St. Joseph, Missouri
St. Joseph is a city of 71,236 people in Buchanan County, Missouri, founded in 1843.
Why visit St. Joseph
Townapedia lists 72 museums and landmarks, 65 parks and trails, 114 places to eat, 12 places to stay and 10 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Missouri Western State University, Pony Express Bridge, Everett School and Jesse James Home Museum.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; January lows average 17°F.
Weather in St. Joseph
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About St. Joseph
St. Joseph is a city in and the county seat of Buchanan County, Missouri, United States. Located on the Missouri River, it is the principal city of the St. Joseph Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Buchanan, Andrew, and DeKalb counties in Missouri and Doniphan County, Kansas. As of the 2020 census, St. Joseph had a population of 72,473, making it the 8th most populous city in the state, and the 3rd most populous in Northwest Missouri. St.
From the Wikipedia article St. Joseph, Missouri (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do10
Missouri Western State University
School · 1.9 mi
Public, co-educational university in Saint Joseph, Missouri, United States
Pony Express Bridge
Bridge · 2.2 mi
Bridge in United States of America
St. Joseph Swing Bridge
Bridge · 2.0 mi
Railroad bridge between Kansas and Missouri, U.S.
Regal Hollywood Cinema
Cinema and theater · 4.1 mi
5405 North Belt Highway, Saint Joseph
Regal Theater (Permanently Closed)
Cinema and theater · 2.3 mi
2010 Saint Joseph Avenue, Saint Joseph
Museums and landmarks72
Everett School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
School building in St. Joseph, United States of America
Jesse James Home Museum
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Historic house in Missouri, United States
St. Joseph Public Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Building in Missouri, United States
925 Felix Street, Saint Joseph
Alois Herbert Double House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Building in Missouri, United States
Buchanan County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Courthouse in Missouri, United States
Buchanan County Infirmary
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.2 mi
Building in Missouri, United States
Burnside-Sandusky Gothic House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Building in Missouri, United States
Cathedral Hill Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
Historic district in St. Joseph, Missouri
Central Police Station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.7 mi
Prison in Missouri, United States of America
Central-North Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Building in Missouri, United States
Century Apartments
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Building in Missouri, United States
Charles A. and Annie Buddy House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Building in Missouri, United States
60 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds65
53 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes114
Boudreaux's Louisiana Seafood and Steaks
Restaurant · Seafood, Cajun · 1.7 mi
123 South 6th Street, Saint Joseph
Mo-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00
Cracker Barrel
Diner · American · 1.7 mi
915 North Woodbine Road, Saint Joseph
Su-Th 06:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-23:00
Crumbly Burger
Restaurant · Burger, American · 1.3 mi
2701 Frederick Avenue, Saint Joseph
Mo-Fr 10:30-19:00; Sa 10:30-18:00
Ford's Drive-In
Diner · American · 3.4 mi
5028 Lake Avenue
Mo-Th 10:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-22:00; Su 11:00-21:00
102 more on the map.
History
St. Joseph was founded on the Missouri River by Joseph Robidoux, a local fur trader of French Canadian descent. It was officially incorporated in 1843. In its early days, it was a bustling outpost and rough frontier town, serving as a last supply point and jumping-off point for travelers on the Missouri River toward the "Wild West". It was the westernmost point in the United States accessible by rail until after the American Civil War, which helped earn it the designation "Gateway to the West."
The main east–west downtown streets were named for Robidoux's eight children: Faraon, Jules, Francois (Francis), Felix, Edmond, Charles, Sylvanie, and Messanie. The street between Sylvanie and Messanie was named for his second wife, Angelique.
St. Joseph, or "St. Joe", as it was called by many, was a "Jumping-Off Point" for those migrants headed to the Oregon Territory in the mid-1800s. Such cities, including Independence, and St. Joseph, were where pioneers would stay and purchase supplies before they headed out in wagon trains across the Great Plains. The town was a very lively place.
From the History section of St. Joseph, Missouri on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay12
AmeriStay Inn
Motel and hotel · 3.1 mi
4502 SouthEast US Highway 169, Saint Joseph
Candlewood Suites St. Joseph
Motel and hotel · 4.0 mi
3505 North Village Drive, Saint Joseph
Drury Inn & Suites St. Joseph
Motel and hotel · 2.0 mi
4213 Frederick Avenue, Saint Joseph
Quality Suites St. Joseph
Motel and hotel · 1.8 mi
917 North Woodbine Road, Saint Joseph
Stoney Creek Hotel and Conference Center
Motel and hotel · 1.9 mi
1201 North Woodbine Road, Saint Joseph
Churches and places of worship68
Maxwell Heights Church
Church · Evangelical · 3.6 mi
4501 Maxwell Road, St. Joseph
Co-Cathedral of Saint Joseph
Church · Roman Catholic · 1.6 mi
519 North 10th Street, Saint Joseph
Brookdale Presbyterian Church
Church · Presbyterian · 0.5 mi
203 South 31st Street, Saint Joseph
Brookdale Student Ministry Center
Place of worship · Presbyterian · 0.5 mi
3015 Felix Street, Saint Joseph
Calvary Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 1.2 mi
731 North 22nd Street, Saint Joseph
Carnegie Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 4.3 mi
6520 Carnegie Street, Saint Joseph
Central Assembly of God Church of Saint Joseph
Church · Assemblies Of God · 1.6 mi
1222 North 18th Street, Saint Joseph
Deer Park Grace United Methodist Church
Church · United Methodist · 2.1 mi
2522 South Leonard Road, Saint Joseph
Shopping29
Gas and EV charging23
Schools, colleges and libraries87
Healthcare11
Northwest Missouri Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center
Hospital · 1.5 mi
3505 Frederick Avenue, St. Joseph
Rogers Pharmacy #5
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.3 mi
2524 Frederick Ave., Saint Joseph
Mosaic Life Care at St. Joseph - Family Care N 36th St
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.3 mi
Map of St. Joseph
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°F | 17°F | 0.7 in |
| Feb | 43°F | 21°F | 0.9 in |
| Mar | 55°F | 32°F | 2.1 in |
| Apr | 66°F | 42°F | 3.7 in |
| May | 76°F | 54°F | 4.9 in |
| Jun | 85°F | 64°F | 4.8 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 67°F | 4.7 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 64°F | 3.8 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 54°F | 3.2 in |
| Oct | 68°F | 43°F | 2.8 in |
| Nov | 53°F | 31°F | 1.9 in |
| Dec | 41°F | 21°F | 1.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for St Joseph Rosecrans Ap 72449 (6 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Buchanan County has had 20 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2021-09-01: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-07-09: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2019-05-20: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2015-08-07: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Rosecrans Memorial Airport (STJ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 5 miles away.
