There’s something really special about Tom’s Town from the moment you walk inside. The atmosphere is of a glamorous and intimate speakeasy. The staff is personable and downright fun.
The place not only distills vodka, gin and bourbon but offers a fun bar area downstairs and restaurant and tasting room upstairs.
Two gentlemen, who have been friends since childhood, founded Tom’s Town in 2015. They named the place after the infamous Kansas City political boss of the 1920s and 1930s – Tom Pendergast who famously ignored every federal Prohibition law. When confronted about his disregard of federal laws, he responded that the people were thirsty. One of the founders, Steve, is actually related to the U.S. Attorney who prosecuted Pendergast. The other founder, David, is the grandson of a rival Prohibition-era bootlegger. Once could say that it was destiny that brought them to start Tom’s Town.
The building is a three-story building that dates back to the early 1900s and has been used as an automobile carriage, a candy factory and even a weekly newspaper. The current owners have done a beautiful job updating the building yet keeping the nostalgia feeling alive. Tom Pendergast led the “Goats” faction in Kansas City (as opposed to the “Rabbits”) so the decor includes a Goat head over the fireplace as well as goat-motif tee-shirts for sale.
It strikes me that it’s a very popular destination. We were there on a Tuesday night and the place was pleasantly full. I can only imagine how packed it is on a Friday or Saturday night. We booked our tour reservations online in advance – I highly recommend this. None of their spirits are sold outside of Missouri. So, you either buy there or order online and have items shipped. Plus, some limited edition items, such as the Garden Party gin are only available at either Town or local retailers or online pickup orders. We live in California so, naturally, we had to buy a bottle of the Garden Party Gin while there. It is great on its own, with a splash of soda or with a bit of lemonade.
Exterior Wall & Mural Downstairs Bar & Lounge Windows Peering Into the Distillery Soaking Up the Atmosphere Bar MenuTom’s Town Embraces HalloweenEnjoying the Halloween Decorations The Distillery On Our Distillery Tour The Distillery Tour Spirits Flight Tasting Spirits Flight Impressive Setup Enjoying Our Spirits Tasting In Front of the Famous GOAT
A trip highlight from our recent visit to Kansas City MO was our Viator tour with Kris. The tour is called Outlaws & Legends Tour of Kansas City and it is a winner.
We met at the City Market and then walked around the River Market part of Kansas City for approximately two hours. Our guide talked about the old police station dating back to 1852, the lingering effects of the Civil War, Jesse and Frank James (products of dissatisfaction from the Cilvil War) and their brutality as well the infamous Tom Pendergast and the Kansas City mafia.
Next, we stopped in front of the restaurant Car No. 551 which is currently a charming part of town. Back in the 1970s, it was the site of the violent River Quay War – a local mafia turf war that ended badly for the mafia after much destruction via pipe bombs.
The walk through the historic garment district was especially fascinating. We learned about Nell Donnelly Reed who founded the Nellie Don brand of ladies clothing in 1919. By 1931, her company was generating over $3,500,000 in annual sales and had over 1,000 employees. She was such a dominant player in Kansas City that in 1931, she and her chauffeur were kidnapped at gunpoint and held for ransom. The search for Nell became a media sensation. Interestingly, the local mafia, not the police, found Nell and brought her home to safety.
The part of our walk dedicated to Tom Pendergast, infamous Kansas City Boss, was so interesting that I bought his biography while visiting the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum. While other U.S. cities were filled with bread lines and soup kitchens, Kansas City was economically booming during the Great Depression. In fact, the city was called the Paris of the Plains. The Majestic Steakhouse building started out as Fitzpatrick’s Saloon. The first floor was a bar with a brothel on the second floor and Jim Fitzpatrick’s personal residence on the top floor. The entire operation was backed by Tom Pendergast who kept office space for political meetings at the building. When asked why he didn’t obey federal Prohibition laws, he replied that the people are thirsty.
The tour ended in front of the New York Life building where Harry Truman worked at the Union Bank. During WWI, Harry became friends with Tom’s nephew Jim Pendergast. Jim and his father recruited Harry to run as a county judge and Tom Pendergast subsequently backed his run as a U.S. Senator. Tom Pendergast eventually served federal prison time for tax evasion and his political power ended. At his funeral, Vice President-elect Truman, against the advice of his political handlers, attended Tom’s funeral and said that Tom was always his friend.
In summary, the tour really gave us a great understanding of Kansas City’s history and architecture.
