Kansas City Skyline from Liberty Memorial
'Kansas City' is a
city in the
U.S. state of
Missouri encompassing parts of
Jackson,
Clay,
Cass, and
Platte counties. It is situated at the junction of the
Missouri and
Kansas rivers (
Kaw Point) and sits opposite
Kansas City,
Kansas. It is the largest city in the
Kansas City Metropolitan Area, it is the most populous city in Missouri, the seventh
largest city in the
Midwest, and the 39th
most populous city in the United States. As of
2006, the city had an estimated population of 447,306.
[4] The city's
tap water was recently rated the cleanest among the 50 largest cities in the United States, containing no detectable impurities.
[5] Kansas City has more fountains than any other city in the world with the exception of
Rome. The city also has more boulevards than any city except
Paris and has often been called a "Paris on the
Plains." (even though much of the city doesn't lie on the Plains)
[6]
Abbreviations and nicknames
Kansas City, Missouri, is often abbreviated as "KCMO", or just "KC" (although this often refers to the entire
metro area). It is officially nicknamed the ''City of
Fountains'', with over 200 installations, ranking second in the world and exceeded only by
Rome.
[6] Informal nicknames include ''
BBQ Capital of the World'', while residents are known as ''Kansas Citians''. It is sometimes colloquially referred to as ''Heart of America'' because it is within 250 miles (400 km) of both the
geographic and
population centers of the United States.
History
Main articles: History of Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri was first incorporated in
1850. The
territory straddling the border between Missouri and Kansas at the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri rivers was considered a good place to build settlements.
Exploration and settlement
The first documented European visit to Kansas City was
Étienne de Veniard, Sieur de Bourgmont, who was also the first European to explore the lower Missouri River. Criticized for his handling of a Native American attack of
Fort Detroit, he had deserted his post as commander of the fort and was avoiding the French authorities. Bourgmont lived with a Native American wife in the
Missouri village about 90 miles east near
Brunswick, Missouri, and illegally traded furs.
In order to clear his name, he wrote "Exact Description of Louisiana, of Its Harbors, Lands and Rivers, and Names of the Indian Tribes That Occupy It, and the Commerce and Advantages to Be Derived Therefrom for the Establishment of a Colony" in 1713 followed in 1714 by "The Route to Be Taken to Ascend the Missouri River." In the documents he describes the junction of the "Grande Riv[iere] des Cansez" and Missouri River, being the first to refer to them by those names. French cartographer
Guillaume Delisle used the descriptions to make the first reasonably accurate map of the area.
The Spanish took over the region in the
Treaty of Paris (1763) but were not to play a major role in the area other than taxing and licensing all traffic on the Missouri River. The French continued their fur trade on the river under Spanish license. The
Chouteau family operated under the Spanish license at
St. Louis in the lower
Missouri Valley as early as 1765, but it would be 1821 before the Chouteaus reached Kansas City, when
François Chouteau established Chouteau's Landing.
After the
Louisiana Purchase,
Lewis and Clark visited the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri rivers, noting it was a good place to build a fort.
In 1833
John McCoy established
West Port along the
Santa Fe Trail, three miles away from the river. Then in 1834, McCoy established
Westport Landing on a bend in the Missouri River to serve as a landing point for West Port. Soon after, the Kansas Town Company, a group of investors, began to settle the area, taking their name from an English spelling of "Cansez." In 1850 the landing area was incorporated as the Town of Kansas.
[8]
By that time, the Town of Kansas, Westport, and nearby
Independence, had become critical points in America's
westward expansion. Three major
trails -- the
Santa Fe,
California, and
Oregon -- all originated in
Jackson County.
On
February 22,
1853, the City of Kansas was created with a newly elected mayor. It had an area of 0.70 square miles and a population of 2,500. The boundary lines at that time extended from the middle of the Missouri River south to what is now Ninth Street, and from Bluff Street on the west to a point between Holmes Road and Charlotte Street on the east.
[9]
Civil War
The area was ripe with animosity as the
Civil War approached. As citizens of a
slave state, Missourians tended to sympathize with the southern states. With Kansas petitioning to enter the
Union under the new doctrine of
popular sovereignty, many from the area crossed into Kansas to sway the state towards allowing
slavery, at first by ballot box and then by bloodshed.
Bird's eye view of Kansas City, Missouri. Jan. 1869. Drawn by A. Ruger, Merchants Lith. Co., currently located at the
Irish Museum and Cultural Center in Union Station
During the Civil War, the City of Kansas was in the midst of battles, almost all of them victories by the Union. The
Battle of Independence in August 1862 stunted a
Confederate advance into northern Missouri (settled by pro-slavery
Virginians), and the October 1864
Battle of Westport effectively ended Confederate efforts to occupy the city. However, a successful raid on nearby
Lawrence, Kansas, led by
William Quantrill forced General
Thomas Ewing to issue
General Order No. 11, forcing the eviction of residents in four counties, including Jackson, except those living in the city and nearby communities and those whose allegiance to the Union was certified by Ewing.
Walnut St., Downtown Kansas City, Mo. 1906
Post-Civil War
After the Civil War, the City of Kansas grew rapidly. The selection of the city over
Leavenworth, Kansas, for the
Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad bridge over the Missouri River brought about significant growth. The population exploded after 1869, when the Hannibal Bridge, designed by
Octave Chanute, opened. The boom prompted a name change to Kansas City in 1889 and the city limits to extend south and east. Westport became part of Kansas City on
December 2,
1897.
Kansas City, guided by architect
George Kessler, became a forefront example of the
City Beautiful movement, developing a network of boulevards and parks around the city. The relocation of
Union Station to its current location in 1914 and the opening of the
Liberty Memorial in 1923 gave the city two of its most identifiable landmarks. Further spurring Kansas City's growth was the opening of the innovative
Country Club Plaza development by
J.C. Nichols in 1925 as part of his
Country Club District plan.