- Atchison 22 mi southwest, about 35 min by car
- Leavenworth 31 mi south, about 49 min by car
- Lansing 36 mi south, about 58 min by car
- Kearney 37 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Gladstone 40 mi south, about 1 h by car
- Maryville 40 mi north, about 1 h by car
- Liberty 42 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Excelsior Springs 42 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Kansas City 44 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Kansas City 46 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- St Joseph Missouri skyline, Tim Kiser ( w:User:Malepheasant ), CC BY-SA 2.5
- Everett School, St. Joseph, MO, 25or6to4, CC BY-SA 4.0
- McIntyre-Burri House, St. Joseph, MO, 25or6to4, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Robidoux School, St. Joseph, MO, 25or6to4, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bishop LeBlond High School in St. Joseph, Missouri, SamuelNelsonGISP, CC0
- Lawler Motor Company Building, St. Joseph, MO, 25or6to4, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St. Joseph- Chicago Burlington & Quincy 4-8-4 "Northern" -5614, CB&Q RR’s West Burlington, IA, Shops, 1937, Gary Lee Todd, Ph.D., CC0
- St. Joseph- Chicago Burlington & Quincy 4-8-4 "Northern" -5614, CB&Q RR’s West Burlington, IA, Shops, 1937 - 10531843155, Gary Lee Todd, Ph.D., CC0
- Ryan Block, St. Joseph, MO, 25or6to4, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hannibal & St. Joseph RR 4-4-0 "American" -35 MISSOURI, CB&Q's Aurora Shops, 1892, Carried First Mail for Pony Express, Gary Lee Todd, Ph.D., CC0
- Hannibal & St. Joseph RR 4-4-0 "American" -35 MISSOURI, CB&Q's Aurora Shops, 1892, & Mail Car, Gary Lee Todd, Ph.D., CC0
- Hannibal & St. Joseph RR 4-4-0 "American" -35 MISSOURI, CB&Q's Aurora Shops, 1892, Locomotive Boiler, Gary Lee Todd, Ph.D., CC0
- Free Public Library at St. Joseph, Missouri, SamuelNelsonGISP, CC0
- Wyeth Flats, St. Joseph, MO, 25or6to4, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St. Joseph Cathedral Complex Cathedral Hill Historic District Buchanan Co MO Rectory north and east facades, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St. Joseph Cathedral Complex Cathedral Hill Historic District Buchanan Co MO Cathedral School, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St. Joseph Cathedral Complex Cathedral Hill Historic District Buchanan Co MO Rectory south and west facade, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St. Joseph Cathedral Complex Cathedral Hill Historic District Buchanan Co MO Cathedral and Rectory, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St. Joseph Cathedral Complex Cathedral Hill Historic District Buchanan Co MO Rectory west facade, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St. Joseph Cathedral Complex Cathedral Hill Historic District Buchanan Co MO Rectory east facade, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St. Joseph Cathedral Complex Cathedral Hill Historic District Buchanan Co MO statue of Saint Joseph, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St. Joseph Cathedral Complex Cathedral Hill Historic District Buchanan Co MO Cathedral tower detail, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St. Joseph Cathedral Complex Cathedral Hill Historic District Buchanan Co MO Rectory, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St. Joseph Cathedral Complex Cathedral Hill Historic District Buchanan Co MO Cathedral Auditorium, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St. Joseph Cathedral Complex Cathedral Hill Historic District Buchanan Co MO Cathedral doors, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Virginia Flats 2, St. Joseph, MO, 25or6to4, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Virginia Flats 1, St. Joseph, MO, 25or6to4, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hurd Duplex, St. Joseph, MO, 25or6to4, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St. Joseph Police Dept & National Military Museum 701 S. 7th., St. Joseph, MO, Keyhub2, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Jesse-james-home1, Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Wholesale Row North, St. Joseph, MO, 25or6to4, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St. Joseph, MO - John D. Richardson Dry Goods Company, Publichall, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Warehouse, St. Joseph, MO, 25or6to4, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Buchanan County Courthouse St Joseph Missouri, Tim Kiser ( w:User:Malepheasant ), CC BY-SA 2.5
- Buddy House, St. Joseph, MO, 25or6to4, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Burnside-Sandusky Gothic House, St. Joseph, MO, 25or6to4, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Buchanan County Infirmary, LManning, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Thompson-Brown-Sandusky House, St. Joseph, MO, 25or6to4, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Livestock Exchange Building, St. Joseph, MO, 25or6to4, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Corby-Forsee Building, St. Joseph, MO, 25or6to4, CC BY-SA 4.0
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