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This is a sample of individual entries, walking tours, and heritage trails related to the Civil War that are in Clio.

The National Civil War Museum exhibits are from the dated periods of 1850-1876, but it's main focus is on the actual Civil War time of 1861-1865. Between the years of 1994-1999, the museum founder and former mayor of Harrisburg Stephen Reed, acquired 24,000 things for the collection. &nbsp;These things include artifacts, photographs, documents, and manuscripts from civil war time. The whole museum cost $32,000,000 and is a nonprofit educational institution. Admission is $9 but they allow AAA for seniors.&nbsp; The future of the museum was brought into doubt when Mayor Reed was accused of corruption in relation to the creation of the museum.&nbsp; In 2015, Mayor Eric Papenfuse sought to dissolve the museum as it was a drain on the city's finances.&nbsp; However, a compromise was reached in September 2017 when the museum agreed to pay $5.3 million for the city-owned artifacts and a new lease agreement was signed with the city. Exhibits in the museum include many different galleries telling the stories of the civil war times. Some of which include&nbsp;First Shots&nbsp;at Fort Sumter in 1861,&nbsp;Camp Curtin,&nbsp;the civil war's largest Union camp, and&nbsp;Campaigns and Battles from the beginning and endings of the civil war. There are exhibits that focus on other aspects of life during the war. These including&nbsp;Women in the&nbsp;War,&nbsp;which focuses on the roles of women during this time,&nbsp;American Slavery,&nbsp;focuses on how people viewed slavery at this time, and&nbsp;Costs of Civil War,&nbsp;which shows the costs of war medicine and other things.&nbsp; The museum also recently added an exhibit that utilizes touch-screen technology that permits patrons to virtually interview historic figures such as Abraham Lincoln, Mary Todd Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth.&nbsp; There is a large collection of artifacts at the National Civil War Museum. These artifacts include weapons, uniforms, ect from war time. While all artifacts are interesting, some include the carbine and pike head from the raid on Harper's Ferry in 1852, Lincoln's hat box used in his first term in 1860, and Major General George McClellan's saddle used in the Union army. Other artifacts include more personal items of the veterans of war, including a lock of hair from General George Pickett, chains and shackles from the slave trades, and a gauntlet worn by "Stonewall" Jackson.&nbsp;

Located within Harrisburg's Reservoir Park, the National Civil War Museum first opened its doors in 2001.  Largely the creation of former Harrisburg Mayor Stephen Reed, the museum recounts the entire story of the Civil War, from its causes through Reconstruction.  The museum has over 25,000 artifacts in its possession that it displays in 17 galleries and two rotating exhibits.  It tells the story of the Civil War from the perspective of the generals, common soldiers, politicians and civilians in equal amounts.  It also features high-definition videos, life-like dioramas, interactive exhibits and numerous interpretive and informational displays. 

National Civil War Museum

Constructed from 17 blocks of granite and rising sixty feet tall, this monument pays tribute to soldiers and sailors who served the Union army and navy during the Civil War. The monument weighs over 100 tons and includes the names of individual battles in which local troops participated. Three statues on the corners honor the three main divisions of combat arms in the army (infantry, cavalry, and artillery) while a fourth honors the navy.

Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Monument

In July 1861, this area swarmed with retreating Confederate troops and pursuing Federal forces. Union Gen. George B. McClelland had ordered Gen. Jacob Cox to march his 3,000 raw Ohio recruits into western Virginia from Gallipolis, Ohio, to drive Confederate Gen. Henry A. Wise and equally raw troops from the Kanawha Valley. Wise marched downriver from Charleston to confront the Federals. By July 13, Wise's men had erected fortifications west of here on Tyler Mountain and on the Littlepage farm to command the junction of the road to Ripley with the valley road leading to Charleston.Cox launched a three-pronged drive up the Kanawha River Valley on July 11 to envelop Wise. Two wings marched overland while the third came upriver on four steamboats. Soon the Federal forces began to converge on Wise's position, and on July 17, they fought at Scary Creek, fifteen miles downriver from here. During a Union charge, the untested Confederates panicked and began falling back. Capt. George Patton tried to rally them, but his frightened mount bolted to the rear and the men fled faster. Capt. Albert G. Jenkins assumed command. His horse also bolted, and the retreat gathered speed. It stopped, however, when Wayne County's Sandy Rangers, called the Blood Tubs for their red shirts, joined the line, singing "Bullets and Steel." and turned the tide. Despite their victory, the Confederates retreated east to avoid being cut off by a superior Union force. They retreated eastward, pouring by here with the Federals in pursuit. The strategic Kanawha Valley was firmly in Union hands six weeks later."I saw, I think, the first puff of powder smoke and a bullet hit the stump on which I sat. A large beech tree was opportunely near me and I immediately sought the protection of its trunk. As the puffs of smoke increased, the beech tree seemed to wonderfully decrease in size. But for personal reasons, I stuck to it. Captain Albert G. Jenkins came up... and called for someone to go and get his horse. He did not like King Richard, promised a kingdom for his horse, but I was thinking of the kingdom to come, and a chance to dodge it. So I left the beech tree, and ran... over the hill and mounted the horse."-Sgt. Levi Welch, 22nd Virginia Infantry

This marker denotes the site of an early Civil War Battle for control of Kanawha Valley. A multipronged Union attack initially drove untested Confederate soldiers back. However, Confederate forces rallied and claimed a victory, though they continued their retreat out of southern West Virginia and into Virginia and Kentucky. 

Charleston's Civil War Trails Markers: Baptism By Fire

With the May 3, 1863 Union victory at the Second Battle of Fredericksburg Major General John Sedgwick planned to move west quickly to join the main Union force under Joseph Hooker at Chancellorsville. First the VI Corps commander needed to reconsolidate his force on the Orange Plank Road and had to wait for his three divisions to arrive. In that time, Confederate Major General Jubal Early established a new defensive line on Telegraph Road and communicated with General Robert E. Lee who quickly sent reinforcements east.As both Sedgwick and Early reacted to the Union victory at Fredericksburg, Confederate Brigadier General Cadmus Wilcox independently moved his brigade from their position near Taylor Hill to block the Plank Road west. Wilcox knew that he would not be able to stop the Federal advance but hoped to delay Sedgwick’s movement as much as he could. Wilcox staged several delaying actions while falling back to the west along the Plank Road, ending at Salem Church. His plan worked because while he stalled the movement of the VI Corps Lee’s reinforcements under Maj. Gen. Lafayette McLaws arrived at Salem Church.Expecting only Wilcox’s brigade in front of them, Sedgwick’s First Division under Brig. Gen. William T. H. Brooks deployed across the Plank Road to assault the Confederate line at Salem Church. The Union line moved forward, pushed Wilcox’s skirmishers back, and captured the Confederate soldiers stationed inside Salem Church, but then the newly arrived reinforcements under McLaws emerged and forced the Federals into a heavy fight. A Confederate counterattack successfully broke the Union momentum, recaptured Salem Church, and forced Brooks’ division back to the main VI Corps position.The actions of Wilcox and McLaws successfully prevented Sedgwick from joining Hooker at Chancellorsville and forced the VI Corps to reposition into a stronger defensive position. On May 3-4 Sedgwick was not receiving clear information or orders from the army headquarters to the west and was stalled in his position on the Plank Road. With the main Union army digging into defensive positions at Chancellorsville after the May 3rd fighting, Robert E. Lee turned his attention towards attacking and destroying the isolated VI Corps. Lee directed Early and McLaws to coordinate an attack on Sedgwick for the morning of May 4 and sent more reinforcements under Major General Richard H. Anderson towards Salem Church.Lee intended for Early and McLaws to attack the Union VI Corps together in an attempt to either destroy Sedgwick or force him from the field. Early advanced his division up the Telegraph Road towards Fredericksburg and easily reoccupied Lee’s Hill and Marye’s Heights by 8:00am. Early’s movement cut Sedgwick off from Fredericksburg and the division of Brig. Gen. John Gibbons stationed within the city after the May 3 fighting. With Confederate forces on both sides—McLaws to the west and Early to the east—Sedgwick repositioned into a tighter defensive position protecting his retreat point at Scott’s Ford.Around 11:00am Early tested the Union position with an attack on the Union left held by part of Brig. Gen. Albion Howe’s division. A sharp skirmish occurred but the Union line held and Early knew he needed to coordinate with McLaws before making a second attempt. However, McLaws hesitated to attack Sedgwick and waited until Anderson arrived with reinforcements. Robert E. Lee arrived to personally oversee the May 4th engagement a little after noon to find that his planned coordinated attack had not happened and McLaws had not determined the exact position of the enemy. Lee quickly directed the three brigades arriving under Anderson to a position south of the Plank Road, linking the forces of Early and McLaws, and rode towards Fredericksburg to consult with Early.Lee planned for an assault as soon as Anderson’s men were in position—Early and Anderson’s men would attack first from the south and east and then McLaws would follow up by attacking from the west. Unfortunately, it took several hours for Anderson’s tired men to navigate through the rough terrain south of the Plank Road to connect with Early’s flank. This delay meant that Lee’s attack did not begin until after 5:00 in the evening. Around 5:30pm, Early and Anderson attacked as planned. Early’s division hit the position of Howe’s Union division hard, forcing the advanced line to fall back and almost breaching the reserve line. The Confederates almost successfully broke the Union line and threatened Sedgwick’s access to Scott’s Ford, but the Union quickly reacted to stop Early. Col. Lewis Grant’s Vermont Brigade dealt a punishing blow to Early’s advancing men and then countercharged to force a Confederate retreat while Sedgwick pulled reinforcements from the other divisions to shore up Howe’s line. The accompanying attack by Anderson’s men to the south barely made an impact as the three brigades became tangled in the terrain and with each other. McLaws never moved forward in his part of the planned attack before darkness fell.Lee was disappointed that he had not successfully damaged Sedgwick’s corps and ordered McLaws to advance men to fight in the dark. Meanwhile, Sedgwick was pressed on all sides by Lee’s force without clear support from Hooker and he decided to withdraw his corps to a new defensive position around Scott’s Ford in preparation for crossing the Rappahannock. Sedgwick tried to mask the movement of his troops by having soldiers muffle their sounds and keeping skirmish lines advanced while the other regiments pulled back. Through the night skirmishes occurred along the lines as Union and Confederate regiments encountered each other or fired into the darkness. Brooks’ First Division and then Newton’s Third Division pulled back to the ford, while Howe’s Second Division remained in place as a rear guard. The Vermont Brigade was the army’s final rear guard, protecting Howe’s withdrawal and then establishing a defensive line at Scott’s Ford. Around midnight Sedgwick again asked Hooker for orders now that the VI Corps was in position to withdraw. In a confusing exchange of messages between Sedgwick and Hooker, the army commander first allowed the VI Corps to cross the Rappahannock and then countermanded the order to retreat. Sedgwick only received the orders to withdraw and crossed his VI Corps before the second set of orders reached him. By the morning of May 5 both Sedgwick’s VI Corps and Gibbon’s division in Fredericksburg had crossed the Rappahannock to safety.Robert E. Lee was disappointed with the lackluster assault on May 4, but he moved his troops back over to Chancellorsville to turn his attention back to Hooker. Lee planned for another offensive push against the Union army, but Hooker had already decided to retreat overnight from May 5 to May 6. In the aftermath of the Chancellorsville Campaign, Hooker attempted to shift blame for the Federal defeat onto Sedgwick. He accused Sedgwick of moving too slowly and disobeying orders and the Congressional Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War did include some blame for Sedgwick in their findings. However, Sedgwick retained the support of most of his military colleagues and did not see any real sanction after the campaign. In reality, the vast majority of responsibility for the Union defeat lay with General Hooker.Confederate casualties in the fighting with the VI Corps totaled 3,014. Early’s division (fighting at both Second Fredericksburg and Salem Church) lost 1,474 men and the brigades of Wilcox and Barksdale lost a combined 1,127 men. The rest were casualties from McLaws and Anderson’s forces. Sedgwick’s VI Corps lost 4,610 casualties during the campaign, the highest lost for any of Hooker’s corps. Note about the battlefield tour: The tour is set up as a digital map of the battle, not as a driving tour. You can drive to each of these locations, but be mindful that the locations pinned on the map may be in roadways or on private property. If you chose to explore the battlefield using the tour, please be mindful to park and walk off the roads and in safe areas and respect private property.

The Battle of Salem Church occurred May 3-4, 1863 as part of the Chancellorsville Campaign. Directly after the Second Battle of Fredericksburg on May 3, when Major General John Sedgwick’s Union VI Corps successfully took Marye’s Heights, Sedgwick moved west in an attempt to join General Joseph Hooker at Chancellorsville. A delaying action by Confederate Brigadier General Cadmus Wilcox along the Orange Plank Road prevented Sedgwick from reaching Hooker and allowed reinforcements to arrive at Salem Church. An engagement at Salem Church in the evening of May 3 forced Sedgwick into a defensive position. Robert E. Lee organized an assault on the Union VI Corps on May 4 which ultimately resulted in Sedgwick’s retreat across the Rappahannock.

Battle of Salem Church, May 3-4, 1863

Union Major General Joseph Hooker, commanding the Army of the Potomac, devised a strategy in the spring of 1863 to flank the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia under General Robert E. Lee and force him from the entrenchments at Fredericksburg. This campaign was in the aftermath of the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862 during which the Union army was unable to break through the Confederate defenses on the heights just behind the city of Fredericksburg. In Hooker’s campaign strategy, he would take a portion of the army north and west to cross the Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers and get behind Lee’s army to either surprise the Confederates in battle or force them to move to new ground where the fight would be more in the Union’s favor.In order to successfully maneuver the majority of the Union army away from Fredericksburg without Lee and the Confederates reacting, Hooker needed to leave a force at the city to convince the enemy that the Union troops were still in place. The task was left to Major General John Sedgwick who was to cross the Rappahannock just south of Fredericksburg and make demonstrations against Lee’s army to keep the Confederate focus there while Hooker made his grand maneuver west.Initially Sedgwick was in command of his VI Corps, the I Corps of Major General John Reynolds, and the III Corps of Major General Daniel Sickles. On April 28, 1863, the VI Corps and I Corps crossed the Rappahannock River south of Fredericksburg and took up positions by the Bowling Green Road (or Richmond Stage Road). They remained there for April 29 and April 30, waiting for Hooker to make his moves. On April 30, Sickles’ III Corps was called to join Hooker near Chancellorsville and on May 1, as the Battle of Chancellorsville began to the west of Fredericksburg, Reynolds’ I Corps was also ordered to join the main force. This left just Sedgwick’s VI Corps opposing the Confederate line, plus one II Corps division (under Brigadier General John Gibbon) stationed across the river from Fredericksburg.On the Confederate line, General Lee realized on the night of April 30 what Hooker and the Union army were planning. That night he removed most of his army to the west to resist the Union maneuver, starting the Battle of Chancellorsville on May 1. Lee left one division, under Major General Jubal Early, to defend the line at Fredericksburg. Early had most of his force on the south of the line, in the entrenchments near Prospect Hill, with only a light force defending Marye’s Heights behind the city. This was because in the December 1862 battle the Union had successfully broken through at Prospect Hill while they were unable to break the line at Marye’s Heights; after the disastrous outcome of the previous battle, Early did not expect Sedgwick to try another direct assault at those heights. In addition, for April 28-May 2 Sedgwick’s force was stationed to the south of the city directly across from where Early had the majority of his division.On the evening of May 2 Sedgwick finally received definitive orders from Hooker to move, take Fredericksburg, and join the main army west at Chancellorsville. Through the night of May 2 into May 3, Sedgwick moved his troops up the Bowling Green Road into Fredericksburg. At the same time, Gibbon was ordered to cross the Rappahannock into Fredericksburg with his division. In the early morning of May 3, the Confederate defenders of Fredericksburg noticed Sedgwick’s movement and quickly tried to move reinforcements into place (although it would only be two Confederate brigades to cover Stansbury Ridge down to Howison Hill, compared to the three brigades at the south of the line).As Early predicted, Sedgwick did not want to make a direct attack on Marye’s Heights, even as Hooker was putting more and more pressure on him to break through and join the army at Chancellorsville (where the battle was increasingly going in Lee’s favor). Sedgwick first ordered Gibbon’s division to attempt a flanking attack from the north of the city; this was stopped by the Fredericksburg canal and Confederate artillery fire from the heights. Next, Sedwick ordered men from the VI Corps division of Major General John Newton to make an attempt towards the stone wall on Marye’s Heights to determine the Confederate strength there. That reconnaissance attempt was stopped by Confederate fire from the Sunken Road, in a familiar scene to those who had fought in the 1862 battle. Finally, Sedgwick tried another flanking maneuver on the southern part of the heights, with troops from Howe’s division near Hazel Run.With all his initial attempts failing, Sedgwick decided that they needed to make a direct assault on Marye’s Heights and try to break through. The main attack against Marye’s Heights consisted of two Union columns moving up William and Hanover Streets while a battleline assaulted the stone wall at the Sunken Road. At the same time, Sedgwick ordered Howe’s division just south of Fredericksburg to also attack; some of Howe’s men ended up attacking Marye’s Heights while others assaulted Lee’s Hill. This combined assault broke the Confederate defenses and by the early afternoon Marye’s Heights and Lee’s Hill were under Union control. As Jubal Early repositioned his division just to the south along the Telegraph Road, Sedgwick prepared to move west towards Chancellorsville and the rest of Hooker’s army.The Second Battle of Fredericksburg was followed immediately by the battle at Salem Church (May 3-4, 1863).Note about the battlefield tour: The tour is set up as a digital map of the battle, not as a driving tour. You can drive to each of these locations, but be mindful that the locations pinned on the map may be in roadways or on private property. If you chose to explore the battlefield using the tour, please be mindful to park and walk off the roads and in safe areas and respect private property.

The Second Battle of Fredericksburg occurred on May 3, 1863 as part of the Chancellorsville Campaign. While Union General Joseph Hooker maneuvered most of the Army of the Potomac to the west to flank the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia under General Robert E. Lee, he left Union troops under Major General John Sedgwick as a division at Fredericksburg. When Lee took his army west to meet Hooker’s troops at Chancellorsville, he left a division under Major General Jubal Early to defend Fredericksburg. On May 3, Sedgwick’s force attacked the Confederate defenses at Marye’s Heights and successfully defeated Early’s force to open up a route to move west along the Orange Plank Road towards Chancellorsville.