Pendergast era
At the
turn of the century, political machines attempted to gain clout in the city, with the one led by
Tom Pendergast emerging as the dominant machine by 1925. A new city charter passed that year made it easier for his Democratic Party machine to gain control of the city council (slimmed from 32 members to nine) and appoint a corrupt city manager. Several important buildings and structures were built during this time, to assist with the great depression-- all led by Pendergast, including the
Kansas City City Hall and the Jackson County Courthouse-- both added new skyscrapers to the city's growing skyline. The machine fell in 1939 when Pendergast, riddled with health problems, pleaded guilty to
tax evasion. The machine, however, gave rise to
Harry S. Truman, who quickly became Kansas City's favorite son.
Post-World War II sprawl
After
World War II, the city experienced considerable sprawl, as the affluent populace left for
suburbs like
Johnson County, Kansas, and eastern
Jackson County, Missouri. However, many also went north of the
Missouri River, where Kansas City had incorporated areas between the
1940s to 1970s. The population of the urban core significantly dipped, while the city as a whole gained population.
The sprawl of the city mainly took shape after the "race riots" of the Civil Rights Movement in Kansas City. At this time, slums were also beginning to form in the inner city, and those who could afford to leave, left for the suburbs and outer edges of the city. The post-WWII idea of suburbs and the "American Dream" also contributed to the sprawl of the area. As the city continued to sprawl, the inner city also continued to decline.
In 1940, the city had about 400,000 residents; by 2000, the same area was home to only about 180,000. From 1940 to 1960, the city more than doubled its physical size, while increasing its population by only about 75,000. By 1970, the city had a total area of approximately 316 square miles, more than five times its size in 1940.
The future for sprawl in Kansas City is uncertain. Johnson County has continued to sprawl at a constant rate, and Clay County, Missouri, also has begun to sprawl once more. However recent revelations in urban planning have slowed sprawl and focused instead on the inner city, existing infrastructure and housing, as well as reviving the city's formerly blighted downtown. Uses of the
New Urbanism style of planning is now also occurring in some of the most prominent suburban projects.
Notable Kansas City residents
★
Albert Pujols Graduated from Fort Osage High School in 1998, and attended
Maple Woods Community College on a baseball scholarship, he later graduated and joined the
St. Louis Cardinals.
★
Thomas Hart Benton American muralist of the Regionalist school
★
Burt Bacharach pianist and composer
★ Early screen actors
Noah Beery and
Wallace Beery
★
Manute Bol Former
NBA Star (1986-1995), moved to Kansas City in 2007
★
Charles Ragland Bunnell (1897-1968), artist (born in Kansas City, Mo)
★
Don Cheadle Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe Award-winning American actor
★
Evan S. Connell, writer
★
Chris Cooper, Academy Award-winning American film actor, graduate of Southwest High School, born July 9, 1951
★
Joan Crawford, movie actress (born elsewhere but raised in Kansas City)
★
Walter Cronkite, born November 4, 1916 in St. Joseph, MO, and his family moved to Kansas City, MO where they resided from 1917 until 1928. Cronkite returned to Kansas City and worked as a sports announcer for KCMO (AM) in 1936. He joined Kansas City's United Press in 1937 and became one of America's top reporters for coverage of World War II
★
Walt Disney moved to Kansas City and established his first animation studio,
Laugh-O-Gram Studio, at 31st and Locust streets in
1923
★
David Dreier, a
Republican Congressman for
California was born and raised in Kansas City
★
Johnathan Coachman WWE Wrestler/Former General Manager
★
Robert Altman Film Director
★
David F. Duncan health scientist and Presidential advisor
★
Eddie Griffin, comedian and actor
★
Joyce Hall American businessman, was the founder of
Hallmark Cards
★
Jean Harlow American film actress and top sex symbol of the 1930s
★
William Least Heat Moon, writer
★
Science fiction writer
Robert A. Heinlein (Many of Heinlein's stories take place in Kansas City (or its analogue) and in areas nearby)
★
Ernest Hemingway wrote for the
Kansas City Star during
World War I
★
Clarence M. Kelley F.B.I. Director was born in Kansas City and later was chief of police there
★
John Kander American composer of a series of musical theatre successes as part of the songwriting team of Kander and Ebb
★
Ewing Kauffman American pharmaceutical magnate, philanthropist, and Major League Baseball owner
★
Pat Metheny, jazz guitarist and composer, born August 12, 1954
★
Wayne Nelson, lead singer of the classic rock's
Little River Band, was born in Kansas City.
★
Satchel Paige, Baseball pitcher in the Negro league and Major league baseball, inducted in the Baseball Hall of Famer, 1971
★
Charlie Parker noted
jazz musician
★
Ginger Rogers
★ TV star
Craig Stevens
★
Virgil Thomson American composer, born November 25, 1896
★
Eddie Timanus First blind
Jeopardy! contestant, born in Kansas City, now a sportswriter for
USA Today
★
Calvin Trillin, American journalist, humorist, and novelist, graduate of Southwest High School, born December 5, 1935
★
Steven Woods President of Crookside Underground Productions
★
Aaron Yates rap and hip-hop artist, known by his pseudonym,
Tech N9ne
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 318.0
mi² (823.7
km²). 313.5 mi² (812.1 km²) of it is land and 4.5 mi² (11.6 km²) of it (1.41%) is water.
Kansas City is often imagined to be flat like
Chicago,
Manhattan or
Dallas, but in fact it has many rolling hills. Much of urban Kansas City sits atop 100-200ft bluffs overlooking the rivers and river bottoms areas. Kansas City proper is bowl-shaped and is surrounded to the north and south by
limestone and
bedrock cliffs that were carved by
glaciers. Kansas City is situated at the junction between the
Dakota and
Minnesota ice lobes during the maximum late
Independence glaciation of the
Pleistocene epoch. The Kansas and Missouri rivers cut wide valleys into the terrain when the glaciers melted and drained. A partially filled spillway valley crosses the central portion of Kansas City, Missouri. This valley is an eastward continuation of Turkey Creek valley.
