Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site

Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site
Missouri State Historic Site
West front of Bothwell Lodge
Country United States
State Missouri
County Pettis
Coordinates 38°47′29″N 93°12′58″W / 38.79139°N 93.21611°WCoordinates: 38°47′29″N 93°12′58″W / 38.79139°N 93.21611°W
Area 246.91 acres (100 ha) [1]
Established 1974
Management Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Location in Missouri
Website: Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site

Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site is located in Missouri, United States, north of Sedalia. The site was established in 1974 to preserve the lodge named after John Homer Bothwell. The site offers tours as well as trails for hiking and mountain biking.[2]

History

John Bothwell purchased the property in 1896, naming it Stonyridge Farm.[2] From 1897 to 1928, Bothwell built the lodge in four phases on top of a rock bluff overlooking a valley. The lodge was intended to be a summer home and is an eclectic combination of various styles with Craftsman influences. One of the eccentricities of the home was an attempt to use a natural cave discovered during construction as a source of natural air conditioning. The limestone used in the home's construction was quarried on site.[2]

A widower for most of his life, Bothwell often invited family and friends to stay at the lodge. It was to this group of individuals that he left the lodge upon his death. The group was named the Bothwell Lodge Club, and the lodge was placed under its control so long as more than five members remained alive. Upon the death of the sixth member (reducing the membership to five), the lodge would be offered to the state. In 1969, the property was officially offered to the state, which accepted the home five years later.[2]

In addition to the lodge, the grounds include a garage/home, another separate home, hiking trails, and a playground.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "State parks...estimated acres". Revised Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan: 2008-2012. Missouri Department of Natural Resources. pp. 142–143. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "General Information: Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site". Missouri State Parks. Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved October 16, 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site.