Kansas City

In 1821, when Missouri was admitted into the Union, Kansas City was born. A city rich in history, Kansas City traces its beginnings with the establishment of a trading post in what is now Kansas City’s Industrial District by a Frenchman named Francois Chouteau who hailed from St. Louis. In 1826, Chouteau rebuilt in higher ground because he was flooded out and together with other French families established the first non-Indian settlement in Kansas City.

Before being named Kansas, after the Kansa Indians who lived in the area, the owners of the land considered naming the town Port Fonda, Rabbitville and Possum Trot. The town of Kansas held onto its name on June 1, 1850 when it was incorporated by Jackson County. In 1889, the city of Kansas was officially known as Kansas City. Kansas had a population of just 500 in 1840, but swelled to 2,500 people by 1853. It was in this time that the people elected their first mayor in William S. Gregory. One of the most important facets of Kansas City’s history was in Oct. 21-23, 1864 during the Battle of Westport. It was in this battle that the Union army defeated the Confederates and relinquished their power hold over the area.

Railroads in Kansas also hold some significance with its history. For it is because of these railroads that made possible Kansas City’s booming early industry in cattle. Just after the Civil War, Kansas City was one of the world’s top cattle markets. In 1870 the Kansas City stockyard was founded and Kansas City Livestock Exchange was the largest building in the world where its sole purpose was in livestock.

The growth of Kansas was furthered in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s when annexations were made and the city added to its total area more than 316 square miles. The city’s population grew to 435,000 and Kansas had four counties, Jackson, Clay, Platte and Cass. The prosperity of Kansas City was further reflected in its building of the 4,700-acre Kansas City International Airport and the only matched set football and baseball stadiums in the world. Kemper Arena built in 1974 and the H. Roe Bartle exposition Hall in 1976. Also known for its foreign trade zone, Kansas City has an underground storage industry as well as automobile assembly plants.

The city is also full of beautiful sights to see, another indication of its prospering status. The city boasts of being the second city next to Rome to have the most fountains, and the second city next to Paris to have the most boulevards.