Second Battle of Fredericksburg

Historians continue to debate the necessity and effectiveness of General&nbsp;Thomas Ewing Jr.'s Order Number 11. His decision exiled several thousand citizens of a state that remained in the Union and hardened anti-Union feelings in the area. At the same time, bushwhacker&nbsp;attacks had&nbsp;resulted in terrible violence along the Kansas-Missouri border, and these counties&nbsp;were home to many families that had offered material&nbsp;support to the bushwhackers and other Southern sympathizers. Four days after the deadly attack by Missouri bushwhackers upon the city of Lawrence on August 21, 1863, General Ewing responded with General Order 11. Ewing later explained his decision as intended to both end the attacks by bushwhackers and protect the people of Missouri against reprisal by Kansans who might seek revenge upon the people who inhabited areas known to harbor rebel sympathies. &nbsp; Union officer and Missouri resident George Caleb Bingham, painted a mural depicting the destruction caused by Order No. 11 following the war. Bingham described the aftermath of this order in a 1877 letter to the St. Louis Republican newspaper. He wrote, “Dense columnns of smoke arising in every direction marked the conflagrations of dwellings, many of the evidences of which are yet to be seen in the remains of seared and Blackened chimneys, standing as melancholy monuments of a ruthless military despotism which spared neither age, sex, character, nor condition." The issuance of Order No. 11 remains of one the most significant historical events to take place in the area.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

This solemn monument reminds visitors of the destructive nature of the Civil War upon thousands of families in Missouri. Known as the "Burnt District," this section of Missouri was destroyed by Union forces following General Order No. 11 in 1863. Recognizing that this area harbored rebel bushwhackers who were raiding homes in Kansas and other areas under the guise of supporting the Confederacy, Union leaders ordered the evacuation of all citizens from Jackson, Cass, Bates, and northern Vernon Counties. While a number of residents were aiding bushwhackers, the majority were simply trying to avoid the conflict and protect their farms and homes from raiders and thieves. After the citizens left their homes, Union troops destroyed homes, farms, and supplies throughout the region. This "scorched earth" policy was designed to prevent bushwackers or rebel supporters from remaining in the area but had a far more devastating consequence upon the people who lived in the area. The selection of a chimney represents the only portion of hundreds of homes that remained standing following the destruction by fire.

The Burnt District Monument

<div>On July&nbsp;22nd,&nbsp;Confederate troops led by General John B. Hood attempted to hold Atlanta against a&nbsp;Union siege led by Major General William T. Sherman. By the end of the day, the Union had forced a Confederate retreat and&nbsp;12,000 soldiers were either killed, wounded or missing. </div><div>The museum displays&nbsp;artifacts from the war, including a&nbsp;steam locomotive known as the Texas that was a central figure in the&nbsp;Great Locomotive Chase of 1862. Visitors to the&nbsp;Cyclorama can also view the world's largest painting, which is larger than&nbsp;15,000 square feet and weighs&nbsp;over 10,000 pounds. The museum is now closed. The Cylorama&nbsp;been moved to the Atlanta History Center.&nbsp;The Grant Park building will be given to Zoo Atlanta, where it will be used as office and event space, including a new private viewing area for a proposed expansion of the zoo's elephant&nbsp;habitat. </div>

Atlanta's Cyclorama offers a stunning visual display of the Battle of Atlanta that has thrilled audiences since the late 19th century. Visitors to the Cyclorama stand at the center of a sweeping panorama of the battle. They can also also tour two floors of Civil War artifacts and educational exhibits. 

Visitors should be aware that the Cyclorama is a tourist attraction and its exhibits are not intended to provide interpretation of military or political history. The Cyclorama lauds the courage of soldiers on both sides of the battlefield while avoiding potentially controversial subjects. For example, there is little discussion of slavery or emancipation, or the goals of the Confederacy, the causes of the Civil War, or the historical significance of Reconstruction. However, the museum offers a fine introduction to the Atlanta Campaign and is not to be missed simply because it may not offer a complete history of the Civil War. Those wanting more historical information should consider the books that appear at the bottom of this page. Each of these books were written by leading historians of the Civil War.  

Atlanta Cyclorama & Civil War Museum

Of the 114 counties comprising the state of Missouri in 1861, Clay County was home to numerous episodes of violence during the war, including shootouts, duels, kidnapping, and other altercations between patrolling Yankees and roving bands of bushwhackers. However, the Battle of Liberty was the only formal combat engagement between Union and Secessionist forces during the Civil War. This particular engagement may seem minor when juxtaposed to major battles in Virginia or turning points like Antietam Gettysburg. However, this battle was significant in the history of Missouri, a Border State that was mostly controlled by U.S. forces but could have shifted the balance of power had this Confederate victory been followed up by similar victories.The Battle of Liberty occurred on September 17, 1861, when soldiers loyal to the United States attempted to stop Secessionist forces organized as a state-sponsored military organization under General Sterling Price. In the aftermath of the Battle of Wilsons Creek on August 10, 1861, General Price sought to amass his troops, consolidate his resources, and move towards St. Louis in a headlong push to expel federal forces out of Missouri. If successful, Price and other Confederate supporters hoped, more Missouri residents and prospective soldiers would rally to the pro-slavery cause. Along with Kentucky, Delaware, and Maryland, Missouri was one of four states at that time that had not joined the Confederacy. (West Virginia's secession from Virginia and recognition as a new state in 1863 brought the total to five Border States).At this critical juncture, Price diverted from his presupposed route-of-approach, and moved toward the riverside town of Lexington instead, intent on securing possession of Federal banknotes housed in the general vicinity. As Price ventured northward toward Lexington from Springfield, additional secessionist units operating in the northwestern quarter of the state mobilized near St. Joseph and likewise departed from their initial jumping-off point in an effort to rendezvous with Price at Lexington. In order to attain this objective, those additional pro-Confederate Missouri State Guard units now en route from St. Joseph faced the task of evading interception from pursuing Federal troops as well as crossing the Missouri River at one of the few remaining river landings at Blue Mills in Clay County (within close proximity to the city of Liberty). After a two-day trek, the Secessionist reinforcements arrived in Clay County and began their traversal of the river. At that moment, Federal infantrymen belonging to the 3rd Iowa Infantry Regiment under Colonel John Scott, converged on the pro-secessionist lookouts at the rear of the convoy as the Missouri men made the crossing by flatboat. Owing largely to the dense foliage and undergrowth that swallowed much of the terrain, secessionist forces let loose a whirlwind of buckshot and musketry into the heaving ranks of the Federal soldiers. These U.S. troops were close-packed at that time, and the result of the musket fire led to shock and disorientation. The battle raged for approximately two and a half hours and concluded with secessionist forces successfully traversing the Missouri River. The tactical Confederate victory saw the battered Iowans pushed from the field. The secessionist troops arrived at Lexington, where Price’s siege of the Yankee entrenchments there led to control of much-needed supplies. The Confederate victory in the Battle of Liberty was significant, and Union casualties were taken to a nearby hospital at William Jewel College, which also became the site of a small cemetery for those who perished in this battle.

Dedicated in 2020, this historical marker commemorates a Civil War battle that occurred near this location on September 17, 1861. A critical engagement within an early series of skirmishes and battles that would shape control of Missouri at the start of the war, the Battle of Liberty saw an outnumbered Union force repulsed by a larger pro-Confederate force under the command of David Rice Atchison. Atchison's victory bolstered the campaign of Confederate General Sterling Price, but with more Union troops entering the state, Price was unable to achieve his goal of securing control of Missouri in the fall of 1861 or the years that followed, including a major campaign in 1864. While Missouri remained a Border State within the Union, residents near Liberty generally sided with the Confederacy.

Battle of Liberty (Blue Mills Landing) Clay County, Missouri

Kansas City's location, situated by two rivers, encouraged many settlers to relocate to the area for the promise of prosperity. Unfortunately, settler migration and other phenomenon led to the forced relocation of Native Americans who had long-inhabited the area. Native to the area, the Wahzhazhe (Osage), Kanza (Kaw), Nutachi (Missouria), and Jiwere (Otoe), lived amicably among one another for decades.Prior to mass settlements in the area, the Osage also had a long-standing relationship with French fur traders beginning in 1673, which proved to be mutually beneficial to the traders and the Osage nation. Through trade, the Osage received guns and Spanish horses, establishing the nation as a formidable opponent in battle. Their dominance would last into the 1800s, until American expansion efforts would negatively impact the Osage nation, reducing their dominance and moving them to a smaller piece of land in Kansas. Nonetheless, the Osage nation fought against American forces for their land. The first Chief Pawhuska adopted the name, White Hair, after the Osage's defeat of American military forces in 1791. As the Chief attempted to scalp a fallen military officer, his white powdered wig came off of his head and he escaped, much to Chief Pawhuska's surprise.Meriwether Lewis and William Clark traveled through Osage territory during their westward expedition. Among the expedition crew was an enslaved Black man named York, whose family was owned by Clark's father. York contributed greatly to the expedition, hunting buffalo and other game and navigating waterways and other trails. Although his vote on the expedition was considered equally among the other crew members, he would not become a free man until almost 10 years after the expedition's 1806 end.Slavery was not uncommon in the area. Only a few years after Missouri's admittance into the Union as a slave state in 1821, slaveholding was established in Jackson County. Hemp and tobacco became cash crops in the region, with hemp being made into rope and other fibers. Men, women, and children under the rule of slaveholders were forced to cultivate the crop, creating revenue for slaveholders while receiving no benefits for themselves. While slavery grew in the region, treaties were formulated to lessen Native American presence in the area. For example, an 1825 treaty removed the Osage nation from the area surrounding Fort Osage and forced them further south into a small area of land in present-day Kansas. Additional treaties removed the seven Native American tribes that inhabited Missouri: the Chickisaw, Illini, Ioway, Otoe, Missouria, Osage, and Quapaw. By 1836, there were no Native American tribes living in Missouri, and presently, Missouri houses no federally recognized tribes.Additional treaties removed the Wandat (Wyandotte), Shawnee, and Lenape (Delaware) from northeastern areas, such as Ohio and New York, and forcefully relocated them to parts of Kansas. The Indian Removal Act of 1830 would continue such displacement, moving additional tribes, such as the Cherokee and Creek, from their Southern territories to present-day Oklahoma, carried-out through the tragic "Trail of Tears." Forced removal of Native American tribes led to the suffering and death of innumerable Native American peoples, and such history must not be glossed-over by Americans today as to prevent such awful measures from occurring once again. Many Native American artifacts are on display within this exhibit, highlighting the artistry and craftsmanship of the many tribes that inhabited the area before displacement. Resources for the Osage, Kaw, Otoe-Missouria, Shawnee, and Wyandotte are included below to provide further information on the tribes in the present-day.Kansas City's unique positioning, putting it both within Missouri as it was introduced as a state, and within the Kansas territory, led to many clashes about slavery. Both pro- and anti-slavery settlers lived in the area, although pro-slavery settlers were in larger numbers. The divide led to many deadly clashes in the 1850s up until the Civil War, where pro-slavery settlers sought to gain land away from non-slaveholders. The confrontations led to the phrase, "bleeding Kansas." Guerilla warfare by pro-Confederate Missourians in the area reached a breaking point with their destruction of Lawrence, Kansas, and subsequent massacre of almost 200 men and boys in the town. In order to quell further hostilities, Order No. 11 was issued by Union General Thomas Ewing. The Order would lead to the exile of any Jackson County residents who refused to swear loyalty to the Union. Even with such high stakes, pro-slavery landowners in certain counties, such as Jackson, Bates, Cass, and Vernon, refused to sign the loyalty oath with the Union, sending them into exile. Divides between pro-Confederates and pro-Unionists in the Kansas City area would extend past the results of the Civil War.The Missouri River led to the growth of the Kansas City area due to its use for transporting people and goods. The Kansas City region thrived as it became a major center for commerce and trade. As westward expansion progressed, the area also experienced additional growth with the development of new transportation motives. Railroads were the transportation of the future, connecting cities to the lifeline of the United States. As the Kansas City area expanded, the need for railroad lines persisted, and would become the pinnacle for Kansas City's later growth. Prior to the construction of Hannibal Bridge, both Leavenworth, Kansas, and St. Joseph, Missouri, were better equipped for growth than Kansas City. However, Mayor Robert Van Horn convinced railroad executives to construct Hannibal Bridge in Kansas City, opening in 1869. The bridge, used primarily for postal-carrying trains at first, had an arch truss design built high enough to allow steamboats to pass underneath. The bridge, designed by civil engineer and "father of aviation" Octave Chanute, thrust Kansas City forward, leading to its growth into a major Midwestern city.

The second floor exhibition galleries map-out Kansas City history. Beginning with the Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area Gallery, the early history of the surrounding areas in both Kansas and Missouri are covered. An overview of Native American tribes that lived in the area, and their subsequent removal as European settlers displaced them, serves as a foundation for the room. Highlighting the importance of the two rivers that Kansas City is situated near, the exhibit covers the Native Americans and settlers that were drawn to the prosperity of the area. Transportation, relocation, and involvement in the Civil War also serve as highlights within the exhibit, providing patrons with understanding of the early 1800s through the 1870s in the Kansas City area, prior to its official establishment as a city.

The Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area Gallery

Kansas City's location, situated at the confluence of two rivers, encouraged many settlers to relocate to the area for the promise of prosperity. Unfortunately, settler migration and other phenomenon led to the forced relocation of Native Americans who had long-inhabited the area. Native to the area, the Wahzhazhe (Osage), Kanza (Kaw), Nutachi (Missouria), and Jiwere (Otoe), had lived amicably among one another for decades.Prior to mass settlements in the area, the Osage also had a long-standing relationship with French fur traders beginning in 1673, which proved to be mutually beneficial. Through trade, the Osage received guns and Spanish horses, establishing the Osage Nation as a formidable opponent in battle. Their dominance would last into the 1800s, until American expansion efforts would negatively impact the Osage, reducing their dominance and moving them to a smaller piece of land in present-day Kansas, and later to Oklahoma. Nonetheless, the Osage nation fought against American forces for their land. The first Chief Pawhuska adopted the name "White Hair" after the Osage's defeat of American military forces in 1791. As the Chief attempted to scalp a fallen military officer, a white powdered wig came off of his head and he escaped, much to Chief Pawhuska's surprise.Meriwether Lewis and William Clark traveled through Osage territory during their Corps of Discovery Expedition. Among the expedition crew was an enslaved Black man named York, whose family was owned by Clark's father. York contributed greatly to the expedition, hunting buffalo and other game and navigating waterways and other trails. Although his vote on the expedition was considered equally among the other crew members, he would not become a free man until almost 10 years after the expedition's 1806 end.Slavery was not uncommon in the area. Hemp and tobacco became cash crops in the region, with hemp being made into rope and other fibers, requiring extensive labor. Men, women, and children under the rule of slaveholders were forced to cultivate the crop, creating revenue for slaveholders while receiving no benefits for themselves. While slavery grew in the region, treaties were formulated to lessen Native American presence in the area. For example, an 1825 treaty removed the Osage nation from the area surrounding Fort Osage and forced them further south into a small area of land in present-day Kansas. Additional treaties removed the seven Native American tribes that inhabited Missouri: the Chickisaw, Illini, Ioway, Otoe, Missouria, Osage, and Quapaw. By 1836, there were no Native American tribes living in Missouri, and presently, Missouri houses no federally recognized tribes.Additional treaties removed the Wandat (Wyandot), Shawnee, and Lenape (Delaware) from northeastern areas, such as Ohio and New York, and forcefully relocated them to parts of Kansas. The Indian Removal Act of 1830 would continue such displacement, moving additional tribes, such as the Cherokee and Creek, from their Southern territories to present-day Oklahoma, forcibly marched over the tragic "Trail of Tears." Forced removal of Native American tribes led to the suffering and death of innumerable Native American peoples, and such history must not be glossed-over by Americans today as to prevent such awful measures from occurring once again. Many Native American artifacts are on display within this exhibit, highlighting the artistry and craftsmanship of the many tribes that inhabited the area before displacement. Resources for the Osage, Kaw, Otoe-Missouria, Shawnee, and Wyandotte are included below to provide further information on the tribes in the present-day.The Kansas City region's unique positioning, putting it both within Missouri as it was introduced as a state, and within the Kansas territory, led to many clashes about slavery. Both pro- and anti-slavery settlers lived in the area, although pro-slavery settlers were in larger numbers. The divide led to many deadly clashes in the 1850s up until the Civil War, where pro-slavery settlers sought to gain land away from non-slaveholders. The confrontations led to the phrase, "bleeding Kansas." Guerilla warfare by pro-Confederate Missourians in the area reached a breaking point with their destruction of Lawrence, Kansas, and subsequent massacre of almost 200 men and boys in the town. In order to quell further hostilities, Order No. 11 was issued by Union General Thomas Ewing. The Order would lead to the exile of any Jackson County residents who refused to swear loyalty to the Union. Even with such high stakes, pro-slavery landowners in certain counties, such as Jackson, Bates, Cass, and Vernon, refused to sign the loyalty oath with the Union, sending them into exile. Divides between pro-Confederates and pro-Unionists in the Kansas City area would extend past the results of the Civil War.The Missouri River led to the growth of the Kansas City area due to its use for transporting people and goods. The Kansas City region thrived as it became a major center for commerce and trade. As westward expansion progressed, the area also experienced additional growth with the development of new transportation. Railroads were the transportation of the future, connecting cities to the lifeline of the United States. As the Kansas City area expanded, the need for railroad lines persisted, and would become the impetus for Kansas City's later growth. Prior to the construction of Hannibal Bridge, both Leavenworth, Kansas, and St. Joseph, Missouri were better equipped for growth than Kansas City. However, Mayor Robert Van Horn convinced railroad executives to construct Hannibal Bridge in Kansas City, opening in 1869. The bridge, used primarily for postal-carrying trains at first, had an arch truss design built high enough to allow steamboats to pass underneath. The bridge, designed by civil engineer and "father of aviation" Octave Chanute, thrust Kansas City forward, leading to its growth into a major Midwestern city.

The second floor exhibition galleries map-out Kansas City history. Beginning with the Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area Gallery, the early history of the surrounding areas in both Kansas and Missouri are covered. An overview of Native American tribes that lived in the area, and their subsequent removal as European settlers displaced them, serves as a foundation for the room. Highlighting the importance of the two rivers that Kansas City is situated near, the exhibit covers the Native Americans and settlers that were drawn to the prosperity of the area. Transportation, relocation, and involvement in the Civil War also serve as highlights within the exhibit, providing patrons with understanding of the early 1800s through the 1870s in the Kansas City area.

