Weston beckons you, if you’re looking for the perfect day trip. Tucked away in the Missouri River bluffs just 25 miles north of Kansas City, this quaint little river city has something to offer almost everyone. History, romance and days gone by come alive as you enjoy over 100 Antebellum buildings and homes along with antique and specialty shops, five bed and breakfasts, casual and fine dining, wineries and museums. The Weston Bend State Park also offers a retreat for those who enjoy the wild side of life.

Weston was platted in 1836 when the Platte Purchase opened 2 million acres of Indian land for white settlers. Most of the early settlers came from Dixie; soon emigrants from Austria, Germany and Switzerland helped swell Weston into the second largest port in Missouri (pop. 5,000). Hemp and tobacco were profit crops.

As affluence came, early settlers built stately columned Federal Style two-story houses like those they had left in the South. Disaster struck between 1853 and 1880 when two fires destroyed large portions of the business area. Five floods, the last moving the river two miles away, removed the port from the town. Only about 1,000 residents remained by 1890. A few large Victorian homes were built, but Weston remained largely unchanged until the 1960s when many homes were restored. Designation of the Historic District in 1972 greatly added interest to renewal. In the 1980's the business district was revitalized with many buildings restored and businesses of the past joining those of the present.

The Weston Development Company, formed in 1982, has been instrumental in a number of major improvements. The WDC, the Weston Historical Museum, civic leaders and residents have preserved the integrity of pre-Civil War Weston by passing the Historic Building Ordinance. With this guarantee of preservation, almost 15,000 square feet of retail space has been restored and many new businesses have begun to recreate the bustling pre-Civil War era of business activity.