Show Me Your Roots
Missouri Park and Recreation Association and its members will celebrate the Missouri Bicentennial by hosting events throughout the month of April 2021 centered around the planting of a minimum of 200 native Missouri trees. Participating agencies are encouraged to enhance the event with activities “rooted” in Missouri history.
Francois Chouteau and Native American Heritage Fountain
The Francois Chouteau and Native American Heritage Fountain will honor those who first settled and traded in the area that would become Kansas City. This magnificent monument/fountain will celebrate Chouteau–the founder of Kansas City–and the Native Americans of the area. Three heroic-sized, bronze statues, depicting a trade encounter between Chouteau and two Native Americans, will be perched atop a rock structure resembling the Missouri River Bluffs. Water will flow over the bluff and into a “river” along the base. The same year Missouri was admitted to the union, Chouteau established a trading post along the Missouri River on its western frontier.
A day-long event to celebrate Missouri’s bicentennial and the new Francois Chouteau and Native American Heritage Fountain is in the works. Our celebration will take place on Saturday July 24, 2021 at the Chouteau fountain site. The event will include stage performances by MOliere 4000 in 2022, music presentations by high school bands, presentation of the flags, dignitary’s recognition of Missouri’s 200th anniversary, and more. We will have the unveiling of the fourth bronze sculpture for the fountain site, Native American culture dance, period fiddler & banjo players on the grounds during the day, fur trapper re-enactors, Native American & frontier art tents, youth activities if the pandemic will allow, horse drawn wagon rides, food trucks, and much more. Check out our event on Facebook for more information: https://fb.me/e/dy37UIBWv.
Bicentennial Bridge to Adrian’s Island
The Bicentennial Bridge to Adrian’s Island will provide a pedestrian and bike linkage between Jefferson City and Adrian Island, reconnecting and restoring Jefferson City’s historic relationship to the Missouri River. Interactive exhibits on the Bicentennial Bridge will interpret diverse transportation systems, including the river, rails, and roads, that affected the development of Jefferson City. The Bicentennial Bridge is scheduled to be completed and opened for the 2021 bicentennial celebration. The bridge will be open to the public, providing access to a passive public park on Adrian Island.