Kansas City's location, situated at the confluence of two rivers, encouraged many settlers to relocate to the area for the promise of prosperity. Unfortunately, settler migration and other phenomenon led to the forced relocation of Native Americans who had long-inhabited the area. Native to the area, the Wahzhazhe (Osage), Kanza (Kaw), Nutachi (Missouria), and Jiwere (Otoe), had lived amicably among one another for decades.Prior to mass settlements in the area, the Osage also had a long-standing relationship with French fur traders beginning in 1673, which proved to be mutually beneficial. Through trade, the Osage received guns and Spanish horses, establishing the Osage Nation as a formidable opponent in battle. Their dominance would last into the 1800s, until American expansion efforts would negatively impact the Osage, reducing their dominance and moving them to a smaller piece of land in present-day Kansas, and later to Oklahoma. Nonetheless, the Osage nation fought against American forces for their land. The first Chief Pawhuska adopted the name "White Hair" after the Osage's defeat of American military forces in 1791. As the Chief attempted to scalp a fallen military officer, a white powdered wig came off of his head and he escaped, much to Chief Pawhuska's surprise.Meriwether Lewis and William Clark traveled through Osage territory during their Corps of Discovery Expedition. Among the expedition crew was an enslaved Black man named York, whose family was owned by Clark's father. York contributed greatly to the expedition, hunting buffalo and other game and navigating waterways and other trails. Although his vote on the expedition was considered equally among the other crew members, he would not become a free man until almost 10 years after the expedition's 1806 end.Slavery was not uncommon in the area. Hemp and tobacco became cash crops in the region, with hemp being made into rope and other fibers, requiring extensive labor. Men, women, and children under the rule of slaveholders were forced to cultivate the crop, creating revenue for slaveholders while receiving no benefits for themselves. While slavery grew in the region, treaties were formulated to lessen Native American presence in the area. For example, an 1825 treaty removed the Osage nation from the area surrounding Fort Osage and forced them further south into a small area of land in present-day Kansas. Additional treaties removed the seven Native American tribes that inhabited Missouri: the Chickisaw, Illini, Ioway, Otoe, Missouria, Osage, and Quapaw. By 1836, there were no Native American tribes living in Missouri, and presently, Missouri houses no federally recognized tribes.Additional treaties removed the Wandat (Wyandot), Shawnee, and Lenape (Delaware) from northeastern areas, such as Ohio and New York, and forcefully relocated them to parts of Kansas. The Indian Removal Act of 1830 would continue such displacement, moving additional tribes, such as the Cherokee and Creek, from their Southern territories to present-day Oklahoma, forcibly marched over the tragic "Trail of Tears." Forced removal of Native American tribes led to the suffering and death of innumerable Native American peoples, and such history must not be glossed-over by Americans today as to prevent such awful measures from occurring once again. Many Native American artifacts are on display within this exhibit, highlighting the artistry and craftsmanship of the many tribes that inhabited the area before displacement. Resources for the Osage, Kaw, Otoe-Missouria, Shawnee, and Wyandotte are included below to provide further information on the tribes in the present-day.The Kansas City region's unique positioning, putting it both within Missouri as it was introduced as a state, and within the Kansas territory, led to many clashes about slavery. Both pro- and anti-slavery settlers lived in the area, although pro-slavery settlers were in larger numbers. The divide led to many deadly clashes in the 1850s up until the Civil War, where pro-slavery settlers sought to gain land away from non-slaveholders. The confrontations led to the phrase, "bleeding Kansas." Guerilla warfare by pro-Confederate Missourians in the area reached a breaking point with their destruction of Lawrence, Kansas, and subsequent massacre of almost 200 men and boys in the town. In order to quell further hostilities, Order No. 11 was issued by Union General Thomas Ewing. The Order would lead to the exile of any Jackson County residents who refused to swear loyalty to the Union. Even with such high stakes, pro-slavery landowners in certain counties, such as Jackson, Bates, Cass, and Vernon, refused to sign the loyalty oath with the Union, sending them into exile. Divides between pro-Confederates and pro-Unionists in the Kansas City area would extend past the results of the Civil War.The Missouri River led to the growth of the Kansas City area due to its use for transporting people and goods. The Kansas City region thrived as it became a major center for commerce and trade. As westward expansion progressed, the area also experienced additional growth with the development of new transportation. Railroads were the transportation of the future, connecting cities to the lifeline of the United States. As the Kansas City area expanded, the need for railroad lines persisted, and would become the impetus for Kansas City's later growth. Prior to the construction of Hannibal Bridge, both Leavenworth, Kansas, and St. Joseph, Missouri were better equipped for growth than Kansas City. However, Mayor Robert Van Horn convinced railroad executives to construct Hannibal Bridge in Kansas City, opening in 1869. The bridge, used primarily for postal-carrying trains at first, had an arch truss design built high enough to allow steamboats to pass underneath. The bridge, designed by civil engineer and "father of aviation" Octave Chanute, thrust Kansas City forward, leading to its growth into a major Midwestern city.

General Thomas Ewing Jr. targeted Missouri's homefront on the border due to the support the women provided guerrilla soldiers. Women were providing guerrilla soldiers with clothes, food, and shelter, even smuggling these items across borders for their men. The Union army struggled to control guerrilla warfare due to its clandestine nature and in June of 1863, General Thomas Ewing Jr. was sent to the District of the Border in Kansas City to find a way to put an end to guerrilla activity. Ewing requested his commanding officer John Schofield "allocate more regular cavalry to the defense of the border" while Ewing organized a volunteer cavalry from Kansas. In total, this new force included 94 officers and 1,755 men. However, Ewing struggled with recruiting men because many loyal Kansas men were reluctant to leave their homes or were already far away fighting for the Union army. The same month Ewing arrived in the District of the Border, several thousand Confederate men had returned home, and many of them felt pressured to join the guerrilla war effort because they were "returning enemy soldiers, and the loyal citizenry in their neighborhoods were sure to report them to Union authorities." With tensions increasing, Ewing developed a plan and requested permission from headquarters in St. Louis to carry it out. Recognizing the support guerrilla soldiers received from households along the border, Ewing proposed Order no. 10 which would allow him to round up women associated with guerrillas and guerrilla activity and resettle them in northern Arkansas. He even suggested that the Union military would pay for these women to move. He believed that the guerrilla men would follow their women kinfolk to Arkansas, whereupon they should be forgiven for their service to the Confederate army and for being involved in guerrilla warfare.Ewing went to St. Louis to discuss this plan in person with Schofield and returned to the District of the Border on August 13th with permission to carry the order out. However, his plans were quickly thwarted. On August 14th, a Kansas City jail holding several women who were associated with notorious guerrillas such as "Bloody" Bill Anderson's sisters collapsed, killing and injuring several of the women. This is believed to have motivated the infamous raid on Lawrence, Kansas (a well-known abolitionist town) that resulted in the deaths of between 160 and 190 men and teenage boys. This raid in turn led to Ewing reversing Order no. 10 and issuing the more destructive Order no. 11 which evacuated all the disloyal citizens out of Jackson, Cass, Bates, and part of Vernon County. Their homes, farms, and supplies were then burnt down or confiscated in order to ensure that they couldn't easily return to the area and continue the supply line that supported the guerrilla conflict. The desolation and ruins left behind earned the three and a half effected counties the moniker of "The Burnt District."Ewing later explained his decision as intended to both end the attacks by bushwhackers and protect the people of Missouri against reprisal by Kansans who might seek revenge upon the people who inhabited areas known to harbor rebel sympathies. He also tried to defend his choice to issue the order by claiming that the women associated with guerrillas were victims of guerrilla warfare and that the order was meant to protect them from further abuse at the hands of their guerrilla kin. However, it is evident from primary documents of the time period that Ewing was aware that women in the area were actively providing support for the guerrilla soldiers. Historians continue to debate the necessity and effectiveness of General Thomas Ewing Jr.'s Order Number 11. His decision exiled several thousand citizens of a state that remained in the Union and hardened anti-Union feelings in the area. At the same time, bushwhacker attacks had resulted in terrible violence along the Kansas-Missouri border, and these counties were home to many families that had offered material support to the bushwhackers and other Southern sympathizers.Union officer and Missouri resident George Caleb Bingham vocally opposed Order no. 11 and it is even said that he attempted to persuade Ewing not to issue the order. When Ewing refused to comply, Bingham allegedly replied: "If God spares my life, with pen and pencil, I will make this order infamous." Keeping his promise, Bingham painted a mural depicting the destruction caused by Order No. 11 following the war. Bingham described the aftermath of this order in a 1877 letter to the St. Louis Republican newspaper. He wrote, “Dense columns of smoke arising in every direction marked the conflagrations of dwellings, many of the evidences of which are yet to be seen in the remains of seared and Blackened chimneys, standing as melancholy monuments of a ruthless military despotism which spared neither age, sex, character, nor condition." When Ewing attempted to build a political career for himself in Ohio, Bingham repeatedly sabotaged him by distributing a steel engraving of his painting to Ewing's potentially voters. The issuance of Order No. 11 remains of one the most significant historical events to take place in the area.

This solemn monument reminds visitors of the destructive nature of the Civil War upon thousands of families in Missouri. Known as the "Burnt District," this section of Missouri was destroyed by Union forces following General Order No. 11 in 1863. Recognizing that this area harbored rebel bushwhackers who were raiding homes in Kansas and other areas under the guise of supporting the Confederacy, Union leaders ordered the evacuation of all citizens from Jackson, Cass, Bates, and northern Vernon Counties. While a number of residents were aiding bushwhackers, the majority were simply trying to avoid the conflict and protect their farms and homes from raiders and thieves. After the citizens left their homes, Union troops destroyed homes, farms, and supplies throughout the region. This "scorched earth" policy was designed to prevent bushwackers or rebel supporters from remaining in the area but had a far more devastating consequence upon the people who lived in the area. The selection of a chimney represents the only portion of hundreds of homes that remained standing following the destruction by fire.

In 1865 the Civil War was over, but the United States faced perhaps the biggest disaster clean up in its history. Homes and cities in ruins, the economy suffering, and millions of soldiers to care for, both the living and the dead. Despite efforts to properly care for the dead during the war, most burials had not been organized well. Original efforts to take care of the dead in this area occurred in June 1865 when a party of men under Brevet Major James M. Moore searched the Wilderness and Spotsylvania, marking graves and consolidating the unburied into cemeteries on the battlefield. By June 24th they had buried almost 1500 skeletons, erecting 785 known headstones and many unknown ones over the graves. The job was far from complete, however, since they missed many of the bodies and the fields at Chancellorsville and Fredericksburg still needed attention.In 1866 the War Department decided to consolidate the Union 15,000 burials contained by a 30 miles radius around Fredericksburg in one cemetery. This would include the scattered graves from as far north as Manassas, south as North Anna, east as Warsaw, and west as Mine Run. Originally, loyal citizens championed for the city Fairgrounds where many of the Union dead from the Battle of Fredericksburg were already buried. The planners found, however, that the water table was only three feet below the surface, making the area unsuitable for burials. Moore returned and suggested that the cemetery be placed on Willis Hill, the southern end of Marye’s Heights. Moore initially condemned eight acres of Douglas H. Gordon’s 23.5 acre lot on Willis Hill, later purchasing twelve acres of the land for $250 an acre. Meanwhile construction of the cemetery began in June 1866, more than two years before an official deed was signed for the land.The work of the burial corps began in May 1866 by US soldiers stationed in Fredericksburg, but by June the government was paying former slaves, Irish Immigrants, and Confederate veterans $15 a month plus lodging and rations to do the work. Their camp was at the foot of Willis Hill, just across from where the visitor center stands today. It took until the fall of 1868 to finish the work of disinterring the dead from the battlefield, transferring them to the cemetery (which could be miles away, depending on the location of the burial), and reinterring them. The cemetery was not blocked out by state, unit, or battlefield; instead; bodies were buried as they came in to the cemetery. Known burials represent a small percentage of the graves in the cemetery; just 2,643 burials (16.5%) are known and they are representing by the “Civil War type” headstones. 12,770 burials representing 83.5% of the men here, are unknown. Many of these men were buried hastily on the field or in mass graves with no way to identify the bodies later. For some of these men, their graves were originally marked or their bodies left with an identifier. For example, in 1939 W. M. Buckley donated to the park a small stone with the name “Dan” scratched on it. The stone was found beside a skeleton on the Chancellorsville battlefield, most likely as an identifier so friends could come back and locate the body. Unfortunately for “Dan” and thousands of other soldiers these identifiers were lost before they were buried and they now lie under “unknown” markers here in the cemetery. To aggravate matters many of the original wooden headstones were lost or taken for firewood. The unknown markers you see today are the smaller square stones; the top number indicates the plot number while the bottom number is how many bodies are buried in that plot. There are anywhere between one and twelve bodies in each unknown grave. With the large number of unknown burials (7 out of every 8), the burial corps decided to save time and space by placing multiple bodies in a grave. Soldiers who are grouped together in these graves primarily came from the same locations on the field, and may have served in the same regiment or been buried together originally. Space was an issue in the parcel of land on Willis Hill; if each of the 15,436 burials had received an individual grave, they would have needed a cemetery plot of 30 acres. In addition to graves with multiple burials, the burial corps also terraced the front slope of Willis Hill to prevent erosion and provide for more flat space for graves.Although the majority of Civil War soldiers were buried in the cemetery by 1868, the discovery of bodies and burials continued for decades afterwards. The last orderly internment of remains was in 1868; after that new burials were placed in different locations of the cemetery.After the bodies of the Civil War dead were buried, the national cemeteries opened up to the burials of eligible veterans, their spouses, and dependent children. The last Civil War soldier buried in the National Cemetery was Private Evander Willis, who is buried with his wife, Lucy Sprague Willis. Evander enlisted in December 1863 in the 8th Vermont Infantry and was mustered out in 1865. After the war, the Willis family owned “Ellwood,” which is part of our Wilderness Battlefield. When Evander died in October 1935, he and his wife were buried here under a Civil War style stone.In addition to Civil War soldiers, the cemetery has burials from the Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II, as well as roughly twenty military spouses buried with their husbands. The last soldier buried in a separate grave was Harry Bankard in 1945. Bankard was not the last soldier buried here; that honor goes to Admol Jett who was buried four years later in the same plot as his father. The final burials in the cemetery would be the spouses of soldiers already buried here. The cemetery has been closed to new burials since the 1940s. Today if a soldier is found buried within the park, they are not reinterred into the National Cemetery. Instead their grave is marked and the remains not disturbed. You can find a few of these marked graves at Chatham and outside the Chancellorsville Visitor Center.

The Fredericksburg National Cemetery, located in the heart of Fredericksburg, VA is a cemetery where more than 15,000 Union soldiers that died in the battles stretching between Washington, DC And Richmond, VA are buried. This cemetery is one of the 14 cemeteries run by the National Park Service. During the Civil War, there were four major battles in Fredericksburg. The Battle of Fredericksburg, Battle of Chancellorsville, Battle of Wilderness and Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. There were more than 100,000 deaths within a 20-mile radius of Fredericksburg. US Congress ordered for there to be a cemetery in Fredericksburg in order to give the thousands of casualties a proper burial. Since the Civil War, a few soldiers have been buried in this cemetery from the Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II. 

Fredericksburg National Cemetery

American Civil War

For most of the Civil War, Richmond, Virginia served as the capitol of the Confederate States of America. Union forces made numerous attempts to retake this site of great strategic—and symbolic—importance, inspired by the battle cry: "On to Richmond!" Its proximity to the fighting made Richmond a center for hospitals and military prisons. On April 3, 1865, Richmond fell to the Union army; General Robert E. Lee surrendered soon after, ending the Battle of Appomattox Courthouse. This tour explores Richmond's central role during the most formative conflict in United States history—and remembers those who fought in it.

The American Civil War in Richmond, Virginia

A tour of WV's major Civil War battlefields. The state is home to a rich Civil War history with hundreds of sites, including Stonewall Jackson's childhood home, but this tour only includes the well-marked and better-preserved battlefields. West Virginia's rugged topography kept it from becoming a "major" theater of war, but it saw its fair share of major personalities--including the early commands of Robert E. Lee and George B. McClellan, and the Union Army service of future presidents Rutherford B. Hayes and William McKinley. And though not officially recognized as a "border" state, West Virginia's loyalties were violently split, often resulting in family members serving on opposite sides. Many of the units who fought each other again and again in these battles hailed from West Virginia, as well, and were well acquainted with their enemies. So bitter was the struggle that in 1863, West Virginia became the only state in the Union ever to split from an existing state.

West Virginia Civil War Battlefields

Fairfax County, with its proximity to Washington, D.C. and Maryland and location in Confederate Virginia, was an important location during the Civil War. This tour tracks its history from skirmishes early in the war (including the first Confederate officer killed), to the First Battle of Bull Run, to the Union and Confederate line of defenses following the battle, to skirmishes during the winter of 1861-62, to the Battle of Chantilly following the Second Battle of Bull Run (and immediately preceding General Lee's Maryland Campaign), to Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart's and Colonel John Mosby's raids, which continued through the end of the war. While there are hundreds of Civil War-related sites in the county, this tour includes many of the most important, as well as the two Civil War museums - the Civil War Interpretive Center at Historic Blenheim and the Stuart-Mosby Civil War Cavalry Museum. The tour is organized semi-chronologically; for directions for most efficient driving, go here: https://goo.gl/maps/9mk56UUEqTMyB5y7A.

The Civil War in Fairfax County, Virginia

This tour describes sites near and within Andersonville National Historic Site. The tour is a walking tour of prisoner experience inside Camp Sumter, one of the Civil War's most notorious prison camps. The tour can also be done as a driving tour. 

Andersonville Civil War Prison 

The United States was still a fairly young nation when the Civil War began. The division set state against state, citizen against citizen, and brother against brother. This is most evident in the people who lived in the state of Virginia. The state of Virginia was quite big at this time containing 95 counties plus the 55 counties of Western Virginia. Having played a significant role in the formation of the country, the leaders in Virginia were hesitant to join in the dissent. By the end of the war the state split into two separate states, a reflection of what could happen to the rest of the country. AFHNA is one area that is preserving this history by working with many partners to conserve, promote and protect this portion of our story. As you tour this portion of the civil war story in what is now West Virginia, may you discover a part of your story along the way.

(For more information about sites that are being preserved check out: https://www.appalachianforestnha.org/ and https://www.battlefields.org/ Plan ahead to experience living history through Civil War reenactments http://www.wvra.org/  )

In the late 1800s, the United States was experiencing quite a bit of growth and expansion, especially due to the start of the railroad. This made it possible to access natural and manufactured resources as well as people and move them great distances supporting new commerce. Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860 who established a strong stand against slavery that many independent-minded states considered to be an overreach of government authority. This stand was part of a powerful rift that was dividing the country and South Carolina became the first of eleven states to secede from the union to form the Confederate States of America. 
The Civil War officially began On April 12, 1861 when the Confederate army opened fire on Fort Sumter in Charleston Bay, South Carolina and forced it to lower the American flag in surrender. This event pushed states to decide where they stood on the issues. President Lincoln then called for 75000 Union troops from surrounding states including Virginia to quell the rebellion. Rather than support the president, on April 17th Virginia passed an ordinance of secession which would not become official until the Virginia voters ratified the decision. In Western Virginia, nine delegates supported secession while 29 voted to remain with the Union. Tensions continued to rise and delegates from the western counties of Virginia moved to form a New Virginia. Differences related to taxes, politics, culture and representation had already driven a wedge between the people living on the eastern and western portions of the Allegheny Mountains.

https://www.pbs.org/video/west-virginia-road-statehood-west-virginia-road-statehood 
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/brief-overview-american-civil-war 

Civil War Sites In The AFNHA Region

This walking tour was created by Melissa Barnett, a graduate student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The tour offers a chance to explore both the human-made and natural monuments on the battlefield trail. Google Maps does not yet include the trails that will take users to each monument, but this will still serve as a guide that will help visitors explore the park and understand how local organizations, patriotic women, and the federal government have preserved the memory of the militia soldiers who fought against friend and neighbor to protect their families. Follow along the battlefield trail to experience a memorial 200 years in the making. As you progress through the tour there are questions to challenge your ideas of a memorial.  Feel free to discuss the questions with your group or with a Park Ranger. 

