St. Joseph Museums receives grant to renovate Wyeth-Tootle Mansion

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A substantial grant will help the St. Joseph Museum staff renovate the Wyeth-Tootle Mansion.

The museum received the grant from a foundation celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. It is a contribution that arrived at an opportune time following recent challenges, such as a failed sprinkler system valve that shut down a museum wing in May 2023.

Kami Jones, group tours manager for the St. Joseph Museums, said the Missouri Humanities Council awarded the grant.

“We started that grant writing process, and we were lucky enough to receive a $25,000 grant to redo some rooms and exhibits at the Wyeth-Tootle,” she said.

The City of St. Joseph owns the mansion and maintains its structure and stability, while the St. Joseph Museums is responsible for most of the interior.

Four rooms on the second floor that have been shut off to the public since the 1970s will be completely renovated with the grant money.

“It will drastically expand the actual footprint of the Wyeth-Tootle Mansion as far as when it comes to visitors,” Jones said. “We are also redoing two other exhibits and kind of moving some things around here at the mansion, mainly on the second floor.”

Jones said the first floor had been completely redone within the last few years, but the latest renovations will allow for the expansion of a bridesmaid’s room and a groom’s room since weddings are routinely held at the mansion.

The theme of the new exhibits will be “His Story,” “Her Story” and “Our Story.” “His Story” will cover Milton Tootle, William Wyeth and others who helped develop St. Joseph. “Her Story” will include the women behind them, such as Maud Wyeth and Kate Tootle. “Our Story” will include the history of St. Joseph.

Renovations must be completed by Jan. 4. Jones said the museum intends to have the work completed well before then but could not provide a specific date while in the early stages of the work.

“They have stripped all the linoleum off the floor, they began stripping all the woodwork, they are refinishing all the hardwood, and all of the plaster is being repaired, those sorts of things to make it more structurally sound,” she said.

The Wyeth-Tootle Mansion will open for the first time this season on Friday, April 4.