Local History Blog
Railroad tycoon envisioned a grand Belgian settlement in Kansas City. Then came cholera
The Strange Case of Mr. Swope and Dr. Hyde
For more than a century, Kansas City has been haunted by the mysterious death of philanthropist Thomas Swope. Suspect number one is his nephew-in-law, Dr. Bennett Hyde, who stood to inherit a sizable portion of the Swope family fortune. But did…
What happened to Kansas City's first school for Black students — and its historical marker?
KCQ serves up a history of early KC hamburger stands
Was Lee’s Summit named after Robert E. Lee? What’s Your KCQ? examines the complicated legacy of the town’s namesake
KCQ Explores the History and Legacy of Kansas City’s Pioneer Mother
With Mother’s Day weekend approaching, it is fitting that What’s Your KCQ? respond to a query about Kansas City’s…
Winning the home front: KC women at work during World War II
IMPOSSIBLE ADVENTURES OF COMICS IN HISTORY
It’s easy to say that reading for entertainment has taken a backseat to television and video games in today’s visually driven culture. A popular form of amusement, however, still has the power to capture the imagination of both younger and mature…
Kansas City’s post-WWI Black social club. What’s Your KCQ? investigates the Beau Brummel Club
In 1920s Kansas City, hotel ballrooms, restaurants, and nightclubs teemed with crowds excited to hear the region’s signature jazz sound and eager to take advantage of the city’s lax alcohol prohibition enforcement. By visiting “Paris of the…
What is the history of the Rosedale Memorial Arch? What’s Your KCQ? investigates
When the Sporting Kansas City soccer club released new state line-themed jerseys in February 2022, fans noticed that one of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art’s shuttlecock sculptures, along with the Rosedale Memorial Arch, appeared together on the…