The Daniel Boone Home
Daniel Boone Campus of Lindenwood University
1868 Highway F
Defiance, Missouri
636-798-2005

Daniel Boone, one of America’s legendary frontiersmen, was largely responsible for the exploration and settlement of Kentucky. After 1792, when Kentucky was admitted into the Union as the 15th state, litigation arose that questioned many settlers' title to their lands. Boone was one of those affected and eventually he and his family lost the rights to their land and became disheartened with Kentucky. In 1797 Boone sent his son, Daniel Morgan, to scout the Spanish held Louisiana Territory and Daniel Morgan returned east with favorable reports of the Femme Osage Creek valley in what is now St. Charles County. He also carried with him a personal invitation from the Spanish government officials to Daniel to come to Missouri because they were interested in attracting the legendary Boone to the area. In 1799 Daniel, his wife Rebecca, the families of their two oldest daughters, and their youngest son, Nathan Boone, immigrated to Missouri. In 1800 Boone was granted 1,000 arpents (850 acres) of land and was appointed "syndic" or commandant of the Femme Osage District by the Spanish governor.

In 1803 Nathan Boone began construction of a large stone house on property that he traded for a horse and a bridle. Although this home is called the Daniel Boone Home, it was actually Nathan’s, though his father resided here periodically. The four-story Georgian-style structure was hand-built with quarried Missouri limestone walls that are 2 1/2 feet thick and took about seven years to complete. The house resembles Boone's birthplace in Pennsylvania and ancestral residences in Devon, England, has seven fireplaces, a ballroom on the top floor, and it is reported that Daniel carved the walnut mantelpieces on the fireplaces. Visitors can see museum pieces including Boone's writing desk, long rifles, family dishes, and period furniture in a special guided tour. The home was the last residence of Daniel Boone and he died in the house in 1820.

In 1999 Lindenwood University purchased the home and property and has been constructing Boonesfield Village adjacent to the Boone home to form a living history village that reflects the time of the Louisiana Purchase and early Missouri statehood. The historic buildings in this collection have been moved to the property from sites throughout Missouri and has expanded to include a dozen early 19th-century structures, including the Peace chapel, a schoolhouse, dressmaker's shop, woodworker’s residence, general store, and an animal driven gristmill. The interiors of the buildings (photo right) have been furnished with period pieces representative of the purpose of the structure. The Daniel Boone Home and Boonesfield Village play's host to a number of annual events that depict the time period.

Visiting the Daniel Boone Home
     Visiting Hours
          Monday - Saturday: 9 am - 5 pm
          Sunday: 12 pm - 5 pm
          Tours leave on the hour
Tour rates: $7 - $12, reduced rates for seniors & students.

Directions: The Daniel Boone Home is located on MO-F, 5 miles west of the intersection of MO-F and MO-94. This intersection is approximately 1 1/2 miles east of Defiance and 7 1/2 miles southwest of I-64.

Learn more about the Augusta area.

www.lindenwood.edu/boone - Official Daniel Boone Campus of Lindenwood University page.