International Quilt Market 2012 in Kansas City

The Spring International Quilt Market, a trade show catering to retailers in the quilting/needlecraft industry, will be held in Kansas City Missouri May 18 - 20, and I will be there too!

Yet this won't be my first time in Kansas City -- far from it! I grew up in the area and have spent most summers there with my boys visiting family. We have had a lot of time to explore some of the wonderful museums and historical sites that the area has to offer.

So...if you, too, will be in Kansas City for Quilt Market, I hope you'll have a little extra time to visit a few of the spots I'm going to tell you about -- AND I hope you'll visit me, too-- in Booth 3132!

International Quilt Market will be held at the Kansas City Convention Center in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. Just a short drive north of the convention center, and also in the downtown area, is the Arabia Steamboat Museum. This museum houses the excavated cargo of the steamboat Arabia, which sank in 1856 after hitting a snag while traveling on the Missouri River. The restored relics include beaver skin hats, barrels of beautiful buttons imported from France, bolts of wool cloth, bottles of perfume, tools, clothing and much, much more - a perfect snap shot of life on the American frontier.

My son and nieces in front of the paddle wheel at the Arabia Steamboat Museum

To get an up close look at the Missouri River, travel a little farther north to the charming town of Parkville, Missouri. Parkville was once an important landing spot for riverboats traveling up and down the Missouri River. Historic downtown Parkville has shops and restaurants and is a great place to spend the day. One of my favorite places to visit in downtown Parkville is Peddler's Wagon, a quilt and gift shop. Check out this blog for some great pictures from their shop: http://quiltshops.blogspot.com/2009/01/peddlers-wagon-parkville-mo.html. Just a short walk down main street takes you to the English Landing park, where you can walk right down to the Missouri River. Imagine for yourself what it must have looked like with all of those riverboats going up and down the river!

My sons at English Landing Park in front of the Missouri River

Approximately 45 minutes north of Kansas City and outside the town of Kearney, Missouri, more frontier history awaits at Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site.  Here you can tour Watkins Mill, an 1860"s woolen mill, and the last fully equipped 19th century woolen mill in the United States. Guided tours are also available for the Watkins house. Ang Lee's "Ride With the Devil", a movie starring Tobey Maguire and loosely based on the Kansas/Missouri border wars, was filmed on location at Watkins Mill, so be sure to look for the Watkins house and mill in the opening scenes if you rent the film!

The boys with Watkins Mill in the distance.

The boys in front of the Watkins house.

Last summer was my first visit to the National World War I Museum, also located in the downtown Kansas City area and just south of the Kansas City Convention Center. I was incredibly impressed with this museum and its comprehensive exhibits. My grandfather participated in many of the major battles in France, so it really meant a lot to learn about the realities of the war.

My son and nephew outside the entrance to  the World War I Museum and Liberty Memorial

South of downtown Kansas City is the Country Club Plaza area. Here is located The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, which I once read was ranked as one of the best art museums in the mid-size city category. It has definitely always been a favorite of mine! And, on the campus of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, is the Toy and Miniature Museum, which has rooms and rooms filled with dollhouses, miniature furniture, dolls, marbles and more from many different eras. Lots of fun!

I think I just covered about a week's worth of touring! 

Until next time,

Martha