The Beginning of Our Tour Produce Stand at the City Marketplace City Marketplace The Arabia Steamship Museum Back Alley of City Marketplace Back Alley of City Marketplace This Park Was the Old Police Station Site of the Old Police Station River Market AreaPacific House Hotel Where Jesse & Frank James Hung Out. Also, Union Army Headquarters During the Civil War Regional Union Army Headquarters During Civil War & Where The James Brothers Later Hung Out As OutlawsOld Streetcar Converted To a RestaurantFully Restored 1947 StreetcarFun Diner in Kansas City Outdoor Dining at Car No. 551Murals Are Popular in Kansas City Historic River Market Area of KCHistoric River Market Area of KCLewis & Clark MuralColorful Lewis & Clark MuralBuilt in 1910 – Located in Historic River Market Area of KCAnother MuralKansas City Skyline Kansas City Skyline Kansas City Skyline Old Garment District Built in 1867, It’s the Second Oldest Building in the Kansas City Area. It Is in the Garment District.Close-Up – Built in 1867 and the Second Oldest Building in KC.Originally the Kansas City Journal Building Where Harry Truman Worked The Kansas City Journal Building Was the Tallest Building in Kansas City Opened Scamps Alley Section of 8th Street Scamps Alley Honoring Jazz Musicians The ScampsHistoric Garment District The Descent of Civilization Memorial Location Is Where KC BBQ Began The Descent of Civilization Memorial Front Door of the Majestic Historic Garment District Originally the James Fitzpatrick Saloon Building in 1911Close – Up of The Majestic Which Is Now a Top Steakhouse Landmark Tried to KC Corrupt Political MachinesParking Structure for the Kansas City Library Parking Structure for the Kansas City Library Parking Structure for the Kansas City Public Library Parking Structure for the Kansas City Library Parking Structure for the Kansas Library Parking Structure for the Kansas City Library Parking Structure & Kansas City Library Opened As a Bank in 1906 & Now Kansas City Library New York Life Building & First KC Skyscraper Harry Truman Worked in This Building From 1905-1906Close Up of New York Life Building Truman Earned $75 Per Hour at the Union National BankNew York Life Building Another View of the New York Life Building Now Owned By the Catholic Church Fun Downtown Bakery Public Tram System – Free to All
One of my favorite adventures during our recent visit to Missouri was our trip to Hannibal – home to both Mark Twain and the Unsinkable Molly Brown. I knew that Mark Twain, whose real name is Samuel Clemens, hailed from Hannibal. However, I have always associated Molly Brown with Denver Colorado. Margaret Tobin Brown was born in Hannibal and lived there until she was 18. She ended her days a very prosperous woman but she started her life in extreme poverty. By the age of thirteen, she had already dropped out of school to work as a tobacco leaf stripper at the local tobacco factory in Hannibal. Her childhood home is small and humble. It does have a great display of artifacts and newspaper articles related to her survival of the Titanic’s sinking. I especially enjoyed seeing the first, second and third class China dishes from the Titanic.
We started our morning at the Mark Twain Boyhood Home Museum where we bought tickets that included several buildings including Huckleberry Finn’s House, Becky Thatcher’s house and Grant’s pharmacy. Mark Twain’s real name was Samuel Clemens. In Twain’s day, it was fashionable for writers to take on a pen name. At one point, Clemens worked on steamships and Mark Twain was a nautical term for a safe river depth…literally two fathoms or 12 feet. In real life, Becky Thatcher was his lifelong friend Laura Hawkins. Huck Finn was based on his childhood friend Tom Blankenship.
While in Hannibal, we also took an hour-long cruise on the Mark Twain riverboat along the Mississippi. I read about it online and booked our tickets in advance. It was perfect for a quick overview of the Mississippi River and surrounding area. The crew was cheerful and the captain was really entertaining. The ship’s interior could have used a little freshening up in my opinion. We were fortunate enough to visit in the off season so the boat was not crowded. The only negative is that the Mississippi had a number of invasive silver and bighead carp floating dead on the surface. The extreme heat is causing low oxygen levels which, in turn, is killing the carp.
We then enjoyed a relaxing lunch in the local Irish pub followed by a quick trip to the local ice cream shop to try the local treat of huckleberry ice cream – delicious. It was in the mid 90s and very humid so the place was filled with people from one of two large cruise ships docked in Hannibal. According to one of the museum docents, Hannibal has a population of 18,000 but gets between 55,000 and 60,000 visitors per month. I can see why Hannibal is a popular destination. The town is a charming step back in time.
On the Way From Independence to Hannibal Mark Twain Interpretive Center Exhibit from the Mark Twain Boyhood Interpretive Center Exhibit from the Mark Twain Interpretive Center Mark Twain Interpretive Center Mark Twain Interpretive Center Model of a Town Sculpture Never Built The Real “Injun Joe”Signage Adjacent to Mark Twain’s Boyhood Home Huckleberry Finn’s HomePlaque for the Huck Finn HouseInterior of Huck Finn’s House Interior of Huck Finn’s HouseOutside Huck Finn’s House Overview Sign of the Museum & Its BuildingsTwain’s Boyhood HomeTwain’s Boyhood HomeCourtyard at Twain’s Boyhood HomeTwain’s Boyhood HomeTwain’s Boyhood HomeTwain’s Boyhood HomeExterior of the Becky Thatcher Building – Laura Hawkins in Real LifeBecky Thatcher’s HomeClothing of the EraThe Homes of Sawyer, Fin & Thatcher Grant’s Pharmacy Entrance to Grant’s Pharmacy Grant’s Pharmacy Downtown Hannibal This is the Safety Wall In the Event the Mississippi Floods Railroad Tracks in Hannibal One of the Large Cruise Ships That Stops In Hannibal Mississippi River The Mark Twain ShipThe Mississippi River The Mississippi River Onboard the Mark Twain The Lighthouse of Hannibal On Board the Mark TwainThe Mississippi River The Mississippi River Enjoying Our Mississippi River Cruise The Mississippi River The Mississippi River The Heritage Cruise Ship Along the Mississippi River The Mississippi River On Our Mississippi River Cruise The Top of the Mark Twain Riverboat The Mississippi ArtThe Mississippi River The Mississippi River The Mississippi River The Mississippi River The Mississippi River The Mississippi River The Mississippi River Huckleberry Ice Cream Becky’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor Becky’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor Becky’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor Fun Downtown Building PlaqueMolly Brown’s Childhood Home Molly Brown’s Childhood Home Molly Brown Molly Brown’s Childhood Home Molly Brown’s Childhood Home First-Class Passenger China on the Titanic Second-Class Passenger China on the Titanic Third-Class Passenger Dishes on the Titanic Molly Brown Newspaper Clipping Molly Brown’s List of Lost Items on the Titanic for the Insurance Company Stages of Deterioration of Molly Brown’s HomeIrish PubIrish Pub Menu Dead Carp in the Mississippi River Ticket from the Mark Twain Museum
