 5th Street. According to local lore, a wild prairie fire swept up from south of town and consumed the doctor's home, supposedly just three days after it was built, though he may have been adding a bit of drama to the story.

Shift into park for now, but keep your eyes on the road. Next Sunday we’ll cruise down another local street to uncover the story behind its name. See you on the next drive!

09/30/2026

In 1991, Wendy Allen of Lake Lotawana a won first-place award for her quilt at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia. The quilt was made during the class sessions at the home of May Howard.

The quilt included a pattern of "Order No. 11," which refers to an unpopular order issued to persons of this area during the Civil War that stated many persons had to leave their homes or be arrested.

Address

220 SW Main Street
Lees Summit, MO
64063

Opening Hours

Thursday	10am - 2pm
Friday	10am - 2pm
Saturday	10am - 4pm

Telephone

+18162874477

Website

http://www.leessummitmuseum.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Lee's Summit History Museum posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Lee's Summit History Museum:

Want your organization to be the top-listed non profit organization in Lees Summit?