Union Station is located in this valley.
[10]
Climate
Kansas City lies near the geographic center of the contiguous United States, at the confluence of the second largest river in the country, the
Missouri River, and the
Kansas River (also known as the Kaw River). This makes for a
humid continental climate (
Koppen climate classification ''Dfa'') with moderate precipitation and extremes of hot and cold. Summers can be very humid, with moist air riding up from the
Gulf of Mexico, and during July and August daytime highs can reach into the triple digits. Winters vary from mild days to bitterly cold, with lows reaching into the teens below zero a few times a year. Spring and autumn are pleasant and peppered with thunderstorms.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|
Avg high °F
(°C) | 38
(3) | 44
(7) | 56
(13) | 67
(19) | 76
(24) | 86
(30) | 90
(32) | 89
(32) | 80
(27) | 69
(21) | 53
(12) | 42
(6) | 66
(19) |
|---|
Avg low °F
(°C) | 21
(-6) | 26
(-3) | 36
(2) | 46
(8) | 57
(14) | 67
(19) | 72
(22) | 70
(21) | 61
(16) | 49
(9) | 36
(2) | 25
(-4) | 47
(8) |
|---|
Rainfall in inches
(millimeters) | 1.13
(28.7) | 1.02
(25.9) | 2.38
(60.5) | 3.27
(83.1) | 4.55
(115.6) | 4.73
(120.1) | 3.61
(91.7) | 3.62
(91.9) | 4.17
(105.9) | 3.28
(83.3) | 2.30
(58.4) | 1.45
(36.8) | 35.51
(902) |
|---|
Weather
Kansas City is situated in "
Tornado Alley," a broad region where cold air from the
Rocky Mountains and
Canada collides with warm air from the
Gulf of Mexico, leading to the formation of powerful storms. Kansas City has had many severe outbreaks of
tornados, including the
Ruskin Heights tornado in 1957,
[11] and the
May 2003 Tornado Outbreak Sequence, as well as other severe weather, most notably the
Kansas City derecho in
1982. The region is also prone to
ice storms, such as the
2002 ice storm during which hundreds of thousands lost power for days and (in some cases) weeks.
[12] Kansas City and its outlying areas are also subject to flooding, including the
Great Flood of 1993 and the
Great Flood of 1951.
Cityscape
Kansas City, Missouri, is organized into a system of more than 150
neighborhoods, some with histories as independent cities or the sites of major events.
Downtown, the center of the city, is currently undergoing major redevelopment.
Downtown Kansas City has a variety of
neighborhoods, including historical
Westport, the
Crossroads Arts District,
18th and Vine Historic District,
Pendleton Heights,
Quality Hill, the
West Bottoms and the
River Market.
The city's tallest buildings and characteristic skyline is roughly contained inside the
downtown freeway loop (shaded in red). Downtown Kansas City itself is established by city
ordinance to stretch from the Missouri River south to 31st Street (beyond the bottom of this map), and from I-35 to Bruce R. Watkins
Other areas near Downtown Kansas City include:
The
39th Street District is known as Restaurant Row
[1] and features one of Kansas City's largest selections of independently owned restaurants and boutique shops. It is a center of literary and visual arts and
bohemian culture.
Crown Center is the headquarters of
Hallmark Cards and a major downtown shopping and entertainment complex. It is connected to Union Station by a series of covered walkways.
The
Country Club Plaza, or simply "the Plaza," is an upscale, outdoor shopping and entertainment district. It was the first shopping district in the United States designed to accommodate shoppers arriving by automobile, and is surrounded by apartments and condominiums, including a number of high rise buildings.
The associated
Country Club District to the south includes the
Sunset Hill and Brookside neighborhoods, and is traversed by
Ward Parkway, a beautiful, landscaped boulevard known for its statuary, fountains and large, historic homes.
Kansas City's
Union Station is now home to
Science City, restaurants, shopping, theaters, and the city's
Amtrak facility.
A look down Downtown Kansas City streets today.
Downtown redevelopment
Main articles: Downtown Kansas City
Downtown Kansas City is an area of 2.9 square miles bounded by the Missouri River to the north, 31st Street to the south, Bruce R. Watkins Drive (
U.S. Highway 71) to the east and I-35 to the west.
After years of neglect and seas of parking lots,
downtown Kansas City is currently undergoing a period of change. Many residential properties have recently been or are currently under redevelopment. A planned entertainment district, which will be called the "Power and Light District", is being developed in the southern part of the
downtown freeway loop by the
Cordish Company of
Baltimore, Maryland; adjacent to the entertainment district will be a new arena, named the
Sprint Center, set to open in
2007. The arena is to be designed by a consortium of local architects, and hopes to lure an
NBA or
NHL franchise to the city.
Los Angeles-based
Anschutz Entertainment Group has invested in the arena project and will run its daily operations.
''See Also:
Downtown Kansas City Redevelopment''
Parks and parkways
J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain, in Mill Creek Park, adjacent to the Country Club Plaza
Kansas City is well-known for its spacious parkways and numerous parks. The parkway system winds its way through the city with broad, landscaped medians that include statuary and fountains. One of the best examples is
Ward Parkway on the west side of the city, near the
Kansas state line.
Originally designed for aesthetics and minor automobile/horse and buggy traffic, many parkways were drastically altered to accommodate more and more vehicles, becoming minor freeways.
Swope Park is one of the nation's largest in-city parks, comprising 1,763 acres (2.75mi²), more than twice as big as New York's Central Park
[2]. It includes a full-fledged
zoo, two golf courses, a lake, an
amphitheatre, day-camp area, and numerous picnic grounds.
Kansas City has always had one of the nation's best
urban forestry programs. At one time, almost all residential streets were planted with a solid canopy of
American elms but
Dutch elm disease devastated them. Most of the elms died and were replaced with a variety of other shade trees. A program is underway currently to replace many of the fast-growing
sweetgum trees with
hardwood varieties.
