Local History Blog
Kansas City considered a highway from downtown to the Plaza. Then residents fought back
What was the first movie ever shown in Kansas City? KCQ breaks down cinema history
In the early 20th century, movies dominated Kansas City’s commercial amusement landscape. More than 170 theaters opened in Kansas City, before 1950, with 166 dedicated to movies. In 1915 alone, the city boasted approximately 90 theaters — all but…
Queen of the World: How this Kansas City hospital set standard for racial integration
Hospitals are often named for specific reasons. Municipal hospitals, for example, might be named after their locality, while others are associated with universities or named after churches or religious figures. So, when a KCQ reader heard a…
This artist was behind famous Kansas City mosaic, other works. But where is it now?
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 Notre Dame De Sion School by two grifters, Carl…
She was KC’s ground-breaking librarian. Then she was told her job was ‘for a man’
How a Kansas City work camp provided much-needed relief during the Great Depression
Once a star of the Kansas City skyline, this 90-foot cow statue now sits alone in park
Readers who have walked the Riverfront Heritage Trail sometimes write in to ask about some of Kansas City’s more obscure public art pieces, such as West Pennway’s miniature Mayan pyramid or the I-670 pedestrian bridge’s iron birds. One piece,…
Factory workers in this part of Kansas City once dressed the nation. What happened?
At its height, Kansas City’s garment industry dominated much of the U.S. clothing market and was the second largest employer in town behind the Stockyards in the West Bottoms. Over the span of 50 years, it grew from a small wholesale district…
Before he hit it big, Walt Disney was just a Kansas City paper boy. Take a look back
