Mondays with Morie–Vol. 2 Episode 2–Daniel Boone Home

I’m so thankful there are still some places we can visit and enjoy ourselves, so on this beautiful, sort of warm, Saturday, we finally made it to the Daniel Boone Home. If you remember back in Episode 13 , we attempted to visit the home only to find that it was only open on weekends after December 15. I had hoped we would be able to attend the Christmas candlelight walk held each year, but not only did I not make reservations soon enough, the walk was cancelled after it was sold out due to Covid 19.

The Daniel Boone home is located in the southwest part of St. Charles County, which has mostly maintained its rural feeling, although, like most of the places, it is becoming more and more populated.

According to St. Charles County’s website,

Bringing History to Life
The Historic Boone Home is nestled upon the rolling hills of wine country and overlooks the Femme Osage Valley. This beautiful setting represents life in the early 1800s and brings the legacy of Daniel Boone to life. Within the thick limestone walls, stories of a daring man offer a glimpse into family matters, risky adventures and hard-fought battles.

In April 2016, The Historic Daniel Boone Home and surrounding property in Defiance was gifted to the people of St. Charles County by Lindenwood University. The home and property now is called The Historic Daniel Boone Home at Lindenwood Park.

The nearly 300 acre site includes The Historic Daniel Boone Home, adjoining Village historic site, and surrounding property. The County continues to operate the Village complex, including the Boone Home, as a tourist site. The dozen buildings in the village originated from within 50 miles of the property. The general store, school house and grist mill offer a peek into life on the Missouri frontier.

Daniel Boone Home, c. 1803-1810; 2) Squire Boone Home, Old Monroe, MO, c. 1802; 3) Mount Hope School House, St. Paul, Mo., c. 1838; 4) Sappington-Dressel Home, Sappington, MO, c. 1850; 5) Dressmaker Shop, St. Charles, MO c. 1850; 6) Potter’s shop, c. 2000, reproduction; 7) Carpentr Shop, Flint Hill, MO c. 1837; 8) Old Peace Chapel, New Melle, MO 1850; 9) Stake House, defiance, MO c. 1828/1836; 10) Detached Kitchen, c. 1837, 11) Engledew House, c. 1840; 12) The Land Office, Schluersburg, MO, c. 1850; 13) General Store, Schluersburg, MO, c. 1840; 14) Grist Mill (Borgmann Mill; Marthasville, MO) c. 1846; 15) Jemima Boone Callaway House, Marthasville, MO c. 1811; 16) Newton Howell House and Exhibit Gallery, Warren County, MO c. 1820.

Daniel Boone Home in the background

The Daniel Boone Home, Defiance, Missouri, stands in an enchanting wooded hillside setting surrounded by stately elms, including the 16 ½ ft girth Judgment Tree. This four-story Georgian style structure is as staunch and solid as the remarkable man who conceived it. Begun in 1803, completed in 1810, the home is built fo blue limestone with 2 ½ ft thick walls. All beams and woodwork are black walnut and the five walnut fireplaces were carved by Boone himself.

The small bedroom next to the north entrance is where Daniel Boon died on September 26, 1820 at age 86.

The Old Peace Chapel (New Melle, MO), circa 1850

Daniel Boone came to Missouri in 1799 along with his children and wife, Rebecca, who died in 1813. According to the website, STL Front Page (https://slfp.com/BooneHome.htm), “Daniel traded his bridle, saddle and horse for 650 acres of land. In 1813, when Daniel was 80, he sent his youngest son, Nathan, to New Orleans to register the property to serve as a “living will.” New Orleans was the seat of government at the time for the Louisiana territory. “So that is why the house is referred to as the Nathan Boone home even though Daniel lived in this house longer than any other home and help build it.”

The house features a private apartment for Daniel and Rebecca so they could have peace and quite, noted Stum. She added that when the house was put back together in the early sixties as a touring home, many of the original family furniture pieces were donated by Boone’s family. ”

Daniel rotated his time between his daughter, Jemima’s home near Marthasville, Missouri and his son, Nathan Boone’s home which is known as the Daniel Boone home even if it actually belonged to his son, where he died.