DNR
Home Page2004 Katy Trail Ride
Day 4 - June 24, 2004 - Boonville to Sedalia
History on the Trail
Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site
As any rider of the Katy Trail will tell you about the towns that line the trail, the historic homes are definitely a highlight of the stops. Just a few miles north of the trail outside of Sedalia, you can find one of the most elaborate homes built in central Missouri. The Bothwell Lodge is a turn-of-the-century mansion that was built on top of a 120-foot bluff overlooking Hwy. 65.
John Bothwell spent 30 years, from 1897 to 1928, building his dream home that he and his friends used as a getaway from their business lives. The house is a three-story, 31- room stone house built upon three existing caves. Bothwell mined all of the stone from his own land to build his house.
Also on the 247-acre site are the Stoneyridge Trail, a picnic area, a playground, shelter houses and reservable pavilion. Tours of the lodge are offered daily for a small fee but the rest of the park is free of charge.
