JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Katy Trail State Park, the country’s longest continuous recreational rail-trail, is now home to a new welcome center at the Treloar Trailhead in Marthasville. The center, named in honor of the trail’s visionary creators, Edward “Ted” Jones Jr. and his wife Pat, will be celebrated with a ribbon cutting at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 26.
Edward Jones corporate leaders, associates and their families will join team members and guests of Missouri State Parks and Magnificent Missouri at the celebration, with family fun, live music, branded giveaways and lunch. Guests can also take home an Arbor Day Foundation tree to plant in their own yard or community. In addition, Managing Partner Penny Pennington and other Edward Jones employees will be there to help with invasive honeysuckle removal.
Additional celebrations will be held across the state including:
- Sedalia Trailhead — Sedalia: Tree planting and trail cleanup.
- North Jefferson City Trailhead — Holts Summit: Native plantings and trail cleanup.
- Matson Trailhead — Defiance: Tree planting and trail cleanup.
Ted and Pat Jones left a legacy of conservation that is a vital component of the firm’s efforts to promote healthier futures.
“We believe that growing our impact comes with a responsibility to leave people and places better than we found them,” says Ken Cella, principal, head of External Affairs at Edward Jones. “Our commitment to the Katy Trail and the Arbor Day Foundation is one way we bring our purpose to life in the communities we serve.”
Both Ted and Pat Jones would have celebrated their 100th birthdays in 2025. The firm is honoring their legacy throughout the year by storytelling, special activities and positively impacting Missouri communities.
The Katy Trail activities are brought to life through collaborations with retired General Partner Dan Burkhardt, founder of Magnificent Missouri and trustee of Ted and Pat Jones’ estate, and Missouri State Parks. The new Ted and Pat Jones Welcome Center, housed in the historic Treloar Mercantile, is made possible, in part, thanks to a $250,000 gift from Edward Jones.
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.