Kings Mountain National Military Park Monument Battlefield Tour 

This section offers a selection of some of the tours and trails in Clio that center on the experiences of women in history

The beginning of the Woman Suffrage movement is commonly dated from 1848 when Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and others met for tea and planned the first Woman's Rights Convention.&nbsp;At the Seneca Falls Convention the Declaration of Sentiments, a protest modeled on the Declaration of Independence, was drafted and was the first public protest against women's political, social and economic inferiority. Included in the list of reforms was a demand for the ballot.Seventy-two years later, the Susan B. Anthony Amendment was finally ratified with Tennessee's crucial and dramatic vote in August of 1920.&nbsp;Ratification would not have been possible without the dedication and personal sacrifice of thousands of women across the state who worked continually to build a strong suffrage organization in Tennessee.Between June 4, 1919, when Congress approved the Amendment, and August 18th, 1920, it was unclear whether enough states in certain parts of the country would ratify the Amendment for it to meet the Constitutionally-mandated requirement of being ratified by three-fourths of the states. While many of the states in the West already recognized women's right to vote and ratified the measure shortly after Congress approved the measure, legislators in the Deep South expressed strong opposition. The movement for ratification also stalled in a handful of eastern states, meaning that the fate of ratification would come down to a handful of battleground states.&nbsp;Eight months after Congress approved the amendment, the momentum for ratification stalled. Advocates knew that their best chance for success was to carry states in the east and the Border South states. While Virginia rejected the measure, West Virginia turned in favor of women's suffrage in dramatic fashion in February of 1920. Still, with few other states considering the measure, the fate of women's suffrage came down to whether advocates could carry Tennessee.&nbsp;Thanks to the persuasive arguments of women's suffrage advocates, including the mother of one reluctant lawmaker, the 19th Amendment became part of the Constitution when Tennessee ratified the 19th Amendment by a one-vote majority on August 18, 1920. The links below include more details about the dramatic vote in Tennessee, including the story of 24-year-old lawmaker Harry T. Burn who claimed inspiration for his decision from a letter written by his mother. When defending himself from charges of changing his vote owing to a bribe, Burns told of the letter from his mother asking him to "be a good boy" and vote in favor of ratification.&nbsp;"I know that a mother's advice is always safest for a boy to follow," Burns responded, "and my mother wanted me to vote for ratification"

Dedicated in 2006, this monument honors leading advocates of women's suffrage in Tennessee. The 19th Amendment, which guarantees the right to vote to all Americans, became law when the Tennessee legislature became the 36th state to ratify the amendment on August 18, 1920. Between 1995 and 2006, Tennessee's Suffrage Coalition worked to raise awareness of this history, as well as secure funds to create this lasting memorial to the suffragists from Tennessee. On August 26, 2006, the Suffrage Coalition celebrated their success and dedicated this life-size, bronze statue featuring three of the most influential Tennessee suffragists. 

The statue depicts Lizzie Crozier French of Knoxville and Anne Dallas Dudley of Nashville, two leading advocates of women's rights who both served as Presidents of the Tennessee Equal Suffrage Association. Also depicted is  Elizabeth Avery Meriwether of Memphis. In 1876, Meriwether followed Susan B. Anthony and other women who attempted to register and vote. She also called the first public meeting on the subject of women's rights in Tennessee in that same year. 

Tennessee Woman's Suffrage Memorial

The International Women’s Air &amp; Space Museum, Inc. (IWASM) began as a committee of Ninety-Nines who started saving memorabilia and the history of&nbsp;women pilots. (The Ninety-Nines is an international organization of women pilots formed in 1929. There were ninety-nine charter members, and Amelia Earhart was the first president.) In 1986 the museum opened in Centerville, Ohio. The museum moved to its present location in Cleveland in 1998.&nbsp;

The International Women’s Air & Space Museum preserves, interprets, and shares the history of women in aviation and space exploration through exhibits and a research center. The Museum is located in the terminal building at Burke Lakefront Airport. 

Women's Air & Space Museum

The New York State Woman Suffrage Association (NYSWSA) was organized in 1869 after the Fifteenth Amendment only granted the vote to men. Matilda Joslyn Gage organized the first state convention at Saratoga Springs, July 13-14, 1869 and the association held a convention annually after that. The annual convention was a strategy used by NYSWSA to bring together all the smaller societies throughout the state to work together to advance women’s suffrage in New York.The Thirtieth Annual Convention occurred November 8-10, 1898 in Hudson, NY. The convention headquarters was The Worth Hotel on Warren Street with day meetings held at the Opera House (City Hall) and evening meetings at the Court House. The program included addresses by Mariana W. Chapman, Lillie Devereux Blake, Harriet May Mills, Annie E.P. Searing, Harriet Stanton Blatch, Mary Seymour Howell, Rev. Annis Ford Eastman, Harriette A. Keyser, and Rev. Anna Howard Shaw. Hudson Hall was constructed in 1855 as the City Hall with additional offices for a bank, the police station, the post office, library, and a performance hall on the second floor. It was a trend in the late-nineteenth century for towns to have “opera houses” so Hudson Hall was renamed the Hudson Opera House and renovations were done to improve the performance space. Thus, when the NYSWSA held their 1898 conference, they held their meetings at the “Opera House.” The building was again called City Hall starting in the 1920s and used for that purpose until the 1960s when City Hall moved to a different building on Warren Street. Between 1962 and 1992 the building was vacant, fell into serious disrepair, and was eventually threatened with demolition. In 1992 a group of citizens came together to save and restore the building through a multi-million-dollar project. Renamed Hudson Hall at the Historic Hudson Opera House, the restored community space holds the distinction of being New York’s oldest surviving theater. The courthouse used by the NYSWSA in 1898 no longer stands, but was located in the same location as the current courthouse. The courthouse used during the convention was constructed in 1835 as the third Columbia County Courthouse. It was destroyed by fire in 1900 and the fourth county courthouse was constructed in 1901. That courthouse also suffered a fire in 1907 and the current courthouse was built in 1908. The General Worth Hotel was constructed in 1836-1837 and named after General William Jenkins Worth. It was the center of social life in Hudson and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, but fell into disrepair and was demolished in 1969.

The 30th Annual Convention of the New York State Woman Suffrage Association (NYSWSA) was held in Hudson, NY November 8-10, 1898. The General Worth Hotel was the conference headquarters and lodging, daytime events were held in the Opera House (then City Hall), and evening events occurred in the County Courthouse. Participants attended lectures and meetings about advancing the cause of women's suffrage.

30th Annual Convention of the New York State Woman Suffrage Association, November 8-10, 1898

The New York State Woman Suffrage Association (NYSWSA) was organized in 1869 after the Fifteenth Amendment only granted the vote to men. Matilda Joslyn Gage organized the first state convention at Saratoga Springs, July 13-14, 1869 and the association held a convention annually after that. The annual convention was a strategy used by NYSWSA to bring together all the smaller societies throughout the state to work together to advance women’s suffrage in New York.The Thirtieth Annual Convention occurred November 8-10, 1898 in Hudson, NY. The convention headquarters was The Worth Hotel on Warren Street with day meetings held at the Opera House (City Hall) and evening meetings at the Court House. The program included addresses by Mariana W. Chapman, Lillie Devereux Blake, Harriet May Mills, Annie E.P. Searing, Harriet Stanton Blatch, Mary Seymour Howell, Rev. Annis Ford Eastman, Harriette A. Keyser, and Rev. Anna Howard Shaw.Hudson Hall was constructed in 1855 as the City Hall with additional offices for a bank, the police station, the post office, library, and a performance hall on the second floor. It was a trend in the late-nineteenth century for towns to have “opera houses” so Hudson Hall was renamed the Hudson Opera House and renovations were done to improve the performance space. Thus, when the NYSWSA held their 1898 conference, they held their meetings at the “Opera House.” The building was again called City Hall starting in the 1920s and used for that purpose until the 1960s when City Hall moved to a different building on Warren Street. Between 1962 and 1992 the building was vacant, fell into serious disrepair, and was eventually threatened with demolition. In 1992 a group of citizens came together to save and restore the building through a multi-million-dollar project. Renamed Hudson Hall at the Historic Hudson Opera House, the restored community space holds the distinction of being New York’s oldest surviving theater.The courthouse used by the NYSWSA in 1898 no longer stands, but was located in the same location as the current courthouse. The courthouse used during the convention was constructed in 1835 as the third Columbia County Courthouse. It was destroyed by fire in 1900 and the fourth county courthouse was constructed in 1901. That courthouse also suffered a fire in 1907 and the current courthouse was built in 1908.The General Worth Hotel was constructed in 1836-1837 and named after General William Jenkins Worth. It was the center of social life in Hudson and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, but fell into disrepair and was demolished in 1969.

Susan B. Anthony had been planning the strategy of attempting to vote and then pursuing legal action after she was refused some time before 1872. Anthony argued that the Fourteenth Amendment, ratified in 1868, allowed her to vote. The first section of the amendment reads:“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”While the Fourteenth Amendment was added to the Constitution to address the situation of freed slaves in the aftermath of the Civil War, Anthony argued that since women were citizens, they should have the protected privilege of voting.Anthony took her opportunity with the presidential election of 1872. On November 1, 1872 Anthony and 2-3 other women attempted to register as voters. Initially the registers did not want to let them, which is what the women expected, but when Anthony presented her arguments about her legal right to vote the registers allowed the women to register. In total, 14 women in Rochester, NY registered to vote on November 1.On Election Day, November 5, 1872, Susan B. Anthony cast her ballot in Rochester, NY’s Eighth Ward, at the West End News Depot. Anthony voted for a Republican ticket, casting her ballot in support of Ulysses S. Grant for president. Immediately after Anthony and the other women registered, and again after they voted, the local press covered the story and the debates over the legality of their actions.After casting her vote, Anthony wrote to her friend Elizabeth Cady Stanton:Rochester Nov 5th 1872Dear Mrs StantonWell I have been &amp; gone &amp; done it!!--positively voted the Republican ticket--strait this a.m. at 7 Oclock--&amp; swore my vote in at that--was registered on Friday &amp; 15 other women followed suit in this ward--then on Sunday others some 20 or thirty other women tried to register, but all save two were refused--all my three sisters voted--Roda De Garmo too--Amy Post was rejected &amp; she will immediately bring action for that--similar to the Washington action--&amp; Hon Henry R. Selden will be our Counsel--he has read up the law &amp; all of our arguments &amp; is satisfied that we our right &amp; ditto the Old Judge Selden--his elder brother. so we are in for a fine agitation in Rochester on the question--I hope the morning's telegrams will tell of many women all over the country trying to vote--It is splendid that without any concert of action so many should have moved here so impromptu-- ....Haven't we wedged ourselves into the work pretty fairly &amp; fully--&amp; now that the Repubs have taken our votes--for it is the Republican members of the Board--The Democratic paper is out against us strong &amp; that scared the Dem's on the registry board--How I wish you were here to write up the funny things said &amp; done--Rhoda De Garmo told them that she wouldn't swear of affirm--"but would tell the truth"--&amp; they accepted that When the Democrat said my vote should not go in the box--one Republican said to the other--What do you say Marsh!--I say put it in!--So do I said Jones--and "we'll fight it out on this line if it takes all winter"....If only now--all the women suffrage women would work to this end of enforcing the existing constitution--supremacy of national law over state law--what strides we might make this winter--But I'm awful tired--for five days I have been on the constant run--but to splendid purpose--So all right--I hope you voted too.Affectionately,Susan B. AnthonyDemocratic poll watcher, Sylvester Lewis, filed a complaint after the election challenging both Anthony’s vote and her voter registration. As a result, United States Commissioner William C. Storrs issued a warrant for Anthony’s arrest on November 14. He did not immediately act on the warrant because he wanted to discuss the case with the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York, but on November 18 a U.S. deputy marshal was sent to Anthony’s home. She was charged with voting in violation of the Enforcement Act of 1870. The marshal tried to be genteel about the arrest because Anthony was a woman, but Anthony demanded to be arrested in the same manner as a man. When Anthony was brought before Storrs after her arrest she found that the other 14 female voters and the ballot inspectors who had authorized the votes had also been arrested.Susan B. Anthony was represented by Henry Selden and John Van Voorhis. Storrs held a preliminary examination on November 29, with a second examination on December 23, after which he determined that Anthony had likely broken the law. With a trial in the future, Susan B. Anthony undertook a speaking tour through Monroe County, presenting her speech “Is It a Crime for a U.S. Citizen to Vote?” at 29 locations in the county. She also dedicated time to sending out numerous letters to people to garner support for her case. Because of the publicity and Anthony’s efforts to gain support for her position, the U.S. Attorney Richard Crowley requested that the trial be moved to a new location for fear that they would not be able to get an impartial jury. Crowley requested that the trial be moved to the federal circuit court for the Northern New York District which would meet next in Canandaigua, Ontario County. In response Anthony continued her speaking tour in Ontario County leading up to the trial date.Anthony’s trial was on June 18, 1873 with Justice Ward Hunt presiding. Hunt had recently been appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court and in both the trial and sentencing he did not allow Anthony to speak on her own behalf. Justice Hunt wrote his decision in the case prior to the trial and did not allow the jury to deliberate (this tactic was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1895). Instead, Hunt ordered the jury to find Anthony guilty and fined her $100. He specifically did not put Anthony in jail because he wanted to avoid an appeal process.Susan B. Anthony and her 14 fellow Rochester women were not the only ones who attempted to vote in the 1872 election. In total, about 150 women attempted to register or vote that year. Virginia Minor of St. Louis attempted to register as a voter and was turned away. Minor followed the tactic that Anthony had intended to use, after her registration was rejected Minor sued the register in a case that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. In Minor v Happersett the Supreme Court ruled that citizenship means “membership in a nation and nothing more.” This decision refuted Anthony’s interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment and remained in place until the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment.Susan B. Anthony never paid the $100 fine and she never sought a pardon for her conviction. She viewed the conviction as a matter of pride in the fight for women’s suffrage. However, President Donald J. Trump pardoned Anthony on August 18, 2020 as part of the centennial of women’s suffrage.The original Ontario County Courthouse is now City Hall, across the street. The current courthouse was constructed in 1858 for about $57,000. The structure was enlarged in 1908 with the addition of a third floor and extensions to the north and south. The courthouse was preserved through extensive renovations in 1987-1988 and 2016. A bust of Susan B. Anthony is outside the courtroom entrance and a portrait of her hangs inside the courtroom.

Suffragist Susan B. Anthony was tried in June 1873 and convicted of the crime of illegally voting at the Ontario County Courthouse. Anthony had registered to vote and then voted in Rochester, NY during the 1872 presidential election. She had intended to attempt to register and when turned away, sue the register to push a legal case. However, she managed to actually vote and was then prosecuted for violating the Enforcement Act of 1870.

Trial of Susan B. Anthony for the crime of voting, June 18, 1873

Susan B. Anthony had been planning the strategy of attempting to vote and then pursuing legal action after she was refused some time before 1872. Anthony argued that the Fourteenth Amendment, ratified in 1868, allowed her to vote. The first section of the amendment reads:“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”While the Fourteenth Amendment was added to the Constitution to address the situation of freed slaves in the aftermath of the Civil War, Anthony argued that since women were citizens, they should have the protected privilege of voting.Anthony took her opportunity with the presidential election of 1872. On November 1, 1872 Anthony and 2-3 other women attempted to register as voters. Initially the registers did not want to let them, which is what the women expected, but when Anthony presented her arguments about her legal right to vote the registers allowed the women to register. In total, 14 women in Rochester, NY registered to vote on November 1.On Election Day, November 5, 1872, Susan B. Anthony cast her ballot in Rochester, NY’s Eighth Ward, at the West End News Depot. Anthony voted for a Republican ticket, casting her ballot in support of Ulysses S. Grant for president. Immediately after Anthony and the other women registered, and again after they voted, the local press covered the story and the debates over the legality of their actions.After casting her vote, Anthony wrote to her friend Elizabeth Cady Stanton:Rochester Nov 5th 1872Dear Mrs StantonWell I have been &amp; gone &amp; done it!!--positively voted the Republican ticket--strait this a.m. at 7 Oclock--&amp; swore my vote in at that--was registered on Friday &amp; 15 other women followed suit in this ward--then on Sunday others some 20 or thirty other women tried to register, but all save two were refused--all my three sisters voted--Roda De Garmo too--Amy Post was rejected &amp; she will immediately bring action for that--similar to the Washington action--&amp; Hon Henry R. Selden will be our Counsel--he has read up the law &amp; all of our arguments &amp; is satisfied that we our right &amp; ditto the Old Judge Selden--his elder brother. so we are in for a fine agitation in Rochester on the question--I hope the morning's telegrams will tell of many women all over the country trying to vote--It is splendid that without any concert of action so many should have moved here so impromptu-- ....Haven't we wedged ourselves into the work pretty fairly &amp; fully--&amp; now that the Repubs have taken our votes--for it is the Republican members of the Board--The Democratic paper is out against us strong &amp; that scared the Dem's on the registry board--How I wish you were here to write up the funny things said &amp; done--Rhoda De Garmo told them that she wouldn't swear of affirm--"but would tell the truth"--&amp; they accepted that When the Democrat said my vote should not go in the box--one Republican said to the other--What do you say Marsh!--I say put it in!--So do I said Jones--and "we'll fight it out on this line if it takes all winter"....If only now--all the women suffrage women would work to this end of enforcing the existing constitution--supremacy of national law over state law--what strides we might make this winter--But I'm awful tired--for five days I have been on the constant run--but to splendid purpose--So all right--I hope you voted too.Affectionately,Susan B. AnthonyDemocratic poll watcher, Sylvester Lewis, filed a complaint after the election challenging both Anthony’s vote and her voter registration. As a result, United States Commissioner William C. Storrs issued a warrant for Anthony’s arrest on November 14. He did not immediately act on the warrant because he wanted to discuss the case with the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York, but on November 18 a U.S. deputy marshal was sent to Anthony’s home. She was charged with voting in violation of the Enforcement Act of 1870. The marshal tried to be genteel about the arrest because Anthony was a woman, but Anthony demanded to be arrested in the same manner as a man. When Anthony was brought before Storrs after her arrest she found that the other 14 female voters and the ballot inspectors who had authorized the votes had also been arrested.Susan B. Anthony was represented by Henry Selden and John Van Voorhis. Storrs held a preliminary examination on November 29, with a second examination on December 23, after which he determined that Anthony had likely broken the law. With a trial in the future, Susan B. Anthony undertook a speaking tour through Monroe County, presenting her speech “Is It a Crime for a U.S. Citizen to Vote?” at 29 locations in the county. She also dedicated time to sending out numerous letters to people to garner support for her case. Because of the publicity and Anthony’s efforts to gain support for her position, the U.S. Attorney Richard Crowley requested that the trial be moved to a new location for fear that they would not be able to get an impartial jury. Crowley requested that the trial be moved to the federal circuit court for the Northern New York District which would meet next in Canandaigua, Ontario County. In response Anthony continued her speaking tour in Ontario County leading up to the trial date.Anthony’s trial was on June 17-18, 1873 with Justice Ward Hunt presiding. Hunt had recently been appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court and in both the trial and sentencing he did not allow Anthony to speak on her own behalf. Justice Hunt wrote his decision in the case prior to the trial and did not allow the jury to deliberate (this tactic was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1895). Instead, Hunt ordered the jury to find Anthony guilty and fined her $100. He specifically did not put Anthony in jail because he wanted to avoid an appeal process.Susan B. Anthony and her 14 fellow Rochester women were not the only ones who attempted to vote in the 1872 election. In total, about 150 women attempted to register or vote that year. Virginia Minor of St. Louis attempted to register as a voter and was turned away. Minor followed the tactic that Anthony had intended to use, after her registration was rejected Minor sued the register in a case that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. In Minor v Happersett the Supreme Court ruled that citizenship means “membership in a nation and nothing more.” This decision refuted Anthony’s interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment and remained in place until the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment.Susan B. Anthony never paid the $100 fine and she never sought a pardon for her conviction. She viewed the conviction as a matter of pride in the fight for women’s suffrage. However, President Donald J. Trump pardoned Anthony on August 18, 2020 as part of the centennial of women’s suffrage.The original Ontario County Courthouse is now City Hall, across the street. The current courthouse was constructed in 1858 for about $57,000. The structure was enlarged in 1908 with the addition of a third floor and extensions to the north and south. The courthouse was preserved through extensive renovations in 1987-1988 and 2016. A bust of Susan B. Anthony is outside the courtroom entrance and a portrait of her hangs inside the courtroom.

