I will tell you what it is in the Aug. 3 Travel section. Or for the cybercompetent, you'll be able to read about it that day at the Tribune's travel site on the World Wide Web. Read the best and worst of week 6 in Alan Solomon's wrap- up . The Pony Express, which lasted only slightly longer than this series, was headquartered here, on this side of the Missouri River. Here also, hero-outlaw Jesse James was sent to the last roundup by Robert Ford.
Downtown is handsome, red-brick and largely comatose.
But Independence is only about an hour down the road. Which has its own take on this Gateway to the West thing. And all those other places don't count. Lambertson's smallish but fine museum offers a primer on the routes and on the experience. Independence also is home to the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which shouldn't be confused with the Salt Lake City LDS church but invariably is.