The Owens-Rogers Museum at 100 W Moore Street,
Independence, Missouri, is where Lela Rogers lived and is the birthplace of famed
actress, singer, and dancer Ginger Rogers. The Museum opened to the public for
its first full season on April 3, 2019.
A Mother’s Day Tea will be held on May
11 from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm at the museum. Tea, coffee, and desserts will be served,
and participants may take a tour of the museum and have their photo taken with
their own camera in front of the house just like Lela and Ginger did in 1964.
Staff will be on hand to help with photos. Tickets are $15 each and must be
purchased in advance.
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| Lela and Ginger Rogers |
Marge and Gene Padgitt, of
Independence, Missouri purchased the property in February of 2016 and began the
restoration process, which was quite extensive. Marge Padgitt is a Ginger
Rogers fan and wanted to save the house for the public to enjoy. Gene Padgitt was
the general contractor for the project. The interior has been restored to as
close to original as possible with the addition of museum displays which
include photos, posters, clothing, memorabilia, Ginger’s family history, and
items that both Lela and Ginger owned. The featured display is the gown the
Ginger Rogers wore to the 1967 Academy Awards.
The home was designated as an Historic
Landmark Property by the City of Independence in 1994 when Ginger Rogers
visited for her birthday celebration. Mayor Ron Stewart affixed the plaque to
the home at that time.
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| The Owens-Rogers Museum |
Audrey Elder, author of “Guide to
Selling Historic Properties for Real Estate Agents” and 29 historic property
books including “100 W Moore Street,” is the manager for The Ginger House
Museum. After recently leaving a twelve-year career in real estate, Audrey now
teaches continued education about working with historic properties for realtors
in Missouri and Kansas, as well as training presentations specific to historic
preservation and sustainable community building in historic districts. Audrey
served three years on the City of Independence Missouri Heritage Commission, and
is a member of many local historic societies.
Regular museum hours are 10:00 am – 3:00
pm Wednesday and Saturday from April 1 to September 30. The museum is open to private
group tours by appointment year-round. Ticket prices are $8 for ages 13 and up; $6
for seniors on Wednesday; and $5 for children aged 5 – 12. The Ginger House
Museum hosts special events such as
Ginger’s birthday celebration in July. The museum has several items
for sale including books written by Ginger Rogers, postcards, and milk bottles
from her Oregon ranch.
or call 816-833-1602.
