Kearney, Missouri is located in Clay County about 15 minutes north of Kansas City and has a population of 8,381. Each September, the city hosts an annual festival celebrating its distinction as the birthplace of outlaw Jesse James. The James farm with the original house and Jesse James’s burial site are a popular tourist attraction. The Kearney School District serves about 3,500 families in Kearney and northern Clay County.
Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site is part of Watkins Mill State Park. Tours of the 19th-century woolen mill and Watkins home are given daily. This is the only 19th-century American woolen mill with its original machinery intact. This beautiful site features a visitor's center, a lake, camping and picnic sites, a swim beach, hiking/biking trails, and much more. The site is located seven miles east of Interstate 35 on Route 92, then one mile north on Route RA.