Trial of Susan B. Anthony for the crime of voting, June 17-18, 1873

After years of careful planning and development, the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts opened in September of 2011. The initial idea for this center began with Muriel Kauffman in 1994. After Muriel Kaufman passed away the following year, her daughter, Julia Irene Kauffman, decided to see her late mother's project through completion. The latter years of the 1990s were filled with initial planning and feasibility studies to ensure that the Performing Arts Center could be completed. In 2000, architect Moshe Safdie was selected for the design of the Center. Additionally, Richard Pilbrow was selected as a partner to design the theater within the Center while Yasu Toyota was selected as a partner to focus on acoustics within the Center. By 2002, Safdie presented his finalized plan for the Center to leaders within Kansas City. In 2006, 13-acres of land in the downtown area was secured for the project. Leaders hoped the positioning of the Center would help renew the area and spark a cultural landscape around the Center in the years after its opening. Construction began on October 6, 2006, and the grand opening was in September of 2011. The Center continues to serve as a cultural beacon in Kansas City, with diverse audiences from all over the country attending performances by many different performing arts groups, including the Kansas City Ballet, the Kansas City Symphony, and Lyric Opera of Kansas City.Muriel McBrien Kauffman, the visionary behind the Kauffman Center, was a civic leader and philanthropist in Kansas City. Muriel Kaufman married pharmaceutical entrepreneur Ewing Kauffman in 1962. The couple worked together on numerous philanthropic ventures during their lives and are memorialized by several other Kansas City institutions that bear their name along with a statue outside the Kaufman Foundation headquarters. The couple worked together on numerous projects, including the work to bring Kansas City a Major League Franchise in 1969, and there is also a statue of the couple together in the outfield of Kaufman Stadium.In addition to her work with her husband, Muriel Kaufman led numerous community projects on her own, including efforts to support preservation and accessibility to the arts. Her passion for the arts led to the construction of this facility and the creation of the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation in 1987.The Foundation has a mission to:<blockquote>Support organizations and programs that enhance the quality and accessibility of the arts in the greater Kansas City community.3</blockquote>The Muriel McBrien Kaufmann Foundation provides funding to many organizations dedicated to the arts in the Kansas City metro, including the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the Kansas City Arts Institute, and the UMKC Conservatory of Music, among others. The Foundation also provided $80 million for the development of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, and continues to provide funding to the Center to continue to promote affordable access to the arts and art education. While Muriel Kaufman passed away in March of 1995, her daughter, Julia Irene Kauffman, oversaw the effort to build this structure and still serves as the Chairman and CEO of the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation which works to preserve her mother's legacy while continuing to provide the community with access to both performing and visual arts.

The performance home of the Lyric Opera of Kansas City and Kansas City Ballet, this 1800-seat theater was designed to mirror the audience experience of the world's finest opera houses and hosts numerous touring performances each year. Kansas City philanthropist Muriel McBrien Kauffman began the effort that would culminate in the 2011 dedication of this performing arts center in 1994. Today, the Kaufman Center serves as the home of the Kansas City Ballet and the Kansas City Symphony while also hosting special events throughout the year. The Kauffman Center is also home to Helzberg Hall, which is home to the Kansas City Symphony. In addition to this performing arts center, Muriel Kauffman is remembered for her many years of service to the community through many philanthropic endeavors, and her legacy continues today through the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation which supports the arts in the Kansas City area.

Muriel Kauffman Theatre; Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

Highlight Long Family, Architecture, and Piano

The Living Room

<blockquote>"To our Club-Loyalty; To the Community-Service."1</blockquote>The idea for the Kansas City Young Matrons was conceived by Carolyn Farwell Fuller, the President of the Athenaeum from 1917-1918. She wanted to establish a club that allowed married women the opportunity to expand their interests, especially in relation to charity and education. On September 14, 1917, the KCYM, originally known as the Kansas City Athenaeum Young Matrons, was established in the Kansas City Athenaeum Club House. However, in 1920, the club withdrew from the Athenaeum Club and was newly recognized as the Kansas City Young Matrons. By September of 1936, the club opened their own clubhouse at 51st and Oak Street in Kansas City. Throughout the years, KCYM has worked with dozens of civic and social organizations, and their members have contributed countless volunteer hours at such organizations.In 1998, the club house was listed on the Kansas City Register of Historical Places. This listing protected the clubhouse from demolition, which was highly important nearly 20 years later. In 2015, the University of Missouri-Kansas City had plans to develop a mixed-use building. Unfortunately, the placement on campus for this building would require the removal of the KCYM club house. Due to its historic status, it could not be demolished. Instead, the building was relocated just a short distance away, and was placed at 52nd and Cherry Street, where it is still located today. The movement, renovation, and addition that was added to the building was completed by NSPJ Architects. Although this company does not normally conduct building relocations, they were happy to oblige for the KCYM house.KCYM still provides extensive philanthropic service, from volunteer hours by members to raising funds for worthy causes. Their biennial event, The Magic Ball, is a formal gala that raises significant funds for a specified philanthropic organization or project, which change each time the gala is hosted. Through their intervention, KCYM provides beneficial services for the good of the community, thus perpetuating their over 100-year legacy.

Organized in 1917, and incorporated in 1921, the Kansas City Young Matrons is an organization that was originally for young, married women to conduct philanthropic work. The club began with just over 30 members, and now boasts over 300. Throughout the year, members of KCYM contribute their time to volunteer hours around the community, and every two years they host The Magic Ball to raise funds for a specific philanthropic project.

Kansas City Young Matrons House

<blockquote>"I don't want to let any of us 'off the hook.' We need to reach out and make a difference."2</blockquote>Sister Rosemary Flanigan, Ph.D, spent her life advocating for others in many different ways. Sister Rosemary completed a doctorate in philosophy at Saint Louis University, and continually used her education to promote philosophy and ethics throughout the communities she served. As a nun within the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, she traveled with five other Catholic nuns from St. Louis, Missouri, to Selma, Alabama. Once there, the nuns participated in the civil rights march across the Pettus Bridge. The Selma Six, or the Sisters of Selma, as they were called, marked the first time Catholic nuns participated in a national public protest. In an interview in 2020, Sister Rosemary recalled her participation in Selma:<blockquote>"We stood with Black people in Selma, but what a little bitty thing we did."2</blockquote>Through this remark, she calls on people today to do more in making a difference, truly working towards making changes for the betterment of vulnerable people and communities. Although she was outspoken about civil rights for decades, Sister Rosemary was more well-known for different community contributions. Sister Rosemary served as an educator in multiple different academic institutions, including Avila University and Rockhurst University. She also taught English and Philosophy at her alma mater, St. Teresa's Academy in Kansas City. St. Teresa's, sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, is the oldest high school in Kansas City. Opened in 1866, the academy aimed to provide educational opportunities to women and prepare them for their futures. This continues to be St. Teresa's mission to this day.After decades of teaching, Sister Rosemary moved from education to the healthcare field, advocating for patients and ethical practices in medicine.

Sister Rosemary Flanigan, Ph.D, has lived a life of service through her participation in activist movements, education, and healthcare organizations. As one member of the Selma Six, or the Sisters of Selma, Sr. Rosemary was among six Catholic nuns who participated in the 1965 Civil Rights march in Selma. This served as the first time that Catholic nuns participated in a public national protest, emphasizing their call for racial equality and the importance of the Civil Rights movement. However, Sr. Rosemary is more well-known for the contributions she made later in her life. She served as director of ethics and educational development at the Center for Practical Bioethics, and served as an educator for almost 30 years, including years spent at her alma mater, St. Teresa's Academy in Kansas City.

Sister Rosemary Flanigan, St. Teresa's Academy

<blockquote>"I don't want to let any of us 'off the hook.' We need to reach out and make a difference."2</blockquote>Sister Rosemary Flanigan, Ph.D, spent her life advocating for others in many different ways. Sister Rosemary completed a doctorate in philosophy at Saint Louis University, and continually used her education to promote philosophy and ethics throughout the communities she served. In 1965, as a nun within the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, she traveled with five other Catholic nuns from St. Louis, Missouri, to Selma, Alabama. Once there, the nuns participated in the civil rights march across the Pettus Bridge. The Selma Six, or the Sisters of Selma, as they were called, marked the first time Catholic nuns participated in a national public protest. In an interview in 2020, Sister Rosemary recalled her participation in Selma:<blockquote>"We stood with Black people in Selma, but what a little bitty thing we did."2</blockquote>Through this remark, she calls on people today to do more in making a difference, truly working towards making changes for the betterment of vulnerable people and communities.Although she was outspoken about civil rights for decades, Sister Rosemary was more well-known for different community contributions. Sister Rosemary served as an educator in multiple different academic institutions, including Avila University and Rockhurst University. She also taught English and Philosophy at her alma mater, St. Teresa's Academy in Kansas City. St. Teresa's, sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, is the oldest high school in Kansas City. Opened in 1866, the academy aimed to provide educational opportunities to women and prepare them for their futures, which continues to be their mission to this day.After decades of teaching, Sister Rosemary moved from education to the healthcare field, advocating for patients and ethical practices in medicine. She served as the director of ethics and educational development at the Center for Practical Bioethics from 1992 until 2010, and also served as an ethics consultant throughout her time at the Center. She assisted with the development of ethics committees in countless hospitals across the country. In this role, Sister Rosemary also educated the members of newly formed ethics committees on ethical practices and ways to approach life-or-death situations within hospitals and nursing homes. She also served on the Community Advisory Committee for the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City in 2004 and 2005, after being appointed by Attorney General Jay Nixon. Throughout her life, Sister Rosemary advocated for vulnerable people and communities and affirmed the dignity of all people. By 2012, Sister Rosemary had retired from the Center for Practical Bioethics and other professional endeavors due to her deteriorating hearing, but, she volunteered two days per week at the St. Teresa Academy archives. In 2017, she was inducted into the Starr Women's Hall of Fame at the University of Missouri-Kansas City for her contributions to Civil Rights, education, and bioethics. As of 2020, she was still advocating for racial equality and the importance of supporting vulnerable communities, as seen in her interview with Carol Coburn for the Global Sisters Report.

<blockquote>"I think we need to make kids a priority."2</blockquote>In a 2017 interview with Global Sisters Report, Sister Berta Sailer emphasized this point when speaking of the systems within our nation that impact impoverished children, foster children, and orphans. And, while both Sister Berta and Sister Corita Bussanmas highlighted how there is still work to be done to help children living in poverty, their lives were an example on how to make such changes and help children in need.Sister Corita and Sister Berta met in 1958 when they were both assigned to the Our Lady of Angels School in Chicago by their order, Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The school had just experienced an unimaginable tragedy: a fire that took the lives of 92 students. Sister Corita and Sister Berta learned firsthand how to comfort children, including those who had undergone great suffering, and ran a club for wayward teens in the area. In the latter half of the 1960s, they were assigned to St. Vincent's in Kansas City. While at St. Vincent's, Sisters Corita and Berta recognized that single mothers in the area needed childcare in order to provide for their families. Thus, the pair began to provide this service for their community, ignoring the Catholic diocese's plans to close St. Vincent's and the childcare it provided. Their dedication to the community allowed them to maintain the school as well as provide daycare services for younger children in the convent's living room. In 1971, their vision expanded, and Sister Corita and Berta consolidated their childcare program and the school into Operation Breakthrough, a not-for-profit dedicated to providing necessary services to impoverished children in the community. It was originally located at 31st and Paseo, moving to its current location in 1981. The pair worked countless hours to maintain Operation Breakthrough and build it from the ground up, personally communicating with politicians, athletes, and philanthropists to gain donations and support from prominent members of the community. While their work within Operation Breakthrough and the community was important, the pair devoted even more of themselves to the needs of children in the 1990s: they became foster parents.In 1994, Sister Corita and Sister Berta became licensed foster parents, and fostered over 70 children throughout their lives. They also adopted four children: Yauti, Ronnie, Vanshay, and Tyrez. This was not a common practice for nuns at the time, but Sister Cortia and Berta did not let that stop them from changing the lives of dozens of children in the Kansas City area. Their

Operation Breakthrough was co-founded by Sister Corita Bussanmas and Sister Berta Sailer in 1971. Operation Breakthrough is a nonprofit childcare organization that provides educational programming, before and after school care, well-child care, resources for parental support, and emergency services. The organization aids children and parents that live in poverty, and cares for over 700 children each weekday. Sister Corita and Sister Berta were fierce advocates for children, personally approaching athletes, philanthropists, and politicians to gain support and funds for Operation Breakthrough. Their advocacy expanded, educating middle-class families in the community on the issues of poverty in the Kansas City area. On top of developing Operation Breakthrough, Sister Corita and Sister Berta served as foster parents for dozens of children.

Operation Breakthrough, Sister Corita Bussanmas and Sister Berta Sailer

<blockquote>"I think we need to make kids a priority."2</blockquote>In a 2017 interview with Global Sisters Report, Sister Berta Sailer emphasized this point when speaking of the systems within our nation that impact impoverished children, foster children, and orphans. And, while both Sister Berta and Sister Corita Bussanmas highlighted how there is still work to be done to help children living in poverty, their lives were an example on how to make such changes and help children in need.Sister Corita and Sister Berta met in 1958 when they were both assigned to the Our Lady of Angels School in Chicago by their order, Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The school had just experienced an unimaginable tragedy: a fire that took the lives of 92 students. Sister Corita and Sister Berta learned firsthand how to comfort children, including those who had undergone great suffering, and ran a club for wayward teens in the area. In the latter half of the 1960s, they were assigned to St. Vincent's in Kansas City. While at St. Vincent's, Sisters Corita and Berta recognized that single mothers in the area needed childcare in order to provide for their families. Thus, the pair began to provide this service for their community, ignoring the Catholic diocese's plans to close St. Vincent's and the childcare it provided. Their dedication to the community allowed them to maintain the school as well as provide daycare services for younger children in the convent's living room.In 1971, their vision expanded, and Sister Corita and Berta consolidated their childcare program and the school into Operation Breakthrough, a not-for-profit dedicated to providing necessary services to impoverished children in the community. It was originally located at 31st and Paseo, moving to its current location in 1981. The pair worked countless hours to maintain Operation Breakthrough and build it from the ground up, personally communicating with politicians, athletes, and philanthropists to gain donations and support from prominent members of the community. While their work within Operation Breakthrough and the community was important, the pair devoted even more of themselves to the needs of children in the 1990s: they became foster parents.In 1994, Sister Corita and Sister Berta became licensed foster parents, and fostered over 70 children throughout their lives. They also adopted four children: Yauti, Ronnie, Vanshay, and Tyrez. This was not a common practice for nuns at the time, but Sister Cortia and Berta did not let that stop them from changing the lives of dozens of children in the Kansas City area. Their contributions have been recognized more than once, with Sister Berta receiving the 2010 Greater Missouri Woman of the Year award, and Sister Corita receiving the 2006 Bank of America Neighborhood Builder Award, and the Marion and John Kreamer Award for Social Entrepreneurship from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Both were inducted into the Starr Women's Hall of Fame at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2021. Sadly, Sister Corita Bussanmas passed away on March 27, 2021, but her legacy lives on through Operation Breakthrough.Currently, Operation Breakthrough serves over 700 children every weekday, ranging from infants to 14-year-olds. The organization provides before and after school care, as well as educational programming. They also have a a satellite clinic with Children's Mercy Hospital that provides well-child checkups. Operation Breakthrough also assists with emergency services, providing groceries and other essential items at their food pantry. Adult programming is also provided, ranging from emergency services, adult therapy, and educational programs on child rearing and child development. The services Operation Breakthrough provide to the community are vital for the wellness of children and families who are living in poverty, and the legacy of Sister Corita and Sister Berta will live on through the organization's work.

Although the living room had a French, Francis I theme, it served as a less formal space than other rooms within the home, offering a space of relaxation and comfort for the Long family. When the home finished construction in 1910, the Long family moved into a fully furnished house that met all of the detailed instructions that Robert Long had provided to the architect, Henry Hoit, and the interior designer, William Baumgarten. With the living room's décor consisting of blue and gold slate with a marble base, and blue damask with salamander and crown motifs on the walls, the Francis I style did not take away from the comfort the space provided to the family. Cast bronze satyr door handles and a torchiere displayed in the room offer insight into the details that were included in the home's construction, adding luxury and décor to even the most mundane aspects of the home. Such additions, along with the general expertise that the home was constructed, led Baumgarten to proclaim:<blockquote>"There isn't a better built house in this country."1</blockquote>Ella Wilson Long, Robert A. Long's wife, frequented the living room as it was one of her favorite spaces in Corinthian Hall. Ella, originally a Pennsylvania Quaker, moved to Columbus, Kansas, in 1870. In 1875, she married Robert A. Long, and they eventually moved their family to the Kansas City area. As the lady of the house, Mrs. Long managed the everyday business of Corinthian Hall, including staff management and daily scheduling as well as preparing for guests and events. However, even with such a busy life, Mrs. Long found many opportunities to enjoy both leisure time and contributing to charitable ventures. In this way, both Mr. and Mrs. Long took pride in their philanthropic endeavors, contributing to their community whenever they could.Mr. and Mrs. Long added decorations from their travels in their home, two of which are featured in the living room, both of which were acquired on their European excursion in 1910. One was The Mandolinist, a painting by Eugen von Blaas, an Austrian artist born in Italy. After hanging in the living room from the family's initial move into Corinthian Hall, the original painting was sold during the 1934 auction. The current reproduction on display was donated in 2019 by Sotheby's. The second piece is a Bone China Set that featured paintings of classic mythology. The china set would have been used by the Long family, including the grandchildren, to enjoy tea together. Martha Leland, Sally Long's daughter and Mr. and Mrs. Long's granddaughter, had the Bone China Tea Set in her possession, as it was one of her favorite pieces from her grandparents' home, until she donated the set to the Kansas City Museum in 1990. Along with artwork and utensils used for family-time, the family valued musical entertainment, seen through the inclusion of player pianos in both the living room and the salon. No member of the family could play the piano themselves, so the player piano allowed them to enjoy musical entertainment each day without a fuss. Although player pianos would one day be replaced by phonographs, the pianos continued to serve as beautiful decoration in the home for the family to admire.Although the family's city-based home was luxurious and well-crafted, Mr. Long dreamed of having a country home like those he saw while growing up in Kentucky. Thus, with the help of Henry Hoit once again, Longview Farm located in Lee's Summit, Missouri, was born. The mansion on the 1,780-acre property, designed by Hoit, served as an escape from the city for the family. Additionally, the property served as a fully-functional farm with 40 buildings and 175 staff members. The farm produced milk for the community, raised livestock, and became well-known for breeding horses. Such horses were used by Loula Long, who was a champion equestrienne in North America and Britain. Loula participated in her first horse show in 1906, one year after the American Royal horse show in Kansas City began, and went on to win many awards. She would move to Longview Farm in 1917, where she and her husband, Robert Pryor Combs, would stay until her death in 1971. Loula and her sister, Sally, donated 146 acres of the Longview property for Longview Community College to be constructed. The living room demonstrates the day-to-day lives that the Long family may have experienced, emphasizing the ways in which they relaxed as a family. Corinthian Hall served as a home for the Long family until the death of Robert A. Long in 1934. Loula and Sally put the home on the market in 1934 after an auction, but would end up donating the home to the Kansas City Museum Association in 1939 after 5 unsuccessful years on the realty market. Although not all of the original aspects of the home are preserved, the museum ensures that patrons know which items are original to the home and which are not, and have done everything they can to maintain the historical integrity and architecture of the spaces for the most immersive experience.

