Celebrate 33 years of the Katy Trail, unveiling of new Ted and Pat Jones Bridge plan with MO State Parks in Pleasant Hill - Saturday, April 29, 9:30am & 11:00am

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, APRIL 19, 2023 – Join Missouri State Parks team members at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 29, on the Rock Island Spur of the Katy Trail near Pleasant Hill where they and guests will plant 33 trees in honor of the 33rd anniversary of the Katy Trail State Park. Following the tree planting, the team will reveal the design phase and development plan for construction of the Ted and Pat Jones Bridge. 

Celebrate 33 years of the Katy Trail with Missouri State Parks!

“Edward ‘Ted’ and Pat Jones are still making sure the parks they loved are cared for years after their deaths, said Dru Buntin, director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. “Because they had no children, they often said they adopted the state of Missouri. With gifts of money and land, they provided a legacy that becomes more significant as time passes.” 

Thanks to Ted and Pat Jones, Missouri now has a nature preserve, a vast native prairie, a state park at the confluence point of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, and the famous Katy Trail State Park. 

And now, thanks to a final gift from a trust created more than 30 years ago by Ted Jones, Missouri will soon have a new bridge connecting the Pleasant Hill Trailhead to the Katy Trail. Upon final approval from Union Pacific Railroad, the new bridge will span the current, active railroad tracks and provide direct access to the Rock Island Spur of the Katy Trail from the trailhead, replacing the current required road detour.

“The Jones legacy continues to live on through their contributions to Missouri State Parks,” said David Kelly, director of Missouri State Parks. “Ted and Pat Jones had a vision for a cross-state trail that would connect the two major metro areas of Missouri. As a final gift, the Ted Jones Trust is funding this new trail bridge at Pleasant Hill.”

“The Katy Trail represented much more than a recreational trail to Ted Jones,” said Dan Burkhardt, a spokesperson for the Jones Trust. “It was a way to showcase the best of Missouri and bring visitors to the historic communities along the route of the old Katy Railroad. Ted Jones wanted to turn the trail into a teaching trail as well as a tourist destination. People now come from around the world to see the part of the country Ted and Pat called home.”

The new bridge will take the State of Missouri one step closer to connecting the Katy Trail to Jackson County’s portion of the Rock Island Trail in Kansas City. 

“The new Ted and Pat Jones Bridge at Pleasant Hill will be one of the final links to the cross-state trail system that attracts visitors worldwide,” Kelly said. “Ted Jones, who was a managing partner for Edward Jones, left a legacy for our parks. We appreciate Ted and Pat and their love for nature and the park system. Without Ted’s drive and enthusiasm, the Katy Trail State Park would not be what it is today. We also appreciate all the Edward Jones employees, families and volunteers who will help with the tree planting.”

For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.