10th & Baltimore Streets, Looking South

The tall arched windows, with their bronze window frames, are the distinctive features of the New England National Bank, at the southeast corner of 10th and Baltimore. Long-skirted women and men with derby hats make their way along Baltimore. An early-day roadster is at far right. The 7-story Finance Building, built in 1908, is just south of the New England Bank Building, and farther along is the 4-story John Taylor Dry Goods Store with its popular Baltimore street entrance, a convenient downtown meeting place with comfortable benches just inside the entrance doors. Today all three of the buildings pictured are still in use, but with many changes. The New England Bank Building now houses the H. O. Peet & Co. brokerage firm and the building has been enlarged into the 16-story Insurance Exchange Building .The original Finance Building of steel and reinforced concrete has been remodeled and redesigned for the offices of architectural and engineering firms. The old John Taylor building housed the dry goods store founded here by the Scottish merchant John Taylor in 1881. It was Kansas City's largest and finest strictly dry goods emporium. Macy's now occupies the old building, which was completely overhauled and enlarged after its purchase in 1947. Kansas City Star, November 13, 1976.