The Living Room in Corinthian Hall served as one of Mrs. Long's favorite rooms. As the room would have been used for family-time as well as entertaining close guests, the Kansas City Museum has maintained this theme within the Living Room exhibit. Unfortunately, much of the original living room is no longer featured in the space, and only the wood flooring and wall sconces are original features from the room. All other additions have been carefully researched by reconstruction architects in order to maintain the room's historical integrity. The room features a life-size blueprint of the mantel that would have been present in the room when the Long family lived in Corinthian Hall, artwork, a piano, and other aspects that demonstrate the home-life that the Long family led.

Although the living room had a French, Francis I theme, it served as a less formal space than other rooms within the home, offering a space of relaxation and comfort for the Long family. When the home finished construction in 1910, the Long family moved into a fully furnished house that met all of the detailed instructions that Robert Long had provided to the architect, Henry Hoit, and the interior designer, William Baumgarten. With the living room's décor consisting of blue and gold slate with a marble base, and blue damask with salamander and crown motifs on the walls, the Francis I style did not take away from the comfort the space provided to the family. Cast bronze satyr door handles and a torchiere displayed in the room offer insight into the details that were included in the home's construction, adding luxury and décor to even the most mundane aspects of the home. Such additions, along with the general expertise that the home was constructed, led Baumgarten to proclaim:<blockquote>"There isn't a better built house in this country."1</blockquote>Ella Wilson Long, Robert A. Long's wife, frequented the living room as it was one of her favorite spaces in Corinthian Hall. Ella, originally a Pennsylvania Quaker, moved to Columbus, Kansas, in 1870. In 1875, she married Robert A. Long, and they eventually moved their family to the Kansas City area. As the lady of the house, Mrs. Long managed the everyday business of Corinthian Hall, including staff management and daily scheduling as well as preparing for guests and events. However, even with such a busy life, Mrs. Long found many opportunities to enjoy both leisure time and contributing to charitable ventures. In this way, both Mr. and Mrs. Long took pride in their philanthropic endeavors, contributing to their community whenever they could.Mr. and Mrs. Long added decorations from their travels in their home, two of which are featured in the living room, both of which were acquired on their European excursion in 1910. One was "The Mandolinist," a painting by Eugen von Blaas, an Austrian artist born in Italy. After hanging in the living room from the family's initial move into Corinthian Hall, the original painting was sold during the 1934 auction. The current reproduction on display was donated in 2019 by Sotheby's. The second piece is a Bone China Set that featured paintings of classic mythology. The china set would have been used by the Long family, including the grandchildren, to enjoy tea together. Martha Leland, Sally Long's daughter and Mr. and Mrs. Long's granddaughter, had the Bone China Tea Set in her possession, as it was one of her favorite pieces from her grandparents' home, until she donated the set to the Kansas City Museum in 1990. Along with artwork and utensils used for family-time, the family valued musical entertainment, seen through the inclusion of player pianos in both the living room and the salon. No member of the family could play the piano themselves, so the player piano allowed them to enjoy musical entertainment each day without a fuss. Although player pianos would one day be replaced by phonographs, the pianos continued to serve as beautiful decoration in the home for the family to admire.Although the family's city-based home was luxurious and well-crafted, Mr. Long dreamed of having a country home like those he saw while growing up in Kentucky. Thus, with the help of Henry Hoit once again, Longview Farm located in Lee's Summit, Missouri, was born. The mansion on the 1,780-acre property, designed by Hoit, served as an escape from the city for the family. Additionally, the property served as a fully-functional farm with 40 buildings and 175 staff members. The farm produced milk for the community, raised livestock, and became well-known for breeding horses. Such horses were used by Loula Long, who was a champion equestrienne in North America and Britain. Loula participated in her first horse show in 1906, one year after the American Royal horse show in Kansas City began, and went on to win many awards. She would move to Longview Farm in 1917, where she and her husband, Robert Pryor Combs, would stay until her death in 1971. Loula and her sister, Sally, donated 146 acres of the Longview property for Longview Community College to be constructed.The living room demonstrates the day-to-day lives that the Long family may have experienced, emphasizing the ways in which they relaxed as a family. Corinthian Hall served as a home for the Long family until the death of Robert A. Long in 1934. Loula and Sally put the home on the market in 1934 after an auction, but would end up donating the home to the Kansas City Museum Association in 1939 after 5 unsuccessful years on the realty market. Although not all of the original aspects of the home are preserved, the museum ensures that patrons know which items are original to the home and which are not, and have done everything they can to maintain the historical integrity and architecture of the spaces for the most immersive experience.

<blockquote>"To our Club-Loyalty; To the Community-Service."1</blockquote>The idea for the Kansas City Young Matrons was conceived by Carolyn Farwell Fuller, the President of the Athenaeum from 1917 to 1918. She wanted to establish a club that allowed married women the opportunity to expand their interests, especially in relation to charity and education. On September 14, 1917, the KCYM, originally known as the Kansas City Athenaeum Young Matrons, was established in the Kansas City Athenaeum Club House. However, in 1920, the club withdrew from the Athenaeum Club and was newly recognized as the Kansas City Young Matrons. By September of 1936, the club opened its own clubhouse at 51st and Oak Street in Kansas City. Throughout the years, KCYM has worked with dozens of civic and social organizations, and its members have contributed countless volunteer hours at such organizations.In 1998, the clubhouse was listed on the Kansas City Register of Historic Places. This listing protected the clubhouse from demolition, which was highly important nearly 20 years later. In 2015, the University of Missouri-Kansas City had plans to develop a mixed-use building. Unfortunately, the placement on campus for this building would require the removal of the KCYM clubhouse. Due to its historic status, it could not be demolished. Instead, the building was relocated just a short distance away and was placed at 52nd and Cherry Street, where it is still located today. The movement of the building and its renovation and addition was completed by NSPJ Architects. Although this company does not normally conduct building relocations, they were happy to oblige for the KCYM house.KCYM still provides extensive philanthropic service, from volunteer hours by members to raising funds for worthy causes. Their biennial event, The Magic Ball, is a formal gala that raises significant funds for a specified philanthropic organization or project, which changes each time the gala is hosted. Through their intervention, KCYM provides beneficial services for the good of the community, thus perpetuating the organization's century-plus legacy of service to Kansas City.

Organized in 1917, and incorporated in 1921, the Kansas City Young Matrons is an organization that was originally for young, married women to conduct philanthropic work. The club began with just over 30 members and now boasts over 300. Throughout the year, members of KCYM contribute their time to volunteer hours around the community, and every two years they host The Magic Ball to raise funds for a specific philanthropic project.

<blockquote>"I think we need to make kids a priority."2</blockquote>In a 2017 interview with Global Sisters Report, Sister Berta Sailer emphasized this point when speaking of the systems within our nation that impact impoverished children, foster children, and orphans. And, while both Sister Berta and Sister Corita Bussanmas highlighted how there is still work to be done to help children living in poverty, their lives were an example on how to make such changes and help children in need.Sister Corita and Sister Berta met in 1958 when they were both assigned to the Our Lady of Angels School in Chicago by their order, Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The school had just experienced an unimaginable tragedy: a fire that took the lives of 92 students. Sister Corita and Sister Berta learned firsthand how to comfort children, including those who had undergone great suffering, and ran a club for wayward teens in the area. In the latter half of the 1960s, they were assigned to St. Vincent's in Kansas City. While at St. Vincent's, Sisters Corita and Berta recognized that single mothers in the area needed childcare in order to provide for their families. Thus, the pair began to provide this service for their community, ignoring the Catholic diocese's plans to close St. Vincent's and the childcare it provided. Their dedication to the community allowed them to maintain the school as well as provide daycare services for younger children in the convent's living room.In 1971, their vision expanded, and Sister Corita and Berta consolidated their childcare program and the school into Operation Breakthrough, a not-for-profit dedicated to providing necessary services to impoverished children in the community. It was originally located at 31st and Paseo, moving to its current location in 1981. The pair worked countless hours to maintain Operation Breakthrough and build it from the ground up, personally communicating with politicians, athletes, and philanthropists to gain donations and support from prominent members of the community. While their work within Operation Breakthrough and the community was important, the pair devoted even more of themselves to the needs of children in the 1990s: they became foster parents.In 1994, Sister Corita and Sister Berta became licensed foster parents, and fostered over 70 children throughout their lives. They also adopted four children: Yauti, Ronnie, Vanshay, and Tyrez. This was not a common practice for nuns at the time, but Sister Cortia and Berta did not let that stop them from changing the lives of dozens of children in the Kansas City area. Their contributions have been recognized more than once, with Sister Berta receiving the 2010 Greater Missouri Woman of the Year award, and Sister Corita receiving the 2006 Bank of America Neighborhood Builder Award, and the Marion and John Kreamer Award for Social Entrepreneurship from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Both were inducted into the Starr Women's Hall of Fame at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2021. Sadly, Sister Corita Bussanmas passed away on March 27, 2021, but her legacy lives on through Operation Breakthrough.Currently, Operation Breakthrough serves over 700 children every weekday, ranging from infants to 14-year-olds. The organization provides before and after school care, as well as educational programming. They also have a a satellite clinic with Children's Mercy Hospital that provides well-child checkups. Operation Breakthrough also assists with emergency services, providing groceries and other essential items at their food pantry. Adult programming is also provided, ranging from emergency services, adult therapy, and educational programs on child rearing and child development. The services Operation Breakthrough provide to the community are vital for the wellness of children and families who are living in poverty, and the legacy of Sister Corita and Sister Berta will live on through the organization's work.

Operation Breakthrough was co-founded by Sister Corita Bussanmas and Sister Berta Sailer in 1971 when their efforts to serve the families of this neighborhood demonstrated the need for a nonprofit childcare organization. The two nuns worked around the clock and demonstrated incredible creativity to meet the needs of parents and children in the early years of the organization. Thanks to their leadership and example, the organization now provides educational programming, before and after school care, well-child care, resources for parental support, and emergency services. The organization aids children and parents that live in poverty, and cares for over 700 children each weekday. Sister Corita and Sister Berta were fierce advocates for children and personally approached the leading athletes, philanthropists, and politicians in the community to gain support and funds for Operation Breakthrough. Their advocacy expanded, educating middle-class families in the community on the issues of poverty in the Kansas City area. On top of developing Operation Breakthrough, Sister Corita and Sister Berta served as foster parents for dozens of children.

Although the living room had a French, Francis I theme, it served as a less formal space than other rooms within the home, offering a space of relaxation and comfort for the Long family. When the home finished construction in 1910, the Long family moved into a fully furnished house that met all of the detailed instructions that Robert Long had provided to the architect, Henry Hoit, and the interior designer, William Baumgarten. With the living room's décor consisting of blue and gold slate with a marble base, and blue damask with salamander and crown motifs on the walls, the Francis I style did not take away from the comfort the space provided to the family. Cast bronze satyr door handles and a torchiere displayed in the room offer insight into the details that were included in the home's construction, adding luxury and décor to even the most mundane aspects of the home. Such additions, along with the general expertise that the home was constructed, led Baumgarten to proclaim:<blockquote>"There isn't a better built house in this country."1</blockquote>Ella Wilson Long, Robert A. Long's wife, frequented the living room as it was one of her favorite spaces in Corinthian Hall. Ella, originally a Pennsylvania Quaker, moved to Columbus, Kansas, in 1870. In 1875, she married Robert A. Long, and they eventually moved their family to the Kansas City area. As the lady of the house, Mrs. Long managed the everyday business of Corinthian Hall, including staff management and daily scheduling as well as preparing for guests and events. However, even with such a busy life, Mrs. Long found many opportunities to enjoy both leisure time and contributing to charitable ventures. In this way, both Mr. and Mrs. Long took pride in their philanthropic endeavors, contributing to their community whenever they could.Mr. and Mrs. Long added decorations from their travels in their home, two of which are featured in the living room, both of which were acquired on their European excursion in 1910. One was "The Mandolinist," a painting by Eugen von Blaas, an Austrian artist born in Italy. After hanging in the living room from the family's initial move into Corinthian Hall, the original painting was sold during the 1934 auction. The current reproduction on display was donated in 2019 by Sotheby's. The second piece is a Bone China Set that featured paintings of classic mythology. The china set would have been used by the Long family, including the grandchildren, to enjoy tea together. Martha Leland, Sally Long's daughter and Mr. and Mrs. Long's granddaughter, had the Bone China Tea Set in her possession, as it was one of her favorite pieces from her grandparents' home, until she donated the set to the Kansas City Museum in 1990. Along with artwork and utensils used for family-time, the family valued musical entertainment, seen through the inclusion of player pianos in both the living room and the salon. No member of the family could play the piano themselves, so the player piano allowed them to enjoy musical entertainment each day without a fuss. Although player pianos would one day be replaced by phonographs, the pianos continued to serve as beautiful decoration in the home for the family to admire.Although the family's city-based home was luxurious and well-crafted, Mr. Long dreamed of having a country home like those he saw while growing up in Kentucky. Thus, with the help of Henry Hoit once again, Longview Farm located in Lee's Summit, Missouri, was born. The mansion on the 1,780-acre property, designed by Hoit, served as an escape from the city for the family. Additionally, the property served as a fully-functional farm with 40 buildings and 175 staff members. The farm produced milk for the community, raised livestock, and became well-known for breeding horses. Such horses were used by Loula Long, who was a champion equestrienne in North America and Britain. Loula participated in her first horse show in 1906, one year after the American Royal horse show in Kansas City began, and went on to win many awards. She would move to Longview Farm in 1917, where she and her husband, Robert Pryor Combs, would stay until her death in 1971. Loula and her sister, Sally, donated 146 acres of the Longview property for Longview Community College to be constructed.The living room demonstrates the day-to-day lives that the Long family may have experienced, emphasizing the ways in which they relaxed as a family. Corinthian Hall served as a home for the Long family until the death of Robert A. Long in 1934. Loula and Sally put the home on the market in 1934 after an auction, but would end up donating the home to the Kansas City Museum Association in 1939 after 5 unsuccessful years on the realty market. Although not all of the original aspects of the home are preserved, the museum ensures that patrons know which items are original to the home and which are not, and have done everything they can to maintain the historical integrity and architecture of the spaces for the most immersive experience.

Bettye Wilson Miller was born in Clinton, Missouri, on September 12, 1927, to Bernis and Maude Wilson. She attended Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, where she received both a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Music. Her studies focussed on vocal performance which helped shape her career after two years of working as an elementary school teacher in Philadelphia.  Before her partnership with the jazz bassist, Milt Abel, Bettye was married to her first husband, Joel Miller. Her daughter from this marriage was named Bettyejo, and she would keep her last name from this marriage for her professional career. When she was in Kansas City, she would join the Kansas City scene as both a vocalist and a pianist in the early 1950s. She began with a trio comprised of herself, the bassist Milt Abel, and the drummer Wallace Jones. Milt and Bettye became romantically involved long after their initial acquaintanceship, playing together in both a trio and duo setting prior to their marriage years after their first meeting. They would become legends within the Kansas City jazz scene from the 1950s until the 1970s.  They played usual gigs at many different Kansas City establishments, including The Strawberry Patch, The Plaza III Restaurant, and Putsch’s 210 Restaurant. However, one of their most important venues was The Horseshoe Lounge at 32nd and Troost. This lounge had been the place at which they first met, and thus, served as a foundation for their iconic jazz duo. Unfortunately, all of the venues that Bettye and Milt performed at are no longer in business. While some of them have been replaced by newer businesses, The Horseshoe Lounge has since been completely demolished. Bettye and Milt would not perform only in local venues, however, and would even perform in establishments in New York, Philadelphia, and Las Vegas, among others. Their impact on Kansas City jazz in the mid-20th century was undeniable, contributing to and promoting the reawakening of jazz within the city. This included their development of contemporary swing, which was a part of the modern jazz movement. Their prominence in the music scene in the city, lasting over 20 years, spoke to their success and prowess. Bettye was even known as the high priestess and queen of Kansas City Jazz, which was a title that Mary Lou Williams, another famous jazz musician, had also held at one point. The fact that their usual gigs were filled with dedicated fans and regulars also displays the impact they had within the modern jazz community in Kansas City. Bettye expanded her love of jazz into community foundations, including her contributions to the Charlie Parker Memorial Foundation. Charlie Parker was an influential jazz saxophonist from Kansas City, Kansas, and the memorial foundation in his name provides music education and also works to preserve the memory of Kansas City Jazz. Bettye donated her time and talents to the foundation, thus contributing to music education and the preservation of jazz. In 1975, Bettye was diagnosed with cancer. After fighting her illness for two years, Bettye Miller Abel passed away on February 28, 1977. Hundreds attended her funeral and shared memories of her kind nature and the contributions she made to the Kansas City jazz community, and many more attended the memorial concert held in her honor.

Jazz musicians in Kansas City shaped the genre in the 1920s and 1930s, and area artists like Bettye Wilson Miller contributed to the "modern jazz" movement from the 1950s to the 1970s. Bettye Miller met Milt Abel at the Horseshoe Lounge, which was located at 3243 Troost Avenue, and the pair formed a professional partnership that grew the Kansas City sound. The duo, who would later be married, took the Kansas City music scene by storm. Her vocals and piano skills paired with Milt's bass skills led to sold-out performances throughout Kansas City as well as national performances. Bettye also mentored youth and supported musical education through her support of the Charlie Parker Memorial Foundation until she passed away in 1977 after an extended battle with cancer. The Horseshoe Lounge was demolished in the latter half of the 20th century, but the legacy of her influence continued in the generations of Kansas City musicians that followed.

