Driving the “Genius Highway”

It’s called the “Genius Highway” — and for good reason. Highway 36 across the northern part of Missouri is one of many great road trips across the state of Missouri to see our legendary people and places. The highway goes from Hannibal on the east to St. Joseph on the west and includes the areas about 36 miles north and south of the highway. The discoveries you find along the way are nothing short of spectacular. These small towns and rural areas may seem like the middle of nowhere to many people, but these are the places where some of American’s most impactful people called home.

Hannibal and St. Joseph have been vital cities to Missouri, especially as the state began to grow rapidly in the mid-1800s. In fact, this 200 mile highway runs mostly along the same lines at the old “Hound Dog Trail”. That was a stagecoach route between the two cities which were the second and third largest cities in Missouri around 1850. Later came a railroad line, then eventually Missouri U.S. Highway 36, or “The Way of American Genius,” as the web site that is dedicated to this historic highway calls it.

So why is it called the Genius Highway? The trail about an hour north and parallel to Interstate 70 has been the home of numerous famous Missourians including inventors, medical pioneers, writers, movie moguls, and so many more. When the people are famous enough that you only need last names like Disney, Penney, Twain, and Pershing to identify them, you are truly on the top rung of the Genius ladder.

Let’s move from east to west to explore some of the famous names along The Genius Highway…

Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) – Hannibal

Mark Twain is synonymous with Hannibal along the Mississippi River, but he was born further west in the small town of Florida. The best place to start this road trip is at the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum in Hannibal.

The museum does an amazing job of keeping his legacy alive and showing the importance of Twain’s writings to people all over the world. His books and articles were the first glimpse many people had into life in Missouri at the time, so it’s their mission to promote the awareness and appreciation of his stories.

Dr. Andrew Still – Kirksville

Dr. Still is the founder of Osteopathic Medicine, which is becoming more widespread across the world.

He not only founded this type of medicine, he also founded the first osteopathic medical school to teach the techniques called the American School of Osteopathy (now called A.T. Still University) in Kirksville. If you want to learn more about the amazing history of Osteopathic Medicine, the Museum of Osteopathic Medicine has a plethora of resources.

Gen. Omar Bradley – Clark

General Omar Bradley rose from humble beginnings in rural Missouri near Clark to become one of the most successful military leaders of all time. He rose through the ranks to become a five-star general, where he bravely led soldiers into battle during World War II.

He was also one of President Harry S. Truman’s confidants during the Korean War and one of the most decorated soldiers in America’s history.

Walt Disney – Marceline

WaltDisney only spent a few years of his childhood in the small town of Marceline, but it had a massive impact on him. Many Disney historians claim that Main Street USA at the Disney theme parks are based off his hometown, although the Disney company says it symbolizes all great American hometowns.

But Disney once wrote, “More things of importance happened to me in Marceline than have happened since or are likely to in the future.” So it’s obvious that the area had a major impact on his life. You can still why he loved that town and visit the Walt Disney Hometown Museum.

Sliced Bread – Chillicothe

We have all heard that “it’s the best thing since sliced bread.” Well, what if sliced bread was first offered for sale in your hometown of Chillicothe? You celebrate it, that’s what.

The Chillicothe Baking Company is credited with being the first company in the country to sell sliced bread thanks to an invention by an Iowa man called the Rohwedder Bread Slicer. The historic event from 1928 went pretty much unnoticed until years later when it was discovered what happened there, but now the city has celebrations to make sure it is never forgotten.

J.C. Penney – Hamilton

The man that lived by the “Golden Rule”, then preached it to his thousands of employees, grew up in the small town of Hamilton. James Cash Penney was called the “man with a thousand partners” who relied on an unshakable belief in God, self-reliance, discipline, and biblical morals to turn his small store into a massive retail empire known as JCPenney.

Another interesting tid-bit about his impact is the man who followed in his footsteps. Missouri Sam Walton went through Penney’s management training program in order to learn the in’s and out’s of retail, while also learning how to treat people right. It turned out to be one legendary Missourian passing along valuable lessons to another Missouri legend.

Jesse James – Kearney

One of the most notorious gangsters in American history grew up, and spent his formative years near Kearney. Although Jesse James is not be considered a true genius, he certainly did have an impact on our nation’s history.

His life is captured in movies, books, songs, and TV shows, but his early years growing up in the Baptist Church certainly showed no sign of the life that he eventually led.

Walter Cronkite Memorial – St. Joseph

Walter Cronkite was one of the most respected broadcasters in American history and spend many of his formative years in the northwestern part of the state including Kansas City and St. Joseph, where he was born.

For three decades he practically wrote the book on being a news anchor as America turned to him to learn of the assassinations of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and President John F. Kennedy. He was with the American people through practically every event of his tenure, from the Watergate scandal to the first American landing on the moon.

Gen. John J. Pershing – Laclede

General John J. Pershing rose from humble beginnings in the rural area around Laclede to be one of the most effective leaders in U.S. military history.

He attained the highest rank ever held in the military, equivalent only to the posthumous rank of George Washington: “General of the Armies.”

Pony Express Museum – St. Joseph

At the end of the Genius Highway trail in St. Joseph is a piece of American history that truly cannot be overlooked; The Pony Express Museum. Although it was only in operation for a short time, the Pony Express that worked out of this little building was transformative in how Americans communicated across the country.

St. Joseph was so prosperous in the early 1900’s, that it was one of the wealthiest cities in the country with mansions lining Hall Street, known as Millionaire’s Row.