[13]
Demographics
The United States Census bureau updated their American Community Survey information in 2005 for Kansas City. Their study estimated a population of about 440,885 people, the margin of error was placed at +/- 9,193 people. Growth in Kansas City is increasing, with 3,618 housing permits granted in 2004 and 2005. As of 2005, about 210,000 households exist.
Economy
Main articles: Kansas City Economy
Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank "J" insignia on the dollar bill
Greater Kansas City is headquarters to 4 ''
Fortune 500'' companies (
H&R Block,
Embarq Corporation,
Sprint Nextel Corporation, and
YRC Worldwide Inc.) and additional ''
Fortune 1000'' corporations (
Interstate Bakeries Corporation,
Great Plains Energy,
Aquila,
AMC Theatres, and
DST Systems).
Hallmark Cards's gross revenues certainly would qualify it for both lists, but it cannot be included because it is privately owned by the
Hall family. Numerous agriculture companies operate out of the city and the
Kansas City Board of Trade is the principal trading center for hard red
winter wheat — the principal ingredient of
bread.
The business community is serviced by two major business magazines, the ''Kansas City Business Journal'' (published weekly) and ''Ingram's Magazine'' (published monthly), as well as numerous other smaller publications, including a local
society journal, the ''Independent'' (published weekly).
H&R Block's new oblong headquarters in downtown Kansas City
Kansas City is literally "on the money."
Bills issued by the
Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City are marked the letter "J" and/or number "10." The single dollar bills have Kansas City's name on them. Missouri is the only state to have two of the 12
Federal Reserve Bank headquarters (St. Louis also has a headquarters). Kansas City's effort to get the bank was helped by former Kansas City mayor
James A. Reed who as senator broke a tie to get the
Federal Reserve Act passed.
[14]
:''See also:
List of foreign consulates in Kansas City.''
Law and government
City government
:''For a list of mayors of Kansas City see:
List of mayors of Kansas City''
Kansas City is home to the largest
municipal government in the state of Missouri. The
mayor of Kansas City is
Mark Funkhouser, elected on March 27, 2007. The city has a
city manager form of government, however the role of city manager has diminished over the years following excesses during the days of
Tom Pendergast. The mayor, is the head of the
Kansas City City Council, which has 12 members (one member for each district, plus one at large member per district), and the mayor himself is the presiding member. Kansas City holds city elections on odd numbered years (every four years unless there is a special reason). The last major city-wide election was May 2007, meaning the next one will be in May 2011.
From the late 19th Century to the mid 20th Century, Kansas City's municipal government was controlled by often corrupt olitical machines. Tom Pendergast was the most infamous leader of the party machine. The most nationally prominent Democrat associated with Pendergast's machine was
Harry S. Truman, who became a Senator,
Vice President of the United States and then
President of the United States from
1945-
1953.
Courts
The
Charles Evans Whittaker United States Courthouse in Downtown Kansas City, seat of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri.
Kansas City is the seat of the
United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, one of two federal
district courts in Missouri (the other, the Eastern District, is in St. Louis). It also is the seat of the Western District of the
Missouri Court of Appeals, one of three districts of that court (the Eastern District is in St. Louis and the Southern District is in
Springfield).
Hosted national political conventions
Kansas City has hosted the
1900 Democratic National Convention, the
1928 Republican National Convention, which nominated
Herbert Hoover from
Iowa for President, and the memorable
1976 Republican National Convention, which nominated Kansas U.S. Senator
Bob Dole for Vice President.
Kansas City consistently votes Democratic in Presidential elections, however on the state and local level Republicans often find some modest success, especially in the Northland and other parts of Kansas City that are predominately suburban.
Congressional representation
The Kansas City metropolitan area is represented by five members of the
United States House of Representatives:
Missouri
★
Missouri's 4th congressional district - the far east suburbs in Ray County plus a vast stretch of rural areas to the east and south. Currently represented by
Ike Skelton (Democrat)
★
Missouri's 5th congressional district – all of Kansas City proper in Jackson County plus Independence and portions of Cass County. Currently represented by
Emanuel Cleaver (Democrat)
★
Missouri's 6th congressional district – all of Kansas City proper north of the
Missouri River and plus suburbs in eastern Jackson County beyond Independence and a vast stretch of suburbs and rural areas extending all the way to the
Iowa border and more than 100 miles. Currently represented by
Sam Graves (Republican)
Kansas
★
Kansas's 2nd congressional district – the extended suburbs beyond Johnson and Wyandotte counties plus the entire eastern third of Kansas. Currently represented by
Nancy Boyda (Democrat).
★
Kansas's 3rd congressional district – the near west suburbs in Johnson and Wyandotte counties plus a section of Douglas County and Lawrence. Currently represented by
Dennis Moore (Democrat)
Crime
As of October 30, 2006, Kansas City ranks as twenty first highest amount of crime in the United States, as reported by the FBI.
[15]
Kansas City ranked sixth in rate of murders in the 2006
United States cities by crime rate for cities with populations more than 400,000. The entire Kansas City metropolitan area has the fourth worst violent crime rate among cities with more than 100,000 with a rate of 614.7 crimes per 100,000 residents.
[16]
Most of the city's murders and violent crimes occur in the city's
inner core. The violent crime rates in the core have consistently driven the city and metropolitan area down on "livability" indexes, hindering initiatives in the
1970s,
1980s and
1990s to revive downtown Kansas City. In recent years, however, attempts at revitalizing the downtown area have been more successful.
[17] Downtown currently has one of the lowest crime rates in the urban core, and thousands more people have moved to this area. However, other parts of the urban core with higher
poverty levels remain places where crime is unabated.
Most of the crime has stemmed from recent gang wars in Kansas City that started in 2004 when local rappers
Mac Dre and Fat Tone were killed.