Bettye Wilson Miller, The Horseshoe Lounge (Demolished)

Guadalupe Centers, Dorothy Gallagher

<blockquote>"I think we need to make kids a priority."2</blockquote>In a 2017 interview with Global Sisters Report, Sister Berta Sailer emphasized this point when speaking of the systems within our nation that impact impoverished children, foster children, and orphans. And, while both Sister Berta and Sister Corita Bussanmas highlighted how there is still work to be done to help children living in poverty, their lives were an example on how to make such changes and help children in need.Sister Corita and Sister Berta met in 1958 when they were both assigned to the Our Lady of Angels School in Chicago by their order, Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The school had just experienced an unimaginable tragedy: a fire that took the lives of 92 students. Sister Corita and Sister Berta learned firsthand how to comfort children, including those who had undergone great suffering, and ran a club for wayward teens in the area. In the latter half of the 1960s, they were assigned to St. Vincent's in Kansas City. While at St. Vincent's, Sisters Corita and Berta recognized that single mothers in the area needed childcare in order to provide for their families. Thus, the pair began to provide this service for their community, ignoring the Catholic diocese's plans to close St. Vincent's and the childcare it provided. Their dedication to the community allowed them to maintain the school as well as provide daycare services for younger children in the convent's living room.In 1971, their vision expanded, and Sister Corita and Berta consolidated their childcare program and the school into Operation Breakthrough, a not-for-profit dedicated to providing necessary services to impoverished children in the community. It was originally located at 31st and Paseo, moving to its current location in 1981. The pair worked countless hours to maintain Operation Breakthrough and build it from the ground up, personally communicating with politicians, athletes, and philanthropists to gain donations and support from prominent members of the community. While their work within Operation Breakthrough and the community was important, the pair devoted even more of themselves to the needs of children in the 1990s: they became foster parents.In 1994, Sister Corita and Sister Berta became licensed foster parents, and fostered over 70 children throughout their lives. They also adopted four children: Yauti, Ronnie, Vanshay, and Tyrez. This was not a common practice for nuns at the time, but Sister Cortia and Berta did not let that stop them from changing the lives of dozens of children in the Kansas City area. Their contributions have been recognized more than once, with Sister Berta receiving the 2010 Greater Missouri Woman of the Year award, and Sister Corita receiving the 2006 Bank of America Neighborhood Builder Award, and the Marion and John Kreamer Award for Social Entrepreneurship from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Both were inducted into the Starr Women's Hall of Fame at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2021. Sadly, Sister Corita Bussanmas passed away on March 27, 2021, but her legacy lives on through Operation Breakthrough.Currently, Operation Breakthrough serves over 700 children every weekday, ranging from infants to 14-year-olds. The organization provides before and after school care, as well as educational programming. The services Operation Breakthrough provide to the community are vital for the wellness of children and families who are living in poverty, and the legacy of Sister Corita and Sister Berta will live on through the organization's work.

Started in 1971 by Sister Corita Bussanmas and Sister Berta Sailer, Operation Breakthrough is a not-for-profit organization that provides necessary services for Kansas City youth living in poverty. Originally located at 31st and Paseo, the Sisters moved the organization to its current location off of 30th and Troost in 1981. This location allows the organization to service one of the most impoverished areas in the Kansas City metro. Operation Breakthrough serves over 700 children everyday, providing after school programming, educational programming, childcare for infants and toddlers, and teen programming. Additional adult programs are provided for parents to assist with the difficulties of poverty and raise families into new opportunities.Jennifer Heinemann, Director of Stewardship and Planned Giving at Operation Breakthrough, offers both stories of the founding Sisters as well as the current services and importance of Operation Breakthrough today in the provided audio. She additionally covers the progress that Operation Breakthrough had over the years. The staff at Operation Breakthrough continue to uphold the Sisters' legacy by maintaining the organization and continually serving the community's youth.

Currently, Operation Breakthrough serves over 700 children every weekday, ranging from infants to 14-year-olds. The organization provides before and after school care, as well as educational programming. They also have a a satellite clinic with Children's Mercy Hospital that provides well-child checkups. Operation Breakthrough also assists with emergency services, providing groceries and other essential items at their food pantry. Adult programming is also provided, ranging from emergency services, adult therapy, and educational programs on child rearing and child development. The services Operation Breakthrough provide to the community are vital for the wellness of children and families who are living in poverty.

Operation Breakthrough

Kay Barnes, also referenced as Kay Cronkite Waldo or Kay Waldo Barnes, was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, to Fritz Cronkite, a high school football and basketball, and her mother, a school teacher. Both her parents encouraged Kay to help others and make an impact on the community throughout her life. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education from the University of Kansas, starting her career as an educator after graduation. Later, she would re-enter Academia, receiving a Master's degree in secondary education in 1971, followed by a Master of Public Administration degree in 1978, both from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She would put her education to great use as a public servant for most of her career.Kay attributes both her time spent with her cousin Walter Cronkite, the former CBS news anchor, and a summer spent in Washington, D.C. with her father to her interest in politics later in life. When she visited Washington, D.C., her father was the Chief of Staff to the Missouri Congressman, allowing her time in both the House and Senate galleries to see the nation's political process firsthand. Her visit aligned with the Civil Rights debates and the senator Joseph McCarthy hearings, thus opening her eyes to the many difficult issues that permeate the political and governmental theatre in the United States.Prior to her mayoral terms, Kay participated in many political opportunities. She worked for Cross-Line Cooperative Council, positioned in the urban core, in the 1960s, and also founded her own business, Kay Waldo, Inc., dedicated to the development of human resources. In 1974, Kay became one of the first two women elected to the Jackson County legislature. Additionally, in 1979, Kay was elected to the Kansas City, Missouri City Council for the 4th District seat, holding the position for one full council term. From 1996 until 1998, she served as the chair of the Tax Increment Finance Commission, giving her extensive training in economic development and other economic issues that would be prevalent during her later terms as mayor. When Kay was elected the first woman mayor of Kansas City, Missouri in 1999, the urban core of the city was, as many described, simply surviving, not thriving. Kay made it her mission to improve the city throughout her terms, revitalizing downtown Kansas City, Missouri, and creating a blueprint for expansion and improvements throughout the first decades of the 21st century.At the time that Mayor Barnes was in office, the mayor of Kansas City, Kansas was Carol Marinovich, the first female mayor of Kansas City, Kansas, and mayor/CEO of the unified Wyandotte County and Kansas City, KS governments. Their mayor ships demonstrated a growing acceptance of women in higher political roles at the time, that would continue to grow throughout the coming decades. Mayor Barnes understood the growing need to revitalize Kansas City's downtown area, leading to multi-billion dollar investments, both public and private, to improve the urban core of the city. As a member of the Greater Kansas City Sports Commission, Kay found that the construction of an arena in the downtown area would be economically beneficial to the city. Thus, she spearheaded a campaign for the development of the Sprint Center, which opened in October of 2007 and still serves the city today. She additionally led the efforts to move the H&amp;R Block World Headquarters to downtown Kansas City, where it is still located between 13th Street and Main Street. This development pushed further revitalization efforts along, and also brought many jobs and new residents to the area. She also led the charge for converting buildings in the downtown area into apartments and lofts, leading to a flood of over 7,000 residents entering the downtown area. Her leadership also led to the opening of the Power and Light District, which not only attracts Kansas Citians for entertainment, but also serves a tourist attraction within the city. Her accomplishments as mayor led to growth within the downtown area of Kansas City that extended well beyond her terms as mayor. By 2017, there were 26,000 residents in the downtown area, as compared to its 2,000 residents in 2002. Her blueprint for urban developments, infrastructure change, and economic improvements have continued to be recognized today. Her accomplishments extend past her political career, including the co-founding of the Women's Central Exchange in Kansas City, a personal and professional development organization for women in the Greater Kansas City area. She also founded the Center for Leadership at Park University in 2007, where she also served as a distinguished professor for public leadership. She would later serve as Senior Director for University Engagement at Park University. She also helped establish the Women's Resource Service, or the Women's Center, at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She has since received countless distinguished awards, including the Central Exchange Visionary of the Year award in 2007, the 2018 UMKC Alumna of the Year award, and the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce 2018 Kansas Citian of the Year award. She was inducted into the Starr Women's Hall of Fame at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2015.Mayor Kay Barnes set the stage for improvements within the urban core of Kansas City, Missouri, that lasted long after her two terms as mayor. As the first woman mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, she represented the ever-evolving political landscape within the United States, serving as an example of the expansion of women's roles in government.

Kay Barnes was elected Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, in March 1999, becoming the first female mayor of the city. She served two consecutive terms as mayor, from 1999 until 2007. Throughout her mayoralty, she spearheaded the efforts to bring the H&amp;R Block's World Headquarters to downtown Kansas City, Missouri, on 13th Street and Main Street. Her efforts throughout her mayor ship brought about infrastructure improvements and propelled maintenance work in the city forward, bringing new life to the downtown area and the city as a whole. She, along with the City Council of the time, gained citizens' votes to improve fire stations, ambulance services, and the police force throughout the city, additionally helping with safety and response times within the city. She received the Central Exchange Visionary of the Year award in 2007 and the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Kansas Citian of the Year award in 2018 for both her accomplishments as the first female mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, and her following accomplishments outside of office.

Kay Barnes, H&R Block World Headquarters

In 1919, the Agnes Ward Amberg Club, an organization for affluent, white, Catholic women, founded the Guadalupe Center to help Mexican immigrants in the Kansas City area, especially focusing on women and children. However, while the concept sounds beneficial, the organization focused on the Americanization of Mexican immigrants, and included services that were condescending to the women who immigrated to Kansas City. In other words, cooking and sewing classes were offered, when the Mexican women immigrating to Kansas City were already trained in such matters. In 1926, Dorothy Gallgher, a daughter of a wealthy businessman, became the director of the Center. After visiting the homes of Mexican families, realized the Mexican-American community in Kansas City did not only want English lessons or other classes at the center. Rather, they wanted a community center for their families to gather together and solidify the Mexican-American community in the city. Gallagher's family donated land to build a new Center in 1936, and Dorothy served as the director of the Guadalupe Center until 1944, when she left to assist in France during World War II. Over the decades, the Mexican-American community reclaimed the Guadalupe Center from the city's Catholic diocese, establishing services the Mexican-American community both needed and wanted for community building and cultural expansion.

Dorothy Gallagher was born into a wealthy Kansas City family on January 8, 1894. From a young age, Dorothy decided she wanted to help others, and she became a teacher at the Notre Dame de Sion School. However, she felt that she could do more for the Kansas City community, leading her to enter into social work. Her move to social work led her to the Agnes Ward Amberg Club, a Catholic women's organization mostly for affluent, white women. The Agnes Ward Amberg Club had founded the Guadalupe Center in 1919, focusing on providing services for the Mexican American community in Kansas City. The original Guadalupe Center was located at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at 1015 W. 23rd Street. However, while it did provide services to the Mexican community, it also sought to Americanize Mexican immigrants rather than embrace their unique culture. Overtime, the Guadalupe Center would evolve to better serve the Mexican community in Kansas City, steering away from Americanization and assimilation and towards a more culturally significant community center in later decades.Initial changes began in 1926, when Dorothy Gallagher became the director of the Guadalupe Center. Gallagher visited the homes of the families who came to the Center, and listened to their suggestions for different classes and services offered at the Center, requesting more than just English classes and courses for Americanizing the community. The first new event was the Gran Fiesta, first held in 1926 becoming an annual event to celebrate and preserve Mexican culture among the community. The fiesta occurred on the Feast of Our Lady Guadalupe, and the funds raised went towards the Center's general operations. Other events included musical groups and folk dancing groups, among other culturally significant activities and events. However, by 1935, an expansion was necessary for the Center, but the Agnes Ward Amberg Club did not have the means to fund such an expansion. So, Dorothy Gallagher used her family's wealth to provide land for a new location, while also paying for an architect and the construction of the new Spanish-style building for the center. The new location, still in use today, opened on the west side of Avenida Cesar Chavez Street in 1936.The Center then offered classes, clubs, sports teams, vocational training and professional guidance, as well as their annual fiesta and other events. Gallagher did not receive payment for her role as director at the Guadalupe Center, and was often referred to as the "Godmother of Guadalupe." She remained director of the Center until 1944, when she decided to go to war-torn France to provide social work. When she returned to the United States after the end of the war, she returned to teaching, becoming an educator at the University of Kansas and the College of St. Teresa, now known as Avila College. She also contributed to the founding of the local Catholic Charities and served as chair of the Jackson County Welfare Association from 1953 until 1955. She passed in 1982 after dedicating her life to social work. She is still most well-known for her contributions to the Guadalupe Center in the first half of the 20th century.The Catholic Diocese took over the Guadalupe Center after Gallagher left her position, and the end of World War II paired with the rise of the Civil Rights movement led to changes once again in the latter half of the 20th century. By the 1970s, the diocese and the Mexican American community, and the larger Latinx community, in Kansas City had opposing ideas for the Center as it moved into the future. The Latinx community wanted leadership from its own community members rather than charity from white members of the diocese. Thus, the diocese ceased its leadership of the Center in 1978, and the Latinx community chose Tony Salazar as the new director of the Guadalupe Center. He would go on to appoint Chris Medina as director in 1980, a position Medina would hold for the next four decades. The Guadalupe Center was thus reclaimed by the Latinx community, and worked to preserve and celebrate the cultural heritage of many Latin nations. The Center is now composed of multiple buildings and hundreds of staff members, providing healthcare services, educational programming, financial services with their on-site credit union, childcare, professional development, and various social and cultural events and clubs for the Latinx community to participate in. The Guadalupe Centers, Inc., serves as an example of an organization that was originally created to Americanize a community of immigrants that was reclaimed by the community and evolved into an organization that celebrates and preserves varying cultural heritages.

In 1919, the Agnes Ward Amberg Club, an organization for affluent, white, Catholic women, founded the Guadalupe Center to help Mexican immigrants in the Kansas City area, especially focusing on women and children. However, while the concept sounds beneficial, the organization focused on the Americanization of Mexican immigrants, and included services that were condescending to the women who immigrated to Kansas City. In other words, cooking and sewing classes were offered, when the Mexican women immigrating to Kansas City were already trained in such matters. In 1926, Dorothy Gallagher, a daughter of a wealthy businessman, became the director of the Center. After visiting the homes of Mexican families, she realized the Mexican American community in Kansas City did not only want English lessons or other classes at the center. Rather, they wanted a community center for their families to gather together and solidify the Mexican American community in the city. Gallagher's family donated land to build a new Center in 1936, and Dorothy served as the director of the Guadalupe Center until 1944, when she left to assist in France during World War II. Over the decades, the Mexican American and Latinx community reclaimed the Guadalupe Center from the city's Catholic diocese, establishing services the Latinx community both needed and wanted for community building and cultural expansion.

Educator and namesake of Cockefair Hall

Cockefair Hall, Carolyn Benton Cockefair

Distinguished African American teacher in Kansas City, KS

Rebecca L. Bloodworth, Sumner High School

Educator in Merriam, KS. Provided private teaching to African American students when they were boycotting the school district to fight against segregation.

Corinthian Clay Nutter, Walker Elementary School Historical Marker

Dorothy Gallagher was born into a wealthy Kansas City family on January 8, 1894. From a young age, Dorothy decided she wanted to help others, and she became a teacher at the Notre Dame de Sion School. However, she felt that she could do more for the Kansas City community, leading her to enter into social work. Her move to social work led her to the Agnes Ward Amberg Club, a Catholic women's organization mostly for affluent, white women. The Agnes Ward Amberg Club had founded the Guadalupe Center in 1919, focusing on providing services for the Mexican American community in Kansas City. The original Guadalupe Center was located at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at 1015 W. 23rd Street. However, while it did provide services to the Mexican community, it also sought to Americanize Mexican immigrants rather than embrace their unique culture. Overtime, the Guadalupe Center would evolve to better serve the Mexican community in Kansas City, steering away from Americanization and assimilation and towards a more culturally significant community center in later decades.Initial changes began in 1926, when Dorothy Gallagher became the director of the Guadalupe Center. Gallagher visited the homes of the families who came to the Center, and listened to their suggestions for different classes and services offered at the Center, requesting more than just English classes and courses for Americanizing the community. The first new event was the Gran Fiesta, first held in 1926 becoming an annual event to celebrate and preserve Mexican culture among the community. The fiesta occurred on the Feast of Our Lady Guadalupe, and the funds raised went towards the Center's general operations. Other events included musical groups and folk dancing groups, among other culturally significant activities and events. However, by 1935, an expansion was necessary for the Center, but the Agnes Ward Amberg Club did not have the means to fund such an expansion. So, Dorothy Gallagher used her family's wealth to provide land for a new location, while also paying for an architect and the construction of the new Spanish-style building for the center. The new location, still in use today, opened on the west side of Avenida Cesar Chavez Street in 1936.The Center then offered classes, clubs, sports teams, vocational training and professional guidance, as well as their annual fiesta and other events. Gallagher did not receive payment for her role as director at the Guadalupe Center, and was often referred to as the "Godmother of Guadalupe." She remained director of the Center until 1944, when she decided to go to war-torn France to provide social work. When she returned to the United States after the end of the war, she returned to teaching, becoming an educator at the University of Kansas and the College of St. Teresa, now known as Avila College. She also contributed to the founding of the local Catholic Charities and served as chair of the Jackson County Welfare Association from 1953 until 1955. She passed in 1982 after dedicating her life to social work. She is still most well-known for her contributions to the Guadalupe Center in the first half of the 20th century.The Catholic Diocese took over the Guadalupe Center after Gallagher left her position, and the end of World War II paired with the rise of the Civil Rights movement led to changes once again in the latter half of the 20th century. By the 1970s, the diocese and the Mexican American community, and the larger Latinx community, in Kansas City had opposing ideas for the Center as it moved into the future. The Latinx community wanted leadership from its own community members rather than charity from white members of the diocese. Thus, the diocese ceased its leadership of the Center in 1978, and the Latinx community chose Tony Salazar as the new director of the Guadalupe Center. He would go on to appoint Chris Medina as director in 1980, a position Medina would hold for the next four decades.The Guadalupe Center was thus reclaimed by the Latinx community, and worked to preserve and celebrate the cultural heritage of many Latin nations. The Center is now composed of multiple buildings and hundreds of staff members, providing healthcare services, educational programming, financial services with their on-site credit union, childcare, professional development, and various social and cultural events and clubs for the Latinx community to participate in. The Guadalupe Centers, Inc., serves as an example of an organization that was originally created to Americanize a community of immigrants that was reclaimed by the community and evolved into an organization that celebrates and preserves varying cultural heritages.

