July 2019

Manheim Park Block Attracted Immigrants in 1920s

When residents began moving into this Manheim Park block (from Troost to Forest between E. 43rd and E. 44th)  in the early 1900s, many were new immigrants to this country. The 1920 census shows people who had recently come from Scotland, England, Germany, Sweden, and Italy settling into homes alongside others born in the United […]

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Residents Rebuild in West Plaza After 1962 Gas Main Explosion

A fiery explosion that leveled 11 homes and damaged 17 was not enough to drive away residents of the West Plaza neighborhood in 1962. The whole city was shocked by the story that year, with headlines detailing the devastating blast and the lingering impact on the lives of the impacted families. A year later, neighbors

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West Plaza Block: Immigrants, Births, Deaths, Weddings, Soldiers

Much of the history we read celebrates outstanding architecture, elite families, and unusual lives. But it is equally interesting to study blocks like this one in West Plaza, between 45th and 46th Street from Fairmount to Wyoming.  Perhaps its most unusual event was a gas explosion in 1962 that destroyed eleven houses in the neighborhood (more about

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