KC Book Redesign

THE KANSAS CITY STORY FOR KIDS Monroe Dodd

Daniel Serda

KC

C

THE KANSAS CITY STORY for kids Monroe Dodd

LET’S GO TIME TRAVELING THROUGH THE MAGIC OF HISTORY!

Daniel Serda

TIME TRAV Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in the past? What it was like to live in a world without electricity, television, or telephones? This book and the stories in it are designed to do just that—to transport you to the past, as if you were in a time machine. Using words, pictures, maps and activities, this book will take you and your imagination into the history of this place we call Kansas City.

HOW TO NAVIGATE THIS BOOK These symbols will show up in this adventure through time, now you’ll know what they mean!

Then and Now: Make a connection between what is going on in the text and what is still happening today. For instance, if there is a historical site you can still visit.

Glossery: Make sure you know what you’re reading.

Pop Culture Connection: What was going on in pop culture at the same time these events were happening in Kansas City?

VEL IN POP CULTURE MODERN DAY INTERPRETATIONS OF HOW IT WORKS Movies and television shows have been obsessed with time travel for as long as it has been in the relm of thought. Jumping from one time period to another can be seen in classic 80s films like Back to the Future, to witty British televsion shows like Dr. Who, and even in modern children’s classics like Harry Potter. Time travel adds a fantastical element everyone can love to indulge in.

CONTENTS 01

1800s-1853

Bend of the river

02

02

1854-1865

Brother against brother

16

03

1866-1893

The city takes off

26

04

1894-1914

Making life better

42

05

1915-1939

A swinging town

56

06 1940-1963 Wartime, peacetime

74

07

1964-1979

In the spotlight

88

08

1980-2000

Where do we go?

09 Epilogue

102 113

George Caleb Bingham, a Missourian affected by Order No. 11, created this dramatic painting intended to create outrage at General Thomas Ewing. Ewing issued General Order No. 11, requiring evacuation of most Missourians living in the counties along the Kansas border. Twenty thousand people were forced to leave the area and find new homes

THE ISSUE IS LOYALTY TO THE UNION.

1854 1865 BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER Kansas City isn’t much of a town in

state and help end slavery. The is-

1854, but this will change soon. The

sue is loyalty to the Union. Should

national argument over slavery and

the United States stay together as a

states’ rights has divided the South

single country, or should states be

and the North for decades. Suddenly,

allowed to become miniature nations?

with the question of statehood for

The question is settled more often in

Kansas, our region becomes a central

violent brawls than in polite debates.

battleground for the future of the American Union.

Slaveholders in Missouri are pit-

The tensions in Kansas City and the eastern part of Kansas are high, and the violence is the rule of the day.

ted against New Englanders who

Far away in Washington, congress

are establishing towns like Quindaro,

tries to compromise—but the battle

Lawrence, and Manhattan. The new

lines have been drawn with Kansas on

arrivals hope to keep Kansas a free

one side and Missouri on the other.

In the 20th century, many Ameri-

east of the Mississippi river. Yet in the

cans will believe that politics is dirty.

years before the war, the debate over

They will say that politicians some-

the future of the United States will be

times focus too much on personality

played out in the Kansas City area,

and too little on issues.

at the boundary between North and

In the years leading to the Civil John Brown

War, however, personality and issues

will occur on streets as ordinary as

are not easy to separate. You are ei-

the ones where you live. It’s not hard

ther for or against slavery. Your politi-

to imagine that these events are real.

cal beliefs determine whom you call a

The names of the places sound famil-

friend, whether your neighbors talk to

iar—Lawrence, Wyandotte, Olathe,

you, and even whether the merchant

Topeka, Westport. So do the names

on the riverfront will sell you food.

of some of the villains—or heroes,

This is why the Civil War will be

William T. Anderson

South, East and West. These events

depending on your point of view.

known as the war that pits brother

In 20th century Kansas City, in

against brother—a war that will end

Loose Park south of the County Club

with more than a million Americans,

Plaza, you will see cannons commem-

nearly one or every 20 persons in the

orating a wartime battle that took

country, killed in battle.

place there. On Lexington, Missouri,

It may be hard to imagine that

just east of Kansas City, a Civil War

people can feel so strongly about an

cannonball will still be lodged in a

issue that they will burn down some-

column at the country courthouse.

one’s house or even kill another per-

This is the real magic of history—

son. But that is what makes this the

not looking at the past in a wistful or

gloomiest period in American history.

a dreamy way—but recognizing that

Once the Civil War begins, the major battles will be fought largely

people in the past had to wrestle with difficult and troubling issues.

FREEDOM VERSUS SLAVERY The push to create a state west of Missouri came from farmers, investors and backers of a trans conteninental railroad. In Congress a plan was pushed to convert Indian Territory into Nebraska. Missourians feared that, if Kansas entered the Union as a free state, Missouri slaves would slip away to it. In 1855, so many slaves were being stolen or had run away that Kansas City imposed a curfew.

