The Ben Ferrel Museum (Platte City, Missouri)

Exterior The late Ben Ferrel, descendant of pioneers who settled in Platte County in the mid-19th century, headed for the far north in 1918; he never returned to Platte County to live, but he remembered his home area in his will. He died in 1960 in Seattle. Mr. Ferrel left $37,500 to be divided equally between the Platte County Historical Society and the Platte Purchase Chapter DAR, specifying that the amount be used by the Historical Society for a county museum and a meeting place in Platte City, and that the place also be locale of meetings of the DAR Chapter.

The amount in trust was released following the death of Ferrel's wife, Marie, in January 1977. A brother of Ben Ferrel believed Mr. Ferrel included the Platte County groups in his will because of family memberships in the organizations. Several of his siblings were members of the Historical Society and his sister, Mrs. Nannie Gaines, was active in the Platte Purchase Chapter DAR. The home selected by the two groups for the proposed museum-meeting place, was the former Frederick Krause home at Third and Oak Street in Platte City which was built in 1882 as a "mini-mansion" of the Missouri's Governor's Mansion in Jefferson City. It was an example of Renaissance Revival architecture with French influence, a very rare architecture for the area.

Parlor On June 14, 1977, the property was deeded to Platte County Historical Society, Inc., and the Platte Purchase Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, Inc. By mutual agreement, the Parlor Room in the museum was adopted by the Platte Purchase DAR Chapter who furnished and maintains the room.