Mac Dre was allegedly killed by a local gang while returning to his hotel after a concert. Fat Tone was then killed in Las Vegas in retaliation for
Mac Dre's death. Since their deaths, Kansas City has experienced local gang wars, which has involved some of the prominent local gangs. Police recently announced they had found the sources of a lot of the fighting and were concentrating their efforts on certain individuals and neighborhoods. Some of the recent homicide/shooting suspects had been caught before by the police for other homicides, but had to be released after the witnesses were either harmed or threatened. Police were hoping that they can possibly put an end to the gang violence and wars that have been the cause of most of the city's crime rate problems. The police increased pressure on gangs in 2007, capturing major, and minor gang figures.
Some of the earliest violence in Kansas City erupted during the bloody
American Civil War. Shortly after its founding in 1853, the
Bleeding Kansas incidents erupted affecting
border ruffians and
Jayhawkers who both lived in the city. During the war, Union troops
burned all occupied dwellings in Jackson County south of Brush Creek and east of Blue Creek to Independence in an attempt to halt raids into Kansas.
After the war, the
Kansas City Times turned
Jesse James into a folk hero in its coverage. James was born in the metro area at
Kearney, Missouri and robbed the Kansas City Fairgrounds at 12th and Campbell.
In the early 20th Century under "Boss"
Tom Pendergast, Kansas City became the country's "most wide open town", with virtually no enforcement of liquor laws or hours. While this would give rise to
Kansas City Jazz, it also led to the rise of the Kansas City mob (initially under
Johnny Lazia) as well as the arrival of gangsters. The 1930s saw the
Kansas City Massacre at
Union Station, as well as a shootout between police and outlaws
Bonnie and Clyde at the
Red Crown Tavern near what is now
Kansas City International Airport.
In the 1970s, the Kansas City mob was involved in a gangland war over control of the
River Quay entertainment district in which three buildings were bombed and several gangsters were killed. Police investigations into the mob took hold after boss
Nick Civella was recorded discussing gambling bets on
Super Bowl IV (where the Kansas City Chiefs defeated Minnesota). The war and investigation would lead to the end of mob control of the
Stardust Casino, which was the basis for the movie
Casino (although the Kansas City connections are minimized in the movie).
Sister cities
Scout Indian statue in Seville, sistered with Kansas City. Kansas City has an almost identical statue in Penn Valley Park, near the
Liberty Memorial that is pointing in the direction of Seville.
★
Tainan City,
Taiwan
★
Seville,
Spain
★
Xi'an,
People's Republic of China
★
Freetown,
Sierra Leone
★
Ramla,
Israel
★
Port Harcourt,
Nigeria
★
San Nicolas de los Garza,
Mexico
★
Kurashiki,
Japan
★
Metz,
France
★
Guadalajara,
Mexico
★
Arusha,
Tanzania
★
Morelia,
Mexico
Transportation
Main articles: Kansas City Metropolitan Area#Transportation,
Kansas City Metropolitan Area
Kansas City owes its existence as a major city to its crossroads status.
First, it was at the confluence of the Missouri River and Kansas River and the launching pointing for travelers on the
Santa Fe,
Oregon, and
California trails. Then with the construction of the
Hannibal Bridge across the
Missouri River it became the central location for 11 trunk railroads. More rail traffic in terms of tonnage still passes through the city than any other city in the country.
TWA located its headquarters in the city and had ambitious plans to turn the city into an air hub for the world.
Missouri and Kansas were the first states to start building interstates with
Interstate 70. An ever increasing number of interstate loops has encouraged suburban sprawl.
Interstate 435, which encircles the entire city, is the second longest beltway in the nation. Today, Kansas City and its metropolitan area has more miles of highway per person than any other city in the United States.
Airports
Kansas City International Airport was built to the specifications of TWA to make a world hub for the
supersonic transport and
Boeing 747. Its passenger friendly design in which its gates were 100 feet from the street has, since the
September 11, 2001 attacks, required a costly overhaul to retrofit it to incorporate elements of a more conventional security system. Recent proposals have suggested replacing the three terminal airport with an airport with a single terminal situated somewhere nearby.
Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport was the original headquarters of
Trans World Airlines and houses the
Airline History Museum. It is still used for
general aviation and airshows.
Mass transit
Like all American cities at the time, Kansas City's mass transit system was originally rail-based. In addition, Kansas City had an electric
trolley network that ran through the city until 1959. The rapid sprawl that occurred throughout the city in the years that followed caused this system to be shut down. The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) was formed with the signing of a Bi-State compact created by the Missouri and Kansas legislatures on December 28, 1965. The compact gives the KCATA responsibility for planning, construction, owning and operating passenger transportation systems and facilities within the seven-county Kansas City metropolitan area. These include the counties of Cass, Clay, Jackson and Platte in Missouri, and Johnson, Leavenworth and Wyandotte in Kansas. The KCATA is governed by a 10-member Board of Commissioners, five from the state of Kansas and five from the state of Missouri.
The KCATA offers customers three types of service in the Kansas City area: 1) Fixed-route service along 75 routes 2) Share-A-Fare Paratransit service for the elderly and persons with disabilities 3) MetroFlex service which offers a combination of fixed-route and demand-response.
The base fare is $1.25 one-way, with a variety of passes available. On predicted Ozone Alert! Days from June 1 through September 30, the fare is $.50.
The city does not have a light rail system yet, but a light rail initiative was approved by voters in November 2006. The KCATA is currently conducting a federally mandated Alternatives Analysis study in an effort to gain federal funding toward a starter system.
Bus rapid transit
In July 2005, the
Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) launched Kansas City’s first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line called "MAX" (Metro Area Express). MAX links the vibrant River Market, Downtown, Union Station, Crown Center and the Country Club Plaza. This corridor boasts over 150,000 jobs, as well as some of the area’s most prestigious real estate and treasured cultural amenities.
