Kansas City Livestock Exchange Building

A stockyards company was organized in Kansas City in 1871, and construction of the yards was completed in time for that year's shipments. The first officers were: J.M. Walker, Chicago, president; George Nettleton, general manager; Jerome D. Smith, superintendent; George N. Altman, secretary; H.P. Child, yardmaster; R.B. Buffington, shipping master; J. Parker Milchener, weighmaster, and J.L. Dragons, feedmaster. Pens, chutes and other facilities were erected on a tract of 13 1/2 acres on the east bank of the Kaw, south of the new Kansas Pacific Railroad tracks. A first building for the commission men was 24 feet square and one and a half stories high, and was merely shelter from the cold and rain. Its location was 12th and State Line. By 1872, the roof had been raised to make offices for the commission men. By 1873, the building was doubled in size. The first actual Kansas City Livestock Exchange building was 105 by 127 feet, three stories high, of brick with stone trim. The cost was $35,000. It was located just west of the state line, at 16th. It was built in 1876. The new building provided offices for the stockyards company and commission men besides two banking rooms, a restaurant, billiard hall and barber shop. It afforded for the first time adequate, modern facilities for market operations. Through the years it was enlarged and improved many times, with wings extending from the corners. The old post card pictures the enlarged structure in the early 1900s. It finally occupied two and a half acres of ground, which was partly in Missouri. A line of colored tile across the lobby floor marked the state line. In June 1903 came the great flood, its crest sweeping the West Bottoms from bluff to bluff to a depth of 15 to 30 feet. Water reached the second floor of the aging exchange building. Afterwards cracks appeared in the building and plans were made to replace it. Today's Kansas City Livestock Exchange building at 16th and Genessee was built in 1909-1911. It still serves as headquarters for the Kansas City market. Kansas City Times, November 13, 1981.