With the Kansas City Public Library celebrating its 150th anniversary, staff have spent the year thinking about and promoting our history. One KCQ reader who recently visited the Central Library in…
KCHistory.org
Explore thousands of digitized photographs and material related to the history of the Kansas City region.
Learn about the collections and services of the Missouri Valley Special Collections, the Kansas City Public Library's local history archive.
Local History Blog
This infamous kidnapping and murder in Kansas City led to a hunt for the missing ransom
The 1953 abduction and murder of six-year-old Bobby Greenlease stands as one of Kansas City’s most notorious crimes. Bobby, the son of wealthy Cadillac dealer Robert Greenlease, was taken from…
How a Kansas City work camp provided much-needed relief during the Great Depression
Recently, a local history researcher saw an interesting detail on a 1935 geological survey and asked KCQ: “On a 1930s map, I noticed a Federal Transient Camp located just west of where Shoal Creek…
Featured Digital Collections
Kansas City FAQs
What was the Priests of Pallas?
The Priests of Pallas was a week-long festival held annually in Kansas City from 1887 until 1912, and revived briefly from 1922 to 1924.
Why Did the Area of 18th and Vine Become Famous?
Located just east of downtown, this historic area includes a number of city blocks surrounding the intersection of 18th and Vine Streets.
Where are the Records for the Willows Maternity Home?
The Willows Maternity Sanitarium closed in 1969, marking the end of 64 years of providing a haven and help for "unfortunate" girls and adoption services for their newborns.