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The Kansas City Star
Kansas City is full of history. Travel back in time with these 13 unique stories
3 hours ago
Kansas City’s heritage includes numerous historical trails and sites scattered throughout the region, many of which are being commemorated or restored. Other landmarks have been lost, but their stories remain.
The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists at The Star. All stories below were reported, written and edited by Star journalists earlier in 2024.
The front wheels, axle and shaft of the Conestoga-style wagon that once sat outside of the Old Westport Shopping Center, at Westport Road and Southwest Trafficway, are now on display on the grounds of the Harris-Kearney Historical House Museum. Eric Adler/The Kansas City Star
No. 1: Moved to new home, Westport covered wagon discovered to be older than anyone imagined
The historic Conestoga-style wagon that for 61 years was a fixture at the Old Westport Shopping Center, before its deteriorating wood body was hauled away earlier this year and replaced, has been discovered to be older than anyone imagined. | Read Full Story by Eric Adler
No. 2: ‘History wasn’t in black and white.’ Here’s how Shawnee Town ‘changed’ its history
Museum staff researched how each building should be built, how it would be used interpretively, what stories could be told, and what artifacts should be present in it to make an authentic experience. | Read Full Story by Debra Skodack
George Pettigrew, left, and Brigadier General Bryan Wampler have teamed up together on the Frontier Museum of the U.S. Army Foundation with plans to open a world-class museum by 2027 on the grounds of Fort Leavenworth. Monty Davis/madavis@kcstar.com
No. 3: Veterans lead charge for new museum focused on Fort Leavenworth’s role in US history
Fort Leavenworth is almost 200 years old. Plans are in the works for a new, world-class museum that would show the role the fort has had in shaping the United States. | Read Full Story by Randy Mason and Monty Davis
No. 4: For 6 decades, a covered wagon stood at this Kansas City corner. It’s getting replaced
No. 7: How a ‘border ruffian’ who supported slavery got a monument honoring him in a KC park
A reader asked about the history behind a memorial to Charles Carroll Spalding in Penn Valley Park. We unearthed the complicated story behind Kansas City’s first historian. | Read Full Story by Michael Wells
Main Street in Smithville, Missouri, in 1909 looked like like hundreds of small towns across America—thanks to a “Yankee” named Smith who built a mill on the Little Platte River in 1824. After years of flooding, that river was dammed up in the 1970s to create Smithville Lake. Monty Davis/madavis@kcstar.com
No. 8: How did this Missouri town’s flooded Main Street help lead to a popular recreation area?
No. 9: From Coco Key to Mattel Adventure Park: Do you remember these Kansas City theme parks?
With two new attractions on the way to Kansas City, Kansas, in the next couple of years, we took a look back at the metro’s amusement park history. Which one was your favorite? | Read Full Story by Joseph Hernandez
No. 10: A meeting at this Independence church may have had a role in shaping world history
No. 12: From labor strikes to demolition, here’s the history of Kansas City’s Buck O’Neil Bridge
A reader asked What’s Your KCQ? about the iconic three-arch structure currently being demolished over the Missouri River. | Read Full Story by Michael Wells
No. 13: ‘Iconic but overlooked.’ Could KC’s Paseo Stairs, a favorite of runners, be improved?
For decades, the Paseo Stairs have been a local destination for walkers and runners. Here’s how one Kansas Citian’s love-hate relationship with the steps has led to an effort to improve them.| Read Full Story by J.M. Banks
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