This $21 million project is the region’s most significant public transportation improvement in decades, providing quick, convenient public transportation that helps reduce traffic congestion and auto emissions. MAX is the spine for future transit expansions and a key component of the region’s long-range transit vision, Smart Moves.
By design, MAX operates and is marketed more like a rail system than a local bus line. A unique identity was created for MAX, including 13 stylish vehicles and easily identifiable “stations,” not “stops.” MAX features state-of-the-art technology to deliver customers a high level of reliability, speed and comfort. Dedicated lanes help give MAX a rapid, smooth ride, and special traffic signalization holds a green light longer to keep MAX on schedule. Limited stops mean that MAX can keep moving to key destinations.
MAX has successfully attracted new riders who had not tried transit in Kansas City previously. In fact, 27% of MAX riders indicate they had not ridden transit prior to MAX and a full 77% say that as a result of their experience on MAX, they will now use other Metro routes more often.
The second MAX line is in the design phase and will launch in the Troost Avenue corridor in 2009.
MAX runs seven days a week from 5am to 1am. During rush hour periods, the buses make stops about every 10 minutes. The one-way fare is $1.25.
Light rail
★ Kansas City does not currently have a
subway or
light rail system, and several proposals to build one have been rejected by voters in the past. However, the city is currently in the development phase of a starter
light rail system. On November 7, 2006, Kansas City voters narrowly approved a ballot initiative brought forward by
Clay Chastain from Virginia, proposing a city-wide light rail system paid for by a 3/8-cent sales tax that currently funds 40% of Kansas City’s bus system. That sales tax, which will expire April 2009, would have been bought to voter for renewal, but the citizen petition for light rail occurred before this could happen. The initiative requires a 27-mile light rail line running from the Kansas City Zoo, through the city’s urban core, and out to Kansas City International Airport. In addition to the light rail system, the initiative requires a gondola system that will link Kansas City’s Union Station with the Liberty Memorial, the purchase of 60 hybrid electric busses and the removal of street access through Penn Valley Park, adjacent to the Liberty Memorial. The KCATA estimates that to build the entire light rail system as written will cost between $1.4 and $1.6 billion. The original price tag presented to voters for the line was just below $800 million.
★ In August of 2007, it was announced by the KCATA that an Alternatives Analysis study of the voter-approved light rail plan had a $415 million funding shortfall, even if the federal government paid half of planned construction costs. This study also revealed that the November 2006 plan had technical problems including issues with bridges, steep inclines, and sharp turns beyond typical tolerances. Currently, a citizens’ petition seeking a repeal of the November 2006 initiative is making its way through the City Council. It is expected on the ballot for voters in February 2008. Should the November 2006 initiative be overturned, Chastain has stated that he would seek legal recourse against the city.
The KCATA will have its Alternatives Analysis complete in Spring 2008, at which time a recommended alternative will be presented.
Trolley/Streetcars
★ Kansas City has a long history with streetcars and trolleys. From 1870-1957 Kansas City's streetcar system was among the top in the country, with over 300 miles of track at its peak. Following the decision to scrap the system, many of its former streetcars have been serving other American cities for a long time. In 2007, ideas and plans arose to add normal trolley lines, as well as possibly fast streetcars to the city's Downtown for the first time in decades. These proposals are being seen as possible first steps in implemented a larger mass transit network, that would include light rail.
Culture
Ethnic Culture
There is a large community of
Irish in Kansas City which numbers around 250,000. The Irish Community includes a large number of bands, a newspaper, the numerous Irish stores, including Browne's Irish Market, the oldest Irish owned business in
North America, and the
Irish Museum and Cultural Center is the new center of the community. The first book that detailed the history of the Irish in Kansas City was
Missouri Irish, Irish Settlers on the American Frontier, published in 1984. The first podcast on the history of the Irish in Kansas City appeared in 2006, under the title of 'Missouri Irish'. It is also of some note that the leading publisher of Irish family works , the Irish Genealogical Foundation, was founded and remains based in Kansas City.
Architecture
Main articles: Architecture in Kansas City
Kansas City has long been praised for its varied architecture, which includes many famous and interesting buildings. Its skyline is notable for various structures, including the immense
Bartle Hall Convention Center, the adjoined
art deco Municipal Auditorium, and numerous skyscrapers such as the Kansas City Power and Light Building and
One Kansas City Place (the tallest habitable structure in Missouri), as well as the
KCTV-Tower (the tallest freestanding structure in Missouri and
39th tallest tower in the world), and the
Liberty Memorial (the national
World War I memorial and museum of the United States).
Kansas City offices of significant national and international
architecture firms include
ACI/Boland,
BNIM,
360 Architecture,
Ellerbe Becket,
HNTB and
HOK Sport.
City of Fountains
Main articles: List of Fountains in Kansas City
With more than 200 fountains, Kansas City claims that only Rome has more fountains. The fountain is a logo for the city.
Kansas City cuisine
Kansas City is most famous for its
steak and
barbecue.
Kansas City steaks
During the heyday of the
Kansas City Stockyards, the city was known for its Kansas City steaks or
Kansas City strip steaks. The most famous of the steakhouses is the Golden Ox in the
Kansas City Live Stock Exchange in the stockyards in the
West Bottoms. The stockyards, which were second only to those of Chicago in size, never recovered from the
Great Flood of 1951 and eventually closed. The famed Kansas City Strip cut of steak is largely identical to the New York Strip cut, and is sometimes referred to just as a
strip steak.
Kansas City-style barbecue
Main articles: Kansas City-style barbecue
Along with Texas, Memphis & North Carolina, Kansas City is a "world capital of barbecue." There are more than 90 barbecue restaurants
[3] in the metropolitan area and the
American Royal each fall hosts what it claims is the world's biggest barbecue contest.
The classic Kansas City-style barbecue was an
inner city phenomenon that evolved from the pit of
Henry Perry from the
Memphis, Tennessee area in the early 1900s and blossomed in the
18th and Vine neighborhood.