I, JOHN BROWN, AM NOW QUITE CERTAIN THAT THE CRIMES OF THIS GUILTY LAND WILL NEVER BE PURGED AWAY BUT WITH BLOOD.

Black people, slave or free, could not be on the streets at night without a pass. By 1860 there were 4,000 slaves in Jackson County.

Anti-slavery settlers won the Kansas territorial Legislature in 1857. In early 1858 they won a constitutional referendum. These were growing signs that the free-state side would win.

In 1859 a constitutional convention met in Wyandotte, just west of Kansas City. It adopted a plan to admit Kansas into the Union as a free state. The plan was sent to Congress but blocked by Southerners there. In late 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected president and several Southern states seceded from the Union. Then, Kansas had enough votes in Congress to win admission as a free state in January 1861.

19 BUSHWHACKER Pro-slavery fighter engaged in plunder and property destruction. Also called a border ruffian.

FREE-SOILERS People who did not want slavery in a territory.

THE WAR BEGINS Missouri allowed slavery, just as the Southern states that were seceding from the Union. When the Civil War began in early 1861, Union troops quickly took control of St. Louis, the states largest city, and Jefferson City, the capital.

Pro-Confederate Missouri officials

below. Despite the presence of

burned, looted and plundered

were forced to flee to Texas. Even

these soldiers, the city had a

farms where they thought their

though these Confederate offi-

sizable number of residents who

opponents’ sympathizers lived.

cials voted for Missouri to join the

openly sided with Confederates.

Sometimes they killed male occu-

Confederate States of America,

In June 1861, only a few months after the war started, Kansas City was occupied by 200 federal soldiers.

They were stationed at Camp Union, below.

pants. Kansas raiders were called

they had no power to enfoce the

THE BORDER

decision. Missouri remained a

Outside Kansas City, along the

raiders were called bushwhackers

slave state and a member of the

Kansas-Missouri border, Mis-

or border ruffians.

Union. In June 1861, only a few

souri’s Southern sympathizers

months after the war started,

and Kansas’ Unionists raided one

HOT HEADS

Kansas City was occupied by 200

another throughout the war. One

Among leaders on the pro-Union

federal soldiers. They were sta-

side’s raid would by avenged by

side, James Lane of Kansas was

tioned at Camp Union, pictured

the other. Raiders on each side

one of the most extreme. In fall

Jayhawkers or Red Legs. Missouri

1861 his band of raiders entered Missouri, looting and burning farms and villages.

The most notorious leader of the pro-Southern raiders was William Quantrill. He led a raid on Olathe, Kansas, on Sept. 2, 1862.

BATTLE OF WESTPORT Oct. 22 camped south of Brush

forces held and drove the Con-

troops pushed through Indepen-

In late October 1864, Price’s

Creek, across from Westport. The

federates back. When reports

dance, drove Union defenders

morning of Oct. 23 the Confed-

arrived that other Union forces

back from the Blue River and on

erates attacked, but the Union

were attacking from the east,

FIGHTING IN KC Abour 10,000 Confederate tropps entered Missouri from Arkansas in late summer 1864. Their commander, General Sterling Price, aimed to attack Union forces in St. Louis. He hoped that this would draw the Union’s attention from the Civil War in Virginia and so help General Robert E. Lee’s forces there. Price attacked a Union stronghold in southeast Missouri, Pilot Knob, but the federal defenders escaped.

He advanced north toward St. Louis but found the city too strongly defended by Union troops. Then he headed west.

After being repulsed by Union troops at Jefferson City, Price aimed to attack Kansas City and Fort Leavenworth.

Meanwhile, Union forces chased him from behind.

21

HARD AS TH WAR WAR W WAR

TIMES HE WEARS ON

Q.

CHAPTER REVIEW PLACES TO VISIT

Who is the man shown in the painting in the

Historic home of John Wornall:

bottom left corner? What was his stand on the

John Wornall House Museum

slavery issue?

146 W. 61st Terrace, Kansas City

Look at the illustration of Kansas City’s riverfront shown on the right page. How many types of transportation do you see?

Alexander Majors House: Majors’ Historical House

Why did Kansas City’s growth and prosperity

8201 State Line Road, Kansas City

suffer during the Civil War?

A.

1. John Brown. He was opposed to slavery. 2. Walking, horsedrawn wagons, oardriven boats and steamboats. 3. Pro-union and pro-Confederate gangs roamed the area, intimidating residents and creating fear for travelers and shippers. Also, the city feared attack by the Confederate Army. Small wonder that few people wanted to move to or trade with Kansas City.

TIME TRAVEL WHAT ELSE WAS GOING ON BETWEEN 1854-1865?

