Northern Missouri
Laclede is Pershing's boyhood home
Laclede is home to the Gen. John J. Pershing Boyhood Home State Historic Site, tying a small Linn County town to the World War I general's early life.
Laclede has a bigger place in national history than its size lets on. John J. Pershing grew up there before he became the general who commanded the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. Missouri preserves his boyhood home as the Gen. John J. Pershing Boyhood Home State Historic Site.
That gives Linn County a concrete way to tell a national story through a local doorway. The point is not just that Pershing passed through. His early life is tied to Laclede, and the state historic site keeps that connection visible for residents, students, and visitors who want more than a roadside marker.
Hours, tours, and visitor details belong with Missouri State Parks, but the local anchor is steady: Laclede is part of the Pershing story. In Linn County history, the boyhood home is the name to know.
Where to see it
- Gen. John J. Pershing Boyhood Home State Historic Site
Use Missouri State Parks for hours, tours, and current visitor details.
- National Park Service Pershing Background
Use the NPS article for broader Pershing context.
References
More from Linn County: browse every local note for the county.
Last checked against the sources above: June 15, 2026.