Picture Courtesy of Jim Kuntz

Picture Courtesy of Jim Kuntz

Picture Courtesy of Jim Kuntz

The Confederate Home Farm
The Confederate Home of Missouri near Higginsville dates to the early 1890s. It was conceived as a place of refuge and residence for indigent Confederate veterans, their spouses, and children. It was the only such facility in the Confederate States to have been constructed and originally furnished through private donations. Two organizations were instrumental in raising funds: the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the United Confederate Veterans of Missouri. Donations came from many quarters, including both ex-Confederate and ex-Union soldiers, passions had cooled in the quarter century since the Civil War.

In a solicitation for funds aimed at fellow Confederates, Joseph Shelby, former General of Missouri Confederate Cavalry, wrote: "Your cheerful submission to and acquiescence in the results of the war has caused all the people of the state to aid in erection and maintaining this beautiful refuge for your unfortunate comrades. This Home must be sustained and the burden mainly and properly rests upon you."

The main part of the Confederate Home of Missouri was located directly in front of where you are now standing. Many of the original structures and records were destroyed in 1954 when the home was closed. In the mid-1950s following the destruction of some of the Confederate Home's Buildings the property was divided between two state agencies, The Missouri Department of Mental Health and the State Park Board. As you look directly ahead to the east, two buildings are visible. The large brick building to the right was one of the Confederate Home's hospitals and serves today as the administration building for the Higginsville Habilitation Center operated by the Missouri Department of Mental Health. The white two-story frame structure to the right of the administration building served the Confederate Home as a residence for hired hands. Two other buildings that survived include the chapel and one resident's cottage now serving as the residence of the site administrator. The hired hands residence chapel and cottage are all maintained as part of the historic site by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

Comments (0)

Show/Hide comment form

Name

Email

Comment

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment