This post is one in a series from my “Armchair Tour of Kansas City”. For context you may click on this link to be redirected to the series Introduction: Armchair Tour Intro

River Market, River Front Park, and the Steamboat Arabia

6 miles north of our home is the Missouri River and Kansas City’s River Market,

01734b8f7bff78695356f648157cc27145bb956857

018017032105f2e83f43e845d3f671ef1def09c9ca

River Front Park, and the unique Steamboat Arabia Museum.

01ec3157ee8040ad41657df6ec002e30a7fb6f8d1e

It was here that riverboats landed, offloading supplies at Westport’s Landing bound for the outfitters in Westport. The “Town of Kansas”, incorporated here in 1850, and later to be known as Kansas City, grew up around the landing.

01b56a582d5c11c57ac8a25b1a74b626063437ae03

01ced16bb1c13255e07e8cd5fb59b0b9a17e754aa3

01d6d216591ad72b088243695cf0e46f6a367e3370

The Arabia, a side-wheel riverboat of huge proportions (each paddlewheel stood nearly 3 stories tall) sank near Kansas City in 1856.

017173aa6a5930f1f164b38c485ec5330a836240af

It was rediscovered under 45 feet of mud and river silt in 1988 and excavated. Hundreds of thousands of artifacts have been recovered, many are “like new” having been preserved by the mud that encased them.

017ae8fda15c6c01aeb170ce21ce77c39e30718c2a

01d2e0ac89e10db6ff98627db0b6c56b60d594af03

01cd99c128ddfc96d604cdc4e8f0e1c9f5c42ca3c3

The museum displays thousands of these artifacts and the staff remains engaged in the ongoing process of cleaning and restoration. 30 years later and half of the bounty yet remains to be cleaned, catalogued, and preserved. Imagine the volume and variety of goods found today in a Super Walmart, and that is what the Arabia was to those who lived in 1856.

Nearby, Kansas City’s Riverfront Park is a delightful place to take a stroll or bicycle ride along the south shore of the Missouri River.

012276c1379a9d06e5689cd5ea2b55d6ff51d12d99

0137a016b60d2c229d4e4e9ba4cbe78b008c5dcc16

Liberty Memorial

014bd1ac31d64a68e31738ebdb3fdca9f6e2e7ba0c

The “War to End All Wars” was fought from 1914 to 1918. America was a late arrival to the conflict as it had maintained isolationist neutrality until April of 1917. World War I claimed the lives of over 16 million combatants and civilians. As the first modern mechanized war it was one of the deadliest in history. In 1919 an effort was spearheaded in Kansas City to raise funds for a war memorial. Over 2.5 million dollars was collected in less than two weeks. The monument was planned and construction was completed in 1921. The dedication ceremony of The Liberty Memorial drew over 200,000 and featured then Vice President Calvin Coolidge, US General John “Blackjack” Pershing, and other leading generals of the allied forces.
In 1994 the Memorial closed because of deterioration and concerns for visitor safety. Funding efforts at the local and national level secured over 100 million dollars for restoration and the Memorial reopened in 2006. The Memorial was greatly expanded to include a new subterranean 80,000 square foot museum that Congress designated as the Nation’s Official World War I Museum. It stands today as the only such museum in America and is preeminent in the world.

01a7b851b2f2ad5cf6e77151713cd8d9fc298a2737

The Museum’s collection includes tens of thousands of relics and documents, including trench recreations, artillery, and a Renault FT Tank.

01f540fd2752c507e99507ad6604d0527892e0836c

The tower is open to the top and accessed by elevator. It presents an amazing panorama of Kansas City.

018129a3c5468d62c8037cd1ab68888d8c580c5b1a

Union Station

The Liberty Memorial overlooks Kansas City’s Union Station.

012026575b31b8efec263961794278b66cac897797

Construction was completed in 1914. The 850,000 square foot building features a grand hall with a ceiling that is 85 feet above the floor.

01b0a158dabb44909b8ce57d022d6067750f3d2f45

01a20b48a913a87d67c928266f486307f5f1af95cf

At its 1945 peak nearly 700,000 travelers passed through the station each year.

019794162fac22c667bbbabb52aa1aa6b932094ec0

The building fell into decline with the collapse of train passenger travel in the United States and was closed in 1985. It was well on its way to the wrecking ball until in 1996 residents of the metro area approved funds for restoration that ultimately cost over 250 million dollars. The Station is spectacular and includes an I-Max theater, Science City,

0161d383ac5a2d4292a102703f6e062501db96cccd

seasonal exhibits and upscale Pierpont’s Restaurant.

01e38a098cb1cebae341501b39a125be37995048f3

In 1933 this was the site of the “Kansas City Massacre” where gang members tried to free mobster Frank Nash. He and 4 policemen died in a hail of gunfire. Bullet holes are still visible in the stone façade of the Station.

Crown Center

Near Union Station and the Liberty Memorial are the corporate headquarters for Hallmark Cards.

018bd05ae202fc12bd319ee660601415fba907cd4c

The complex features upscale shops, restaurants, a theater, and outdoor skating venue in the winter. It is also the location for the 100 foot tall annual display of Kansas City’s “Mayor’s Christmas Tree.”

012d03ea1634758e71309b80f172b28df1db77d767

18th and Vine Jazz District

0158034a4dbb6d72902b4737bcfbc2acd538847066

Kansas City has a rich internationally known Jazz music heritage. The 18th and Vine District was home in the 1930’s and 40’s to notables which included Charlie Parker. Today the District is home to the American Jazz Museum and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, along with dining and entertainment venues.

015644989da0167582ce73ed9f2ee349bffd8dd848

The District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and features at least 35 historic buildings from the era.

01c4f4594a86f709892331e24df8e5cb884e967b8f

Sprint Center and the Power & Light District

01cacc894fbe5fe3827355f62a672bf1586088339b

The Sprint Center is an auditorium which seats nearly 20,000. It hosts major concerts and sporting events. It is located in the heart of Kansas City’s 9 block downtown Power & Light District, a major entertainment venue that features an outdoor concert space, hotels, convention hall, theaters, shops, restaurants and taverns.

01456871705dd12e71c554d7441a2c435df79bf261

01391266ca65057d73899b9a0edd04155283037da4

As always, I encourage you to share these posts with your friends and family.

Next: Part 6, Eat Drink and Be Merry

Peace Everyone. Pete

8 thoughts on “An Armchair Tour of Kansas City. Part 5, Another Short Drive

  1. I love the mosaic tile in Union Station’s ceilings. I made myself some silicone molds and cast some cement travertine egg and dart listellos for the Tile Shop back in the day when restoration was being done. They told me they were used on a restoration project downtown, but I never was told where. So “maybe” some of my work is in that building! That’s a fun thought! My family has enjoyed the big citywide celebrations at Union Station, especially the Kansas City Symphony’s daylong patriotic music extravaganza over Memorial Day weekend, culminating with an excellent piccolo solo in “The Stars and Stripes Forever”, fireworks and live cannon fire from Liberty Memorial. I also think of Union Station fondly in that it received retiring President Truman and his wife Bess, upon their return to Independence from Washington, D.C. Many never knew that the Mob was alive and well in Kansas City during the Pendergast era! I am enjoying your tour, Peter! Thank you!

    • Babe, you are a true polymath!… with everything else I have learned that you have done is now added “silicone molds and cast some cement travertine egg and dart listellos”. You are a wonder.

Leave a Reply to Maxine HarrisonCancel reply