An inn in Weston features a boatload of history.
Presented in partnership with Stay Inn the Heartland.
In the heart of Weston, which was established in 1837, stands one of the town’s first homes—a 1845 red brick Federal-style house with a wraparound porch and impressive outdoor greenery. The historic home hosts the Weston Steamboat Inn, a traditional bed-and-breakfast.
The original owner of the inn’s property was a steamboat captain. The inn’s co-owner, Glenna Nance, says that 300 steamboats docked at the Missouri River port in Weston each year during that time. The steamboat captain sold the property in 1845 to George W. Belt, who built the home, after the captain left for California seeking gold. Over the years, it has accommodated businessmen and newspaper entrepreneurs.
The Weston Steamboat Inn, voted the Best Bed & Breakfast of Kansas City in 2023, features three suites furnished in either American or Colonial style. Each suite has a king-sized bed, marble bathrooms, and antique furniture. The inn has common areas, including an outdoor veranda and inviting sunroom.
The inn, now owned by Rob and Glenna Nance, features a delicious hot morning meal. Glenna has a culinary background from her time teaching family and consumer science at Blue Valley Schools in Overland Park, Kansas, and has assisted in the opening of fine dining restaurants. “If it’s a baked good, I’m making it,” Glenna says. “It’s not heat and serve.”
The breakfast menu changes day to day and is based on the guests’ dietary needs. Previous breakfasts have included crème brulee, French toast, scrambled eggs with hickory bacon, fresh fruit, and coffee.
When people visit the inn, they are given information about the rich history of both the inn and the town. Glenna says they also highlight things visitors can do throughout the town.
“We make sure that their needs are met,” Glenna says. “They’re here to enjoy Weston as well as here. So we try to make sure that that’s a component of it, and we have about a 40 percent return rate because people want to come back.”
Weston Steamboat Inn is a member of Stay Inn the Heartland, which has curated a collection of exceptional lodging experiences across the Heartland of America. Members are inspected and earn the Heartland-Certified STAY stamp of approval. Guests earn rewards through an INNer Circle loyalty program after just five STAYS.
StayInnTheHeartland.com
514 Summer Street, Weston • WestonSteamboatInn.com
All photos courtesy of Weston Steamboat Inn.
This article was orginally published in the January 2026 edition of Missouri Life.
