Decommissioned in 2004, the Missouri State enitentiary is now open to the public for hard hat tours. Before it closed, MSP was the oldest continually operating penitentiary west of the Mississippi. When this prison opened in 1836, the Battle of the Alamo was going on in Texas and Andrew Jackson was in his second term. The tour showcases cells including those of famous inmates such as heavy weight champion Sonny Liston, who learned to box during his time in the big house, and James Earl Ray. Enjoy a delicious lunch at Madison’s Café then on to the Missouri Highway Patrol Safety Education Center and Museum. Nowhere else in Missouri is there such a comprehensive display of information concerning traffic safety, law enforcement, drug abuse and items relating to the history of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. There are exhibits focusing on the services and responsibilities of the Highway Patrol on and off the highways. Stop at Central Dairy for a delicious treat before we had home. Established in Jefferson City in 1920, it used to be considered “the place” to hang out with friends.