by Michael R. Allen
Friday’s South County Times carried the article “Plans In Place To Transform Jefferson Barracks Complex Into A National Tourist Destination”. The article reports that the St. Louis County Economic Council has developed a master plan for $68 million in improvements, including an interpretive center and a “presidential museum/library”:
According to the master plan, the complex would be transformed into a regional and national visitor attraction, done so in phases over the course of 20 years.
Jefferson Barracks is indeed an underutilized cultural asset to the region. Many other places have promoted military history, a substantial sector of American tourism. It’s about time that the county thought seriously about Jefferson Barracks. Still, it’s important to note that there are existing efforts to draw visitors to the historic barracks. For instance, the Missouri Civil War Museum has been feverishly working on renovating a building and is set to open soon.
There is a presentation on the master plan today:
The St. Louis County Economic Council will hold open house to unveil the master plan on Monday, Jan. 25, 4 to 7 p.m. at the Jefferson Barracks Visitor’s Center. A presentation will be held at 6 p.m. Jefferson Barracks County Park is located at the end of South Broadway.