JEFFERSON CITY, MO, MAY 19, 2023 – A groundbreaking ceremony for a new biking and walking trail at the Edward “Ted” and Pat Jones-Confluence Point State Park will take place at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, June 3. Following a brief program and tour of the new trail, volunteers from Edward Jones will plant native Missouri prairie grass in the area.
The trustees of Pat Jones' estate – retired Edward Jones’ partners – have worked with Missouri State Parks since her passing in 2018 to create a trailhead area and bike path at the confluence point. Once the new half-mile trail is constructed, visitors will have a 1-mile panoramic view of the park and the Mississippi River.
“This new bike path, which will be constructed on the levee along the Mississippi River, is a great addition to the park – a place Pat helped dedicate almost 20 years ago,” said estate trustee Dan Burkhardt.
Pat and Ted Jones were both nature and park enthusiasts who wanted to share what Missouri had to offer to all of its citizens. They were key supporters of the Katy Trail and actively supported other state parks and conservation programs and their initiatives.
In honor of all their work and contributions, Missouri State Parks named the park after them. Years after their deaths, Ted and Pat are still making sure the parks they loved are cared for. Since 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,” said Missouri Department of Natural Resources Director Dru Buntin.
Pat Jones’ motto throughout her life was “Learn, get dirty and have fun.” Missouri State Parks takes this to heart and is grateful for all the work the Joneses did for Missourians.
“The Jones' legacy continues to live on through their contributions to Missouri State Parks,” said Missouri State Parks Director David Kelly. “Pat and Ted believed in Missouri State Parks and its mission, and we appreciate all they have done.”
The Pat Jones Bicycle Pedestrian Bridge across the Missouri River in Jefferson City and the picnic shelter at the North Jefferson Trailhead are also named in honor of her dedication and commitment to Missouri state parks.
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.
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