The Midtown KC Post Helps Tell Midtown’s Story
A slightly obsessive block-by-block history of the Midtown Area of Kansas City.
Every Block Tells a Story
Previous Midtown history focused on fancy houses, fancy people and venerated institutions. We like those, too, but we also want to know about the not-so-fancy people, the not-so-perfect houses and the weird and wacky things that made Midtown what it is.
Neighborhoods
Midtown contains two dozen distinct neighborhoods. Some have been lost….others are changing…all are home to someone.
People
Some specific people stand out in Midtown history, including architects, developers and quirky residents. Not always the ones you have heard about before.
Cultural Melting Pot
Immigrants helped build the Midtown neighborhoods of today. They came from Ireland, Sweden, Germany and other places.
Gathering Places
Schools, churches, dance halls, saloons, and other places where Midtown people mixed outside their homes.
Essential Character
Development patterns, zoning laws, park and boulevard creation, and other ways the Midtown grid came about.
Great Streets
As Midtown grew, its streets and boulevards bloomed with homes and businesses, connecting us to other neighborhoods and other parts of the city.
Steptoe
A lost neighborhood founded by formerly enslaved people that deserves to be remembered.
Big Changes
Midtown morphed from quiet streetcar suburbs to bustling commercial areas to boarding houses and then reblossomed.
Good Stories
Every neighborhood has its legends, great characters and weird events. They should not be forgotten.
Buildings and Architecture
From four-plexes to shirtwaists, Midtown’s unique architecture sets it apart. Our streetcar neighborhoods have a special character not found anywhere else.
What’s Preserved
What buildings and neighborhoods are protected as historic assets.
Lost and Endangered
Midtown is constantly changing, but the buildings and homes we have lost shape what is here today. We need to consider what is important before we consider demolition.
How Can You Contribute?
History doesn’t just happen. Sometimes, people write it down in books. Sometimes, they put it in a shoebox under the bed. The Uncovering History Project is a community effort. If you have a question you want researched, stories, photos, and documents to add, or just want to make a comment, there are plenty of ways to get involved.