Quitting our Bay Area jobs, selling our townhome, and embracing RV life has been incredibly rewarding. While not for everyone, travelling across North America has shown us countless lifestyle possibilities. San Francisco may be famous for its Victorian architecture, but we’ve discovered off-the-beaten path locations where owning these historic beauties is actually attainable!
In San Francisco, purchasing a Victorian home typically means buying half a house – under 1,000 sq. ft – for well over a million dollars. By contrast, Saint Joseph, Missouri offers Victorian fixer-uppers starting below $150K, a mid-range options under $300K, and fully restored mansions exceeding 4000 sq. feet for less than the cost of our modest, cookie-cutter Bay Area townhome that was 30-60 minutes from downtown San Francisco. The old real estate adage “location, location, location” couldn’t be more true!
So what is Saint Joseph’s story?
Well..it was founded in 1843 by fur trader Joseph Robidoux. It’s strategic location on the Missouri River made it an ideal jumping-off point for westward expansion. The city hit its stride in 1849 when gold was discovered in California and Saint Joseph’s become a key outfitting point for pioneers heading west.
The 1860’s brought two key developments to Saint Joseph’s – the Pony Express and the railroad. Though the Pony Express only operated for 18 months before being replaced by the telegraphy, Saint Joseph’s was the starting point for the legendary mail service. There’s a national museum in St. Joseph dedicated to the Pony Express.
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When the Hannibal& St. Joseph Railroad arrived, connecting the city to eastern markets, St. Joseph became a bustling commercial hub. It also became the home to notorious train, bank and stagecoach robber Jesse James who was living there under the alias “Thomas Howard” with his wife and children. He was killed in his home at the young age of 34 by two of his own recruits looking to claim reward money. You can visit the Jesse James Home to learn about his whole history.
The town’s prosperity during the late 19th century gave rise to its most distinctive feature – a remarkable collection of Victorian mansions. As the city flourished through trade, manufacturing, and wholesale businesses, wealthy merchants and industrialists constructed opulent homes showcasing their success. Hall Street, dubbed “Millionaires’ Row”, features stunning examples of Italianate, Queen Anne, and Romanesque Revival architecture!
The city’s decline began the early 20th century as Chicago emerged as the dominant Midwestern commercial center and the transcontinental railroad diminished St. Joseph’s role as a jumping-off point for western travel. Many of the grand mansions fell into disrepair, but the downturn also inadvertently preserved much of St. Joseph’s architectural heritage by sparing the city from urban renewal projects that demolished historic buildings in more prosperous cities.
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In recent decades, preservation efforts have breathed new life into the town’s historic districts and most of the economy here seems to be centered around tourism.
Would it be a good retirement city? That depends on what you’re looking for. The city boasts over 26 parts encompassing more than 1,500 acres. One of the parks is a 26-mile parkway that connects a lot of these green spaces and offers cyclists and joggers a scenic route through the city. The Missouri River presents opportunities for fishing, kayaking and boating and the surrounding countryside has some hiking trails. The cost of living here is 20-25% lower than the national average with housing being particularly affordable. Annual precipitation is about 37 inches, including about 18 inches of snow. There’s a restored 1927 movie palace that hosts the St. Joseph Symphony and some touring performances. The Robidoux Resident Theater produces several local musicals and dramas annually and Kansas City is about an hour’s drive for other cultural options, including major concerts and sporting events. The city has a regional medical center but does have the other limitations in shopping, restaurants, etc. that are typical of a town its size (less than 80,000).
If you’re looking to restore a pretty Victorian, like small towns, and don’t mind all 4 seasons, this town might be perfect for you. It might be a bit small and too far from family for us, but it sure was quaint and the cost of housing really threw us for a loop! Enjoyed touring around it and definitely recommend visiting if you’re in the area! It would be a great little day trip or weekend getaway from Kansas City!
Did you know that the oldest and largest aviati
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