Country Club District

Brookside boulevard, one of the first thoroughfares in the Country Club district, is shown in this 1917 post card. The camera, located just south of Fifty-fourth street, was facing north. Visible at the right are the brook and street car line. Today, the creek is carried away in underground sewers. The Country Club street car line made its last trip June 22, 1957. The boulevard has been widened, utilizing the sidewalk space. The motor car in the lower right-hand corner is a 1910 Cadillac touring car, and on the spare tire cover are the words Cadillac Eight - Greenlease Motor Car Co. Ray Davis, who has been with the Greenlease firm since October, 1913, identified the second car (with the top up) as a 5-passenger phaeton-type touring car. There were no closed cars then, said Davis, and removable side curtains were buttoned in place if the weather was rainy or cold. Of course, there were no air-conditioners, heaters or starters and the engines were cranked by hand from the ground in front of the car. The tires, 36x4-1/2 were of the 'clincher' type and it was necessary to remove both rim and tire from the wheel if one had a flat tire. I remember doing this five times on a single trip between Kansas City and Olathe. The post card was first published by Hall Brothers about 1910 and printed in color in the U.S.A. The descriptive legend on the back states: An interesting view in the country club district, one of Kansas City's best residence sections. This is the largest high class exclusive residence section in the United States. Kansas City Star, July 18, 1970.