Arthur Bryant's was to take over the Perry restaurant and added
molasses to sweeten the recipe. In 1946
Gates and Sons Bar-B-Q was opened by one of Perry's cooks. The Gates recipe added even more molasses. Although Bryant's and Gates are the two definitive Kansas City barbecue restaurants they have just recently begun expanding outside of the Greater Kansas City Area.
In 1977
Rich Davis, a psychiatrist, test-marketed his own concoction called K.C. Soul Style Barbecue Sauce. He renamed it
KC Masterpiece and in 1986 he sold the sauce to the Kingsford division of
Clorox. Davis retained rights to operate restaurants using the name and sauce, with a restaurant in the suburb of Overland Park, KS.
Entertainment and performing arts
Classical/opera
Kansas City is home to the
Kansas City Symphony, founded by
R. Crosby Kemper Jr. in 1982 to supersede the Kansas City Philharmonic, which had existed since 1933. The symphony currently is located at the Lyric Theatre in Downtown Kansas City, but will move to the new
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, also downtown, when it is completed in December of 2009. The current music director and lead conductor of the symphony is the world-renowned
Michael Stern.
The
Lyric Opera of Kansas City, founded in 1970, is one of the nation's premier regional opera companies. It prides itself on offering one American contemporary opera production during its annual season consisting of either four or five productions. Originally, all operas were performed in English, although in the late-1990s the company decided to perform all productions in their original languages. The Lyric Opera also is located at the Lyric Theatre, and also will move to the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in 2009.
The
Kansas City Ballet, founded in 1957 by Tatiana Dokoudovska, is a ballet troupe comprising 25 professional dancers and apprentices. Between 1986 and 2000, it was combined with
Dance St. Louis to form the
State Ballet of Missouri, although it remained located in Kansas City. From 1980 to 1995, the Ballet was run by renowned dancer and choreographer
Todd Bolender. Today, the Ballet offers an annual repertory split into three seasons which ranges from classical to contemporary ballets. The Ballet also is located at the Lyric Theatre, and also will move with the Symphony and Opera to the Kauffman Center in 2009.
Jazz
Main articles: Kansas City Jazz
Kansas City Jazz in the
1930s marked the transition from big bands to the bebop influence of the
1940s. In the
1930s City Boss
Tom Pendergast was at his height of his power and left Kansas City a wide open town in which night clubs were allowed to remain open from dusk to dawn. In this venue, an era of
musical improvisation developed in which it was not uncommon for a single "song" to be performed all night by competing performers who passed through the city. The era ended in 1936 when producer
John H. Hammond began signing Kansas City talent and transferring the acts to
New York City.
The era of Kansas City influence is bracketed by the signing of
Count Basie in 1929 to the advent of Kansas City native
Charlie Parker in the 1940s. Pendergast pleaded guilty to income tax evasion in 1939 and the city soon began a crackdown of the clubs.
In the 1970s Kansas City attempted to resurrect the glory of the jazz era in a sanitized family friendly atmosphere. In the 1970s an effort to open jazz clubs in the River Quay area of City Market along the Missouri ended in a gangland war in which three of the new clubs were blown up in what ultimately resulted in the removal of Kansas City mob influence in the Las Vegas casinos that was partially depicted in the movie
Casino (movie).
In
1981, 114 people died in the
Hyatt Regency walkway collapse at a
tea dance that was attempting to recreate the jazz era. In 1999 the
American Jazz Museum opened in the 18th and Vine neighborhood.
Rock/Hip-Hop Acts
Kansas City has an avid local music scene and is a very popular locale for many
punk and
hip-hop acts. In addition, The
New York Times declared nearby
Lawrence, Kansas "the most vital music scene between Chicago and Denver" in a travel column dated
February 25,
2005. Recent rock groups originating in Kansas City and direct surrounding areas include
Puddle of Mudd,
The Get Up Kids,
Shiner,
Flee The Seen,
The Life and Times,
Reggie and the Full Effect,
Coalesce,
The Casket Lottery,
Ska-Punk act
The Gadjits The Appleseed Cast,
The Esoteric,
Vedera, and
Blackpool Lights. Native rappers include
Tech N9ne,
Rich the Factor,
Young Boss and
Solè.
Media
Print media
''
The Kansas City Star'' is the area's primary newspaper.
William Rockhill Nelson first published the evening paper on
September 1,
1880. The ''Star'' competed heavily with the morning''Times'' before acquiring it in 1926 and discontinuing it in March 1990.
Monthly newspapers such as ''The Kansas City Metro Voice'', ''The Call''
[18] (African American focused) and several weekly papers, including the ''
Kansas City Business Journal,'' ''
The Pitch'', the bilingual paper "Dos Mundos" and various suburban papers also serve the Kansas City area.
Broadcast media
Landmark
KCTV-TV Tower on West 31st on Union Hill
The Kansas City media market (ranked 29 by Arbitron and 31 by Nielsen) includes ten television channels along with 30 FM and 21 AM radio stations. Kansas City is a stepping stone for many national broadcasters including
Walter Cronkite,
Rush Limbaugh, and
Mancow Muller.
Film community
Main articles: Film in Kansas City
Kansas City has also been a locale for
Hollywood productions and
television programming. Most notably, the 1983 television movie ''
The Day After'' was filmed in Kansas City and
Lawrence, Kansas. The 1990s film ''
Truman'' starring
Gary Sinise was also filmed in various parts of the city. Other films shot in or around Kansas City include ''
Article 99'', ''
Mr. & Mrs. Bridge'', ''
Kansas City'', ''
Paper Moon'', ''
In Cold Blood'', and ''
Sometimes They Come Back'' (in and around nearby
Liberty, MO).
