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Wornall House
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| Location: | Kansas City, Missouri |
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| Built: | 1858 |
| Architect: | Cross,Asa Beebe |
| Architectural style: | Greek Revival |
| Governing body: | Private |
| NRHP Reference#: |
69000109 [1] |
| Added to NRHP: | May 21, 1969 |
Constructed in the year 1858 by John B. Wornall, the house stands as a reminder of Kansas City's past. Built in the Greek Revival style architecture with bricks hand-fired on the Wornall's property, this house is one of the four remaining Civil War period homes in the Kansas City area.
The story of the Wornalls begins in 1843 in Shelbyville, Kentucky. John Wornall's forty-four year old father, Richard Wornall had experienced extreme financial embarrassment due to his struggling business, which consisted of mule and horse trade. With his debts totaling almost $25,000, Richard sold 640 acres (2.6 km2) of Shelby County land, thirteen slaves, most of his livestock, farm equipment, household utensils and crops to his debtors. With the remnants of his money, Richard Wornall, his wife Judith, and their two sons George Thomas and John Bristow started the 600-mile (970 km) trek to Westport, Missouri. Upon arrival in Westport in October 1843, Richard Wornall purchased a 500-acre (2.0 km2) farm from the town father, John Calvin McCoy. The land, for which Wornall paid $5 per acre, stretched between present-day 59th and 67th streets, State Line and Main Street in what is now Kansas City.
Richard and Judith's second son, John B. Wornall, eventually inherited the property and built the house for his second wife, Eliza S. Johnson Wornall, which still stands today.
During the American Civil War, the Wornall's home was used as a field hospital for both the Union and Confederate forces after the Battle of Westport.
The historic house museum is furnished to represent the daily life of a prosperous, pre-Civil War family.
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