The Velvet Freeze Ice Cream shop at 4338 Troost in 1940, one of several dozen Velvet Cream parlors around the city.
There was a day in Kansas City when almost every kid could walk to an ice cream parlor like this one at 4338 Troost. That’s one of the memories that is preserved in a series of 1940 photographs showing every home and commercial business on the 4300 blocks of Troost and Harrison that year.
A Sanborn Fire Insurance map show these blocks from 1909-1950.
This area of South Hyde Park developed in the early 1900s, as the Troost streetcar made it easy for potential homeowners to escape the city and buy a home in the “streetcar suburbs.” Developers built large comfortable single-family homes up and down Troost and Harrison, and filled in the vacant lots with sixplex and larger apartment buildings.
In these 1940s photos, Troost supported a handful of commercial businesses, including a funeral home at 4316.
See a slideshow of all the businesses and residences on this block below.
As part of our Uncovering History Project, the Midtown KC Post is taking a look at the 1940 tax assessment photos of each block in Midtown. This week we’re focusing on South Hyde park.. (Many people seem confused by the tax assessment photos, which all include a man holding a sign. Here’s the story behind them).
Do you remember this area? What special memories do you have of this section of Midtown? What questions do you have about it? Let us know and we’ll share your history and help to preserve it on our website as part of our Uncovering History project.
Would you like us to focus on your block next week? Send us an email.
Our new book, Kansas City’s Historic Midtown Neighborhoods, is available now. Let us know if you want us to come to your neighborhood association or organization’s meeting to share what we’ve learned about Midtown neighborhood history and tell your members how they can help preserve Midtown history. Order the book
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