Sports
Main articles: Sports in Kansas City
Kauffman Stadium
Current teams
Kansas City sports teams presently include the following:
Sporting events
★ Kansas City is often the home of the
Big 12 College Basketball Tournaments. Men's Basketball is played at
Kemper Arena, while women's Basketball is played at
Municipal Auditorium. Lately newer arenas in Dallas and Oklahoma City have hosted the tournament. The new
Sprint Center will host the tournament in March 2008.
★
Arrowhead Stadium serves as the venue for various intercollegiate football games. Often it is the host of the
Big 12 Football Title Game.
On the last weekend in October, the Fall Classic rivalry game between
Northwest Missouri State University and
Pittsburg State University takes place here. Usually, the Bearcats of Northwest and Gorillas of Pitt State are ranked one-two in the
MIAA conference. In 2005, other games at Arrowhead included
Arkansas State playing host to
Missouri, and
Kansas hosting
Oklahoma.
Sites of interest
Museums
★
American Jazz Museum (
website)
★
Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (
website)
★
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (also site of the annual
Jewel Ball)
★
Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
★
Airline History Museum
★
Toy and Miniature Museum of Kansas City
★
Westport, oldest part of the city and a vibrant entertainment district.
★
Charlie Parker Memorial, at 17th Terrace and the Paseo
★
Arabia Steamboat Museum (
www.1856.com), in the historic River Market.
★
Kansas City Museum (
website), located in a beautifully renovated 1910 mansion.
★
Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum (
website), located in Kansas City suburb of
Independence, MO.
★
Irish Museum and Cultural Center located in Kansas City's
Union Station.
★
Liberty Memorial and
National World War I Museum.
Art galleries
Kansas City satellite map
★
Belger Arts Center
★
Blue Gallery
★
#8 Art Gallery
★
Leedy-Voulkos Art Center
★
Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art
★
Kansas City Art Institute Crossroads Gallery
★
H&R Block Artspace at the Kansas City Art Institute
★
Arts Incubator of Kansas City
★
Byron C. Cohen Gallery for Contemporary Art
★
Monarch Gallery
Historical sites
★
Country Club Plaza (
website) -- first shopping center designed to accommodate the automobile. Now considered one of the great urban shopping districts in America.
★
Liberty Memorial (
website)-- Official World War I memorial and museum in the United States. Tower and observation deck restored and re-opened in 2002, additional museum space was added beneath the tower and two original museum buildings.
★
Laugh-O-Gram Studio (
www.laughograms.com), Walt Disney's original cartoon studio in Kansas City. Now being renovated.
Entertainment
★
Worlds of Fun and
Oceans of Fun
★
Kansas City Zoo and IMAX Theatre are located in Swope Park.
★
Kansas City Renaissance Festival (
website), annual festival that runs through the fall that features live entertainers, a medieval village, rides, games, sword fights, and more.
★
Ameristar Casino Kansas City
★
Isle of Capri
★
Kansas City Irish Fest (
website), Labor Day weekend annually.
★ The Country Club Plaza Christmas lighting ceremony is a tradition that happens every Thanksgiving.
★ The Kansas City St. Patrick's Day parade, one of the largest such parades in the United States.
Educational institutions
Post-secondary
★
Cleveland Chiropractic College(
website )
★
Avila University
★
Calvary Bible College
★
DeVry University of Kansas City
★
Kansas City Art Institute
★
Kansas City College
★
Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences
★
Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City (
website )
:MCC-Penn Valley
:MCC-Longview
:MCC-Maple Woods
:MCC-Business and Technology
:MCC-Blue River
★
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
★
National American University
★ Nazarene Theological Seminary (
website )
★
Rockhurst University
★
University of Missouri - Kansas City (UMKC)
★
University of Phoenix - Kansas City
★
Webster University - Kansas City
★
Vatterott College
Elementary and secondary
Kansas City is served by a variety of school districts.
School districts that serve Kansas City include:
★
Blue Springs R-IV School District
★
Center 58 School District
★
Grandview Consolidated No.4 School District
★
Hickman Mills Consolidated No.1 School District
★
Kansas City, Missouri School District
★
Lee's Summit R-VII School District
★
Liberty Schools
★
North Kansas City School District
★
Park Hill School District
★
Platte County School District
★
Raytown Consolidated No.2 School District
★
Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD)
★
Smithville School District
Private schools in Kansas City include:
★
The Barstow School
★
Don Bosco Education Center
★
Kansas City Academy
★ Oakhill Day School
★
Lee's Summit Community Christian School
★
Lutheran High School
★
Notre Dame de Sion
★
The Pembroke Hill School
★
Rockhurst High School
★
Archbishop O'Hara High School
★
Saint Pius X High School
★
St. Teresa's Academy
References
1. Census Bureau Estimates Program (2005)
2. Annual Estimates of the Population of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas: April 1 2000 to July 1 2005 (CBSA-EST2005-01)
3. Census Bureau Estimates Program (2006)
4. Census Bureau Estimates Program (2007)
5. Cities by Category Ranking: Tap Water Quality
6. ‘City of Fountains’ Indeed
7. ‘City of Fountains’ Indeed
8. Why is Kansas City located in Missouri instead of Kansas?
9. Early City Limits
10. Glacial Geology of the Kansas City Vicinity
11. Kansas City Tornado Almanac, wdaftv4.com. Accessed Sept. 2006.
12. KC powerless as icy barrage pummels the area, leaves behind disaster zone, Accessed 10 September 2006.
13. http://www.kcmo.org/planning/pdf/focus/NA_reports/triblen.pdf
14. A Foregone Conclusion: The Founding of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis by James Neal Primm - stlouisfed.org - Retrieved January 1, 2007.
15. 25 Safest Cities www.morganquinto.com Accessed Nov. 2006
16. Kansas City Star September 26, 2006 "FBI crime data paint grim portrait" of KC by Kevin Collinson
17. Kansas City Area Development Council
18. http://www.kccall.com/
External links
★
Official City Website
★
VisitKC.com - Official Travel and Tourism Site for Kansas City
★
Kansas City Chamber of Commerce
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