54/56/60

Presidents: Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, Abraham Lincoln

55

Walt Whitman published a book of 12 poems, Leaves of Grass

56

Henry Bessemer (below) invented a process allowing mass production of steel

56

Adventurer William Walker conquered Nicaragua

57

Dred Scott Supreme Court Decision: decided the federal government had no power to regulate slavery in the territories, and that people of African descent (both slave and free) were not protected by the Constitution and were therefore, not U.S. citizens

59

Oregon was admitted as a State

64

Lincoln was shot on April 14 and died the next day

25

Above, the Kansas City Chiefs walk off the field after a loss in the first Super Bowl (January 1967). In 1960 Lamar Hunt helped establish the American Football League and moved his team from Dallas to KC. Also new to the KC entertainment scene were the Royals, who began playing at Municipal Stadium on April 8, 1969. Before Kauffman took over the team, in 1967 the Beatles came through town.

BASEBALL, THE SUPERBOWL AND THE BEATLES ALL DESCENDED UPON KANSAS CITY

1964 1979 POP CULTURE BOOM In turbulent times Kansas City begins

new development and a new spirit of

a new effort to reshape its image and

progress that are making Kansas City

identity. City leaders tour the United

a modern, attractive place to live.

States, speaking to officials and to

New public buildings spring up

news reporters in cities such as New

downtown and on the city’s boundar-

York, Cleveland, Chicago, and Los An-

ies. Kansas City builds a new interna-

geles. Kansas City, they announce, is

tional airport, new sports stadiums

in its Prime Time. The phrase “prime

and a modern convention center, and

time” is ordinarily used to mean the

a major downtown redevelopment

evening hours when most people

project gets under way. Kansas City,

watch television. It is the prime time

Prime Time declares, is now a first

for advertising. Kansas City’s Prime

class city.

Time campaign is intended to make the same point. City leaders boast of

In 1960, Arnold Johnson, the man who had brought the Athletics

baseball team to Kansas City, died of a stroke. The team was bought by a

was baffling and embarassing many

Chicago millionaire insurance man,

Kansas Citians, he was experimenting

Charles O. Finley.

with his baseball team. He tried many

The new owner promised great Ewing Kauffman and his wife are treasured figures in Kansas City because of their help in revitalizing the city with the Royals.

At the same time that O. Finley

tricks to make more fans come to the

things for the team, but he kept few

ballpark. Finley brought the Beatles

of his promises. For example, Finley

to Kansas City. At the time the band

said he would soon move his fam-

was the hottest rock ‘n’ roll group in

ily to Kansas City. However, in 1967

the world and was touring America.

Finley moved the team to Oakland,

What did that have to do with base-

Calif. Finley had gone through seven

ball attendance? Finley’s theory was

team managers in those seven years

that “today’s Beatles fans” would

in Kansas City.

become “tomorrow’s baseball fans.”

After the 1967 season, major-

We’ll never know whether his

league baseball owners promised that

theory was correct. He paid $150,000

Kansas City could have a new team

for a 31-minute concert. About

in 1971. The new owner of the team

20,000 were in the audience that

would be a local man and soon to be

night. Fewer than half the available

local hero, Ewing M. Kauffman.

seats were filled.

STRIVING FOR EQUALITY Kansas City had approved a law prohibiting discrimination by hotels and eating places in 1960. After being challenged in court, the Missouri Supreme Court upheld the law in 1962. Other businesses continued to discriminate.

SOCIAL CHANGE Inspired by successes of civil rights protesters, young people began to protest conditions they didn’t like.

Economic disparity and social inequality. The Black Panther party and other groups that were consideredradical shocked middle-class Kansas City.

Restrictions on their conduct and course work by schools. Many objected to dress codes and to closing hours for dormitories, particularly for women. Others called for schools to offer courses in black and women studies.

Discrimination, not only against black people, but alsoagainst women, Hispanics and Native Americans.

The draft. This was a nationwide system in which men who reached 18 signed up with the government. Unless they could get an exemption, the armed services could “draft” them to fight.

In the late 1960s, many demonstrators made their point using peacful means.

91

NEW BUILDINGS TODAY Kansas City is currently in the process of reenergizing the city again. New buildings like the Sprint

BUILDING UP

Center and the Power and Light district are new, exciting draws for tourists.

KANSAS CITY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

CROWN CENTER

Opened: Fall 1972

Opened: 1973

In 1966, Kansas City voters ap-

Hallmark Cards led the way in the

proved Mid-Continent International

construction of Crown Center. The

Airport. It was to be constructed

project sprawled across an area

on land recently annexed by Kan-

once known as Signboard Hill. Hall-

sas City in Platte County.

mark wanted to make a new city within a city.

BARTLE HALL

HARRY S. TRUMAN SPORTS COMPLEX

Opened: 1976

Opened: 1972

The areas biggest meeting hall was

The complex was a project of

named for Kansas City’s mayor from

Jackson County, not Kansas City,

1955 to 1963, H. Roe Bartle. The hall

because Jackson County could

was used for conventions, auto shows,

more readily provide money. The

boat shows and other displays.

project was approved by voters in 1967. The Chiefs played its first season in Arrowhead in 1972, while the Royals began playing in 1973.

95

THE KANSAS CITY STORY FOR KIDS Dodd/

/Serda

THE KANSAS CITY STORY FOR KIDS Monroe Dodd

Daniel Serda