The stately brick home on Boone Monument Road near Marthasville is steeped in history. From its windows, you can see the Daniel Boone burial site. Originally part of a Spanish land grant in 1799, the property has had only a handful of owners.
Although Daniel Boone’s wife Rebecca never lived on the farm, her Bryan cousins did. For the last 100 years, members of the Dieckhaus family and later the Stemme family owned the farm overlooking the Missouri Bottoms.
In 2009, Bernardo Brunetti of Town and Country, purchased the property. Since then he has made it his goal to offer the farm as a living history attraction.
Soon, the Boone Monument Village will open its gates for the first time for a grand opening “Keeping Christmas” tour.
“This is a very special area historically,” said Brunetti. “We want to bring history alive again. It belongs to the whole area. It is everybody’s heritage.”
Brunetti said one of the goals is to recreate a little village typical of the mid-1800s and reflect the different people who lived in the area — French, English, German, Native American and the slave population.
“I also want to emphasize the role of women in early times,” he said. “It wasn’t an easy life.”
During the tour, visitors will be able to walk through candlelit paths to the Bryan log cabin, the Jacob Mellein log cabin, the schoolhouse and the Dieckhaus-Stemme home.
In addition to touring the buildings at the Boone Monument Village, there will be music, storytelling and refreshments.
Volunteers dressed in the fashions of the 1800s will be on hand to educate visitors about the history of the farm and its future plans.
Tour dates and times are as follows:
Friday, Dec. 7 — 6-9 p.m.;
Saturday, Dec. 8 — 6-9 p.m.;
Sunday, Dec. 9 — 1-4 p.m.;
Friday, Dec. 14 — 6-9 p.m.; and
Saturday, Dec. 15 — 6-9 p.m.
Emphasis Is Education
Brunetti stressed the village’s No. 1 emphasis is education. Next year, he expects to offer hands-on learning activities, such as candle and soap making. Two heirloom vegetable gardens will be planted and the orchard will be revived.
Area re-enactors will add entertainment next year so visitors can experience some drama while they are exploring the village. Civil War soldiers may visit the farm or the Indian unrest of the time may be the theme of a particular day.
Brunetti hopes to appeal to Katy Trail bicyclists by offering a unique camping experience. Soon to come will be five Native American tepees. Some of them will be available for a unique bed-and-breakfast overnight stay. Restroom facilities will also be added.
A stocked lake will provide catch-and-release fishing and the large barn on the property eventually will house a variety of farm skill stops for visitors.
For those who wonder about the people who have once occupied the farm, Brunetti said some of them may still lurk about.
“We have experienced a couple of ghosts,” he said. “One is a little girl about 3 years old. The other is an older gentleman dressed as a farmer who leans against a tree and watches the workers.”
Above all, Brunetti is excited to attract visitors to the area, helping to benefit the Marthasville community economically.
“People from all over the world visit the cemetery, but they only stay five minutes, then they leave,” said Brunetti. “I want to give people a reason to stay in the area, spend a vacation here and benefit the whole community.”
Additional Plans
Other future plans include housing a local farmer’s market to highlight Marthasville produce and constructing a well house and buttery, two additional log cabins and a church. Also in the plans is to add a nature observation station.
“I want to make everything look like it grew here naturally, like it was really done like that from the beginning,” said Brunetti. “I want to attract the city folks and have them bring their kids to learn about the farm.”
The admission for the Christmas tour will be $8 for adults; $5 for children under 12 years of age; and $4 for active military personnel.
Boone Monument Village is located at 15226 Boone Monument Road in Marthasville and can be accessed by Highway 47 between Marthasville and Washington.
