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Sedalia to St Joseph, Missouri

Michael Portillo discovers the hidden pleasures of 19th-century railroad workers in Sedalia and discovers the birthplace of ragtime.

Following in the footsteps of European settlers, Michael Portillo rolls westwards across the United States. With true frontier spirit, he discovers the hidden pleasures of 19th-century railroad workers in Sedalia and discovers the birthplace of ragtime. Aboard a horse-drawn wagon in Independence, Michael confronts the hardships faced by early pioneers on the wagon trail. He's the only man in pink in Paola, Kansas, where he auctions livestock and dines out on smoky spare ribs. In St Joseph, Missouri, he discovers the Pony Express and gets kitted out with a stetson before investigating the treacherous death of outlaw Jesse James.

58 minutes

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Michael Portillo
Executive Producer John Comerford
Series Producer Alison Kreps

Broadcasts

Steam Railways: Watch programmes from the archive collection

Shows from the 麻豆社 archives celebrating the beauty of locomotives.