Ray: Landscape and History

Ray brings together a distinct natural landscape and a layered local history. Crooked River Conservation Area covers 1,420 acres in Ray County, northeast of Kansas City. Historical highlights include the Ray County Museum, Pioneer Cemetery, and notable buildings in Richmond. You can get to know Ray through its landscapes, history, or architecture, and plan your trip around the interests that matter most to you.

Landscape as a focus in its own right

Crooked River Conservation Area gives the nature-focused perspective a clear regional connection: the area is in Ray County, northeast of Kansas City. Its size—1,420 acres—makes it easy to picture without reducing it to a single attraction. For trip planning, it offers a distinct focus alongside the historic sites and buildings. When choosing a vacation rental, you can first consider whether the landscape or the area’s cultural history should shape your stay.

History at the museum and cemetery

The Ray County Museum displays local artifacts dating from the 19th century to the present. The collection spans 37 rooms on three floors, offering a broad look at objects and periods from different eras. The building’s history is part of the story, too: before becoming a museum in the 1970s, it served as a poor farm and nursing home. At the Ray County Museum, the collection’s history and the building’s former uses come together.

Another historical point of interest is Pioneer Cemetery. It is the burial place of Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, and David Whitmer, known as the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon. The cemetery’s history is also notable: it had been abandoned for 70 years before the Mormon Church took it over in 1949–1950. The skirmish known as the Battle of Crooked River provides another historical anchor. It took place on November 15, 1838, at Bogart's Battlefield on the Crooked River. The names and exact date help place the site and event in time.

Architecture and culture in Richmond

The current Ray County Court House was built in 1914/1915. The three-story stone building stands in the center of Richmond’s business district. Richmond is also home to Dougherty Auditorium, the oldest surviving theater in Richmond, Missouri. The two buildings represent different types of architecture: the Court House is a public courthouse, while the auditorium survives as a theater. Watkins House offers another architectural example: it is considered an important example of Queen Anne architecture in rural Missouri.

These buildings offer different ways to explore regional history. Visitors interested in public architecture will find a specific point of reference in the three-story Court House; Dougherty Auditorium, meanwhile, highlights the long history of theater. Watkins House adds its own distinctive note with its Queen Anne architecture. The examples can be compared without grouping them into a single building type.

More interests to consider when planning your trip

Shirkey Golf Course in Richmond is an 18-hole golf course with four sets of tees and a par of 71; it also has a driving range. Farris Theatre adds another cultural option: it was fully restored for use as a performing arts theater, cinema, and community center. These three intended uses bring live performance, film, and community activities together under one roof, without implying that all three are currently operating.

When choosing a vacation rental, it helps to decide on your main focus in advance. If you’re planning to visit Richmond’s architecture and golf course in particular, you can focus your search on Richmond. If you have several interests, first decide which one should determine your base. This keeps your accommodation choice aligned with your travel plans.

Explore more destinations

Explore more destinations: Camden, Fleming, Lawson, Gasconade County, Adair County, Linn County, Ste. Genevieve County, Lafayette.

For the main travel overview: Missouri.