St. Joe’s Remington center gateway to history, nature
Did you know that the Woolly Mammoth once called northwest Missouri home? It’s true. The Remington Nature Center in St. Joseph has a small exhibit on the giant creature.
A mammoth replica and its baby welcome visitors to the center. Built to scale, mammoths could grow to several feet tall and have tusks as long as 16 feet. They could live up to 60 years.
Fossils of mammoths discovered in Missouri give visitors a glimpse into their history. A tooth, several inches long and wide, is on display. People can even touch one. Bones, including a femur, are available for viewing. A patch of mammoth hair/fur, discovered during a dig at Barrow, Alaska, gives an idea of what the hair looked like.
The nature center has an excellent exhibit on animals in Missouri or possibly to have been there.
While the grey wolf hasn’t called Missouri home, its exhibit allows people a look at the hunter. Wolves live and hunt in packs. They use their howls for various types of communication.
The black bear once roamed the state. The bear on display was actually killed in Minnesota by a Missourian.
Displays of wildlife that can be seen in Missouri include deer, turkey and vultures.
Missouri’s trapper history tells the tale of Frenchman Ettienne Veniard de Bourgmont. He’s believed to be one of the earliest Europeans to visit the area. Trappers sought valuable animal pelts, primarily beaver and bear.
During the Civil War, St. Joseph residents were divided in their loyalties between the Union and the Confederacy. Former Mayor Jeff Thompson played a role in supporting the South during the war.
An exhibit displays a Confederate uniform and a Union one. Weapons are on display, as well.
St. Joseph marked one end of the famed Chisholm cattle trail from Texas. Cattle drives were common during the late 1800s. St. Joseph had a rail industry, which could help transport cattle to market.
A small town display shows a general store and saloon. The mural inside the saloon probably accurately described life for a cowboy seeking some refreshment and entertainment.
But, before fur trappers sought their first pelt…Before the Civil War divided a nation…Heck, even before there was a United States, the area was home to several Native American tribes.
Missouri archaeological digs have discovered tools, pottery and other items from several periods of Native American history, dating to prehistoric times.
The exhibits display Native Americans as farmers, gatherers, as well as spiritual (sweat lodge).
A sabre tooth tiger skull and tooth are on display.
A gallery features several Native American items, including pipes, pottery and arrowheads.
Taking a look at life on the Missouri River today, the Remington features a 7,000-gallon aquarium of native fish.
Outside the visitor’s center, Remington offers a variety of attractions, including natural habitats for birds and animals, as well as prairie and wildflower areas.
A paved walking path follows the river south. It offers an attractive view while walking among the trees.
We recommend visiting the Remington Nature Center when you are in St. Joe. Admission is only $3 per adult. For more information on the nature center, please visit http://www.stjoemo.info/index.aspx?NID=459.