In the early 20th century, the economy of the city grew along with Kansas City's reputation for entertainment and nightlife that led to the nickname "Paris of the Plains." The stockyards dominated the city's economy and industries in the early years of the 20th century, serving as the first million-dollar-a-year industry in the city. A diverse population of employees labored in the stockyards, with over 20,000 workers contributing to the city's movement into the modern age. Additional industries included railroads, automobile production, agricultural production, garment manufacturing, and meatpacking plants, all of which further contributed to Kansas City's economic and social landscape. Much like the stockyards, each industry sported employees of varying backgrounds and brought many immigrants to the area. Immigrants and people of color shaped the city throughout the 20th century, contributing heavily to its growth and success.Immigration to Kansas City reached its height between the 1880s and the 1920s, leading to the development of ethnic neighborhoods. Most immigrants hailed from Mexico or varying parts of Europe. One such immigrant was Joseph Charles Cirese, Sr., for whom this gallery is named. Cirese immigrated, alone, to the United States from Italy at only 12 years old. Over a decade later, he married Mary Nigro Gargotta, settling in Northeast Kansas City. Joseph, Sr., and Mary had three children, named Michael, Lucille, and Joseph. Cirese, Sr., made his name as an entrepreneur by founding Bulldog Battery, Universal Trailer, Eastside Electric and Plumbing, and Cirese Power and Light. He was also a founding shareholder and chairman for Central Bank of Kansas City, which is still in operation today. Another prominent immigrant at this time was Rose Shklar Mindlin Jacobson, who emigrated from Russia at a young age in 1888. Rose opened a women's hat shop, Mindlin's, that grew in popularity, leading to the opening of three shops around the city. Her shopfront in the Country Club Plaza was the first store specifically for women in the shopping center, providing women with popular accessories at the time. Other influential immigrants included the midwife and traditional healer, Juana Frausto-Castro, whose family served as the first Mexican immigrants located west of Broadway Boulevard, and composer Carl Busch, a Danish immigrant who became director of the Kansas City Philharmonic Symphony.While immigrants and people of color contributed to the growth of industries in Kansas City, they also developed entertainment in the city that became nationally known. One such form of entertainment was Kansas City Jazz. The African American community in Kansas City influenced the city's jazz scene, developing a unique sound that separated Kansas City Jazz from New Orleans or Chicago Jazz. In the late 19th century into the early 20th century, most of the nightclubs in the city were found on 12th Street. Later, the 18th and Vine district developed into an entertainment center for the African American community in Kansas City. Jazz musicians and their careers were protected through the formation of the Musicians Protective Union Local 627, otherwise known as the Colored Musicians Union. Many Jazz musicians contributed to the Kansas City style, including Bennie Moten and Julie Lee, among others.Bennie Moten was a founding member of the Negro Musician's Association and a highly celebrated big band leader of the 1920s. Moten toured the Southwest and Midwest with his first band, the B.B.&amp;D. Trio, to promote Kansas City Jazz to people who may not have heard it before. Julia Lee had an impressive career that spanned four decades, her husky voice recognizable in the Jazz scene. Lee performed at the White House for President Harry S. Truman when he was in office, among other accomplishments she had throughout her career. There were many other jazz musicians that contributed to the Kansas City Jazz scene at the time, and the legacy of Jazz can be seen in the 18th and Vine district, where local leaders and community members have worked together to preserve cultural history in Kansas City.As the years passed with booming industries and the development of Jazz, and the introduction of prohibition came about, Kansas City became infamous for "Boss Politics" and government corruption. Prohibition did not appear to impact the sale or consumption of alcohol in Kansas City, and bootlegging remained fruitful in the city. Police and politicians in the area tended to ignore Prohibition, and Kansans came to town to partake in alcoholic drinks, as Kansas maintained a prohibition on alcohol from 1881. During this time, Thomas J. Pendergast's beverage company produced sodas with room for the addition of alcohol by consumers. This was only the beginning of Pendergast's less than legal means of operation, however, as he would become the political "Boss" of Kansas City for over a decade."Boss politics" were not a new phenomenon when Tom Pendergast, or "Boss Tom," came into power. In fact, Kansas City had restructured its city government in hopes of preventing such politics and control from occurring. In 1925, the city adopted a council-manager government meant to reduce the power of the mayor. In this structure, a nine-member council would select a manager for the city. Unfortunately, this new structure did not work as originally planned, and corruption reigned supreme when the Jackson County Democratic Club, of which Pendergast was chairman, gained five council seats in the first election after government restructure. This imbalance gave Pendergast an upper-hand among council decisions, allowing him a great deal of power as mayor. Pendergast's political machine, one of the most powerful in the country, ruled Kansas City, leading to the city's new nickname of "Tom's Town." Pendergast controlled elections and the underworld of the city, establishing connections with immigrants and people of color he thought would be beneficial to his cause.One such connection included Pendergast's interactions with sports promoter Felix Payne, a powerful Black businessman in the city. As an associate for Pendergast, Payne exercised his influence in the African American community to guarantee Pendergast and his chosen candidates received the majority of African American voters. Although associated with Pendergast's corruption, Payne had his own flourishing businesses, such as the "Kansas City American" newspaper and a nightclub. Pendergast's rule would not last forever, though. The Pendergast machine would end in 1939, after "Boss Tom" was imprisoned for income tax evasion, and John B. Gage entered the mayoralty in 1940. A candidate for the Forward Kansas City Committee, a group set on toppling the Pendergast machine, Gage served three mayoral terms focusing on economic improvements for the near-bankrupt city and removing any remaining corruption left from the Pendergast era.Businessmen and women flourished in Kansas City throughout this period, and women gained more autonomy and voice in Kansas City society with Women's Suffrage and the passage of the 19th Amendment. It is important to note that the 19th Amendment did not apply to women of color, and it would be years before voting rights were granted to all women, not only white women. Nell Donnelly Reed was a successful businesswoman in Kansas City, founding the Donnelly Garment Company in 1919 which mass-produced women's ready-made dresses. Although providing many benefits for her employees, she was adamantly against the formation of a union amongst her workers, and would fire anyone who attempted to join one. She was especially against the International Ladies Garment Workers Union. The "Barbecue King," Henry Perry, was another successful business owner in Kansas City. He opened the first Kansas City barbecue in the early 20th century in the Garment District, serving as a foundation for later barbecue joints in the city, such as Arthur Bryant's Barbecue and Gates BBQ. Kansas City barbecue is now nationally known and highly popular.The first half of the 20th century saw many changes for Kansas City that developed a lasting foundation for the city that can still be seen today. Immigrants, the working class, African Americans, and additional people and communities of color contributed heavily to the industry boom in the early 1900s, and contributed to the city's cultural heritage. Although Kansas City had an infamous history throughout the 1920s and 1930s thanks to political corruption, changes were made to improve the city's reputation throughout the second half of the 20th century.

The Joseph Charles Cirese, Sr., and Central Bank of Kansas City Gallery focuses on the period from the 1910s until the 1940s. The era was a time of physical and economic growth for the city, but while Kansas City's industries thrived, so too did its crime. The gallery includes exhibits that center on prohibition and the rise of "Boss Politics" in Kansas City where Thomas J. Pendergast created a political machine that blended corruption and cronyism with pragmatic responsiveness to at least some of the needs of local residents in order to secure electoral victory year after year. One of the most powerful political machines in the country, The Pendergast Machine lasted from the late 1920s until 1939 when Pendergast was imprisoned for income tax evasion. The exhibit includes the history of the political machine that controlled neighborhoods as well as the development of jazz, women's suffrage, booming industries and growth of the city, and the experiences of immigrants and people of color who contributed to the city's continued growth.

The Joseph Charles Cirese, Sr., and Central Bank of Kansas City Gallery

The latter half of the 1800s served as a period of growth for Kansas City. The city limits were extended in the south and the west, immigrants of varying backgrounds moved to the city, and many industries began to flourish in the area. Originally incorporated as the "Town of Kansas" in 1850, and later changed to Kansas City in 1889, the city's growth truly erupted after the end of the Civil War with the development of the Hannibal Bridge. The evolution of transportation methods within the city also contributed to growth, and allowed Kansas Citians the opportunity to move more efficiently around the city. Starting with an animal-drawn streetcar railway, introduced by Nehemiah Holmes in 1868, community transportation methods evolved into a cable car and electric trolley system. As transportation evolved, so too did the landscape within the City. Urban planner George Kessler, inspired by the City Beautiful Movement, created parks and other landscapes in the area that beautified the city. Kessler designed the park situated outside the library located in Corinthian Hall.Kansas City's growth can also be attributed to many individuals, but it is also important to remember that some of leaders made decisions that limited the freedoms and opportunities of African Americans and other marginalized groups. One such individual was the real estate developer Jesse Clyde Nichols, who also went by J.C. Nichols. The Country Club Plaza and residential areas were designed by Nichols, but he is also known for the implementation and perpetuation of strict racial segregation in his neighborhood developments, enforced by racial codes in deeds and home owner's associations. Such implementations maintained racial segregation within Kansas City neighborhoods well into the 20th Century, demonstrating how the City's growth mostly benefitted certain white Kansas Citians while limiting opportunities for African Americans, immigrants, and the working class.While the period following the Civil War saw limited victories for racial integration such as the Civil Rights Act of 1875, Supreme Court cases like Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896 upheld state and local laws mandating racial segregation in public facilities. Racial discrimination impacted employment opportunities, education, healthcare, home ownership, and many other aspects of life within Kansas City. African Americans, Mexican Americans, immigrants, Jews, and Native Americans all experienced discrimination throughout this period, which extended well into the latter half of the 20th century and left a lasting legacy of racial and ethnic discrimination that is still visible in Kansas City today.Underrepresented communities, including Black and Mexican communities, created and supported their own schools, banks, housing developments, retail stores, and social and entertainment clubs. Churches were also prominent organizations in communities of color, with both the Second Baptist Church and the Allen Chapel AME Church, the oldest Black congregations in Kansas City, still serving the community today. The African American community in Kansas City also created twenty-two Black newspapers, including "The Call," which provided news coverage on the Black community, often ignored in white newspapers.General Hospital No. 2 was created in 1908 after Dr. Thomas Unthank lobbied for its development. The hospital employed many top Black doctors and nurses and served people of color who had been segregated from white hospitals. The Wheatley-Provident Hospital also served the African American community in Kansas City, and employed an entirely Black staff. Founded by Dr. J. Edward Perry in 1902, the hospital evolved from private practice to the Perry Sanitarium and Nurse Training Association by 1910, and finally to the Wheatley-Provident Hospital in 1918. The hospital grew again in 1925 through a collaboration with Dr. Katherine Berry Richardson, co-founder of the Children's Mercy Hospital, that resulted in the construction of a two-story pediatric ward.Additional individuals contributed to the Black community of Kansas City, including Lafayette Alonzo Tillman and Ida M. Bowman Becks. Tillman served as the second Black police officer in Kansas City and operated a barbershop in the area. Tillman became a police officer after returning from the military, where he had served in the Philippine Insurrection and the Spanish-American War and risen to first lieutenant. Becks was an avid advocate for women's suffrage and African American civil rights in Kansas City. She was nationally known for her eloquent public speaking, which she used as a delegate in the 1921 NAACP convention in Detroit, Michigan. She contributed to the community in many ways, including the organization of the Negro Women's National Republic League. People of color continuously fought for equal rights in Kansas City, and their efforts should always be remembered.Government organizations in Kansas City also experienced growth during this time. The Kansas City Fire Department has offered innovation in fire prevention and fire fighting since its inception. Its youngest chief, George Hale, contributed to such innovation, modernizing techniques through his own inventions. The Kansas City Fire Department won the International Fire Congress competition held in Europe in both 1893 and 1900, demonstrating the department's prestige. The Parks and Recreation Department also grew throughout this period and offered services to parts of the community. Community parks served as a form of popular recreation for Kansas Citians, however, segregation was enforced in many parks around the city, limiting activities available to people of color in the area. In 1908, the Park Department hired Elenore Canny to develop recreation activities at Holmes Square Park, a role not normally held by women. She was sworn in as a police officer in 1910, only one of three female police officers in the country at the time, specifically focusing on threats to children. Civilian-led organizations also developed throughout this period. Such organizations included the Kansas City Suffrage League, the Agnes Ward Amberg Club, the Black Women's Club Movement, the National Association of Colored Women, and the Guadalupe Center, among others.Forms of community entertainment also experienced growth at this time, for example, the organization of the Priests of Pallas by the business community. From 1887 until 1912, this festival occurred each Fall, including a parade and an elaborate, invitation-only formal ball. Thrown in the honor of the Greek goddess, Pallas Athene, the festival served as a way to promote shopping downtown. Although formally ending in 1912, the festival returned from 1922 to 1924. While Kansas City experienced extensive growth from the 1880s through the 1920s, there was an unequal distribution of benefits, and racial discrimination plagued the city. In order for Kansas City to truly thrive, decades of changes would need to occur, and even with such change, the foundations of inequality can still be seen throughout the city today.

The William T. Kemper Gallery within the Kansas City Museum highlights the early growth of Kansas City from the 1880s into the 1920s. Growing industries are highlighted in the exhibition room along with important organizations that encouraged improvements within the city. Examples of these organizations are the Kansas City Fire Department, Kansas City Parks and Recreation, the Kansas City Suffrage League, and General Hospital No. 2 which served the African American communities of the city from 1930 to the integration of the city's hospital system in the late 1950s. Important individuals of the time are also highlighted along with artifacts that reflect the experiences of immigrants, marginalized communities, and working-class families.

The William T. Kemper Gallery

"Our City, Our Stories" features 21 different unique, personal stories from different Kansas Citians from varying racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. Along with photos, the stories recount personal strength, courage, hope, and unity. One such personal account comes from Samantha, an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community who aims to expand human compassion. Her story is one of courage and resilience, as most of her loved ones left her side after she came out as a transgender woman in 2016. Samantha now speaks at universities, schools, hospitals, and other organizations throughout the city, advocating for equality, diversity, and inclusion. Along with talks, she also contributes to multiple newspapers to promote acceptance and compassion throughout the community.Samantha's story is one of many from the Kansas City metro that highlight perseverance, hope, and compassion. "Our City, Our Stories," while aiming to connect Kansas Citians together through personal stories and experiences, is also partnered with the nonprofit 7 Billion Ones. This organization collects personal stories from people of various backgrounds with the mission of connecting and empowering one another - all across the globe. With the Kansas City Museum's local contribution, the museum hopes to continue to document stories to connect and empower all who visit the exhibit.

Kansas City has a diverse population with rich cultural histories that have shaped the city into what it is today. The exhibit, "Our City, Our Stories," features stories from 21 different Kansas Citians, each highlighting their own unique racial, ethnic, and cultural background. Although the stories are brief, the exhibit allows patrons an inside look into the lives of Kansas Citians of all walks of life.

Our City, Our Stories

<blockquote>"So we restore a city, what then?...The city is an engine of our society, a machine for problem-solving, a mill to grind issues until they are fine and can be baked into the bread of change."1</blockquote>After the lasting impacts of the suburbanization of the 20th century, Dr. Mindy Fullilove calls attention to the importance of revitalizing urban centers and neighborhoods for ensuring equality and improvements in communities. Urban and neighborhood revitalization has greatly impacted Kansas City throughout the past five decades, and improvements continue to be made today. Innovation sparked by residents led to positive change within the city, and many individuals and organizations contributed to changes within the city that were necessary for growth, equality, and development.While city revitalization can positively impact a community, there have been many instances of negative impacts as well, especially when city revitalization was conducted in the 1950s and 1960s. The Missouri's Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority, beginning in 1954, led to many negative developments in Kansas City including the Chouteau Courts public housing project that contributed to racial segregation, and the construction of I-35 and I-70 which destroyed cultural sectors of the city. As opposed to revitalization projects conducted by civic organizations, revitalization projects by cities can negatively impact marginalized or under-represented communities through unfair land acquisition practices among impoverished or culturally diverse neighborhoods. This could be seen with the construction of Highway 71 that spanned throughout Kansas City in the early 2000s. While connecting the city, it also divided communities that were once intact.The Northeast neighborhoods in Kansas City were the most negatively impacted by white flight and suburbanization, and by the 1970s there were signs of neglect in the area. Community-based service organizations led the way for neighborhood revitalization efforts in marginalized communities, leading to positive change over the decades and a strong legacy of resilience. Such organizations included Blue Hills Community Services, Kansas City Neighborhood Alliance, Guadalupe Centers, Inc., El Centro, Inc., Westside Housing Organization, and the Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council. An extremely important organization has been the Heart of America Indian Center, or the Kansas City Indian Center, founded in the 1950s and formally incorporated in 1971. The KCIC provided social, cultural, and health services to Native American communities that had been continually marginalized by federal policies that forcibly disbanded and relocated tribes throughout the decades. Community-based organizations have continued to be the catalyst for true positive change within the Kansas City area.Revitalization efforts continued from the 1970s throughout the 2010s. The construction of Crown Center in 1971 and the renovation of the River Market, also known as the River Quay, neighborhood by Marion A. Trozzolo starting in 1972 led to a renaissance in downtown Kansas City. Preserving the city's cultural heritage also gained popular traction in the 1970s with the development of the Ethnic Heritage Committee, later becoming the permanent Ethnic Enrichment Commission, that works to raise awareness of Kansas City's diverse cultural heritage, preserving cultures, and encouraging appreciation of diverse cultures in the community. Improvements in engineering, construction, and emergency management were sought after the tragic walkway collapse at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in 1981, killing 114 and injuring 200 others. Tragedy often leads to impactful change in order to prevent such events from occurring again.Political equity and empowerment became tied to the racial and gender equality movements throughout the 1970s, leading to new political voices that impacted communities. Richard L. Berkley, mayor of Kansas City from 1971 until 1991, was the first Jewish mayor of the city. The city embraced inclusive politics throughout his mayoralty, and Berkley encouraged growth in the city through capital improvement projects. The following two mayors continued to break barriers, with the election of Emanuel Cleaver (1991-1999), the first Black mayor, in 1991, and Kay Barnes (1999-2007), the first female mayor, in 1997. All three mayors contributed to impactful changes in the city that redeveloped neglected areas, such as the 18th and Vine district under Cleaver's leadership, or economic changes, such as the relocation of the H&amp;R Block World Headquarters to Kansas City under Barnes' leadership.The 1990s saw many changes and calls for equality and action. Amid the HIV/AIDS Crisis of the early 1990s, the Kansas City Free Health Clinic, SAVE Inc., Good Samaritan Project, and HARCMart formed the AIDS Service Foundation of Greater Kansas City (ASF) with combined organizational funds. ASF raises funds, promotes awareness of HIV/AIDS, and provides extensive services to those impacted by HIV/AIDS. Their continued contributions assist all those impacted by HIV/AIDS, and aids the movement towards more effective medical treatments and an eventual cure for the disease. Calls for revitalization also continued in the 1990s, seen through the introduction of the "bi-state tax" in 1996 that impacted Jackson, Clay, and Platte counties in Missouri, and Johnson county in Kansas. The tax was reserved for Union Station restoration, completed in 1999, which sparked a revitalization boom in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.Such revitalization, along with environmental concerns, led to the development of mass transit within the metro area in the early 2000s. The KC Streetcar and Metro Area Express bus lines connect the city and allow an affordable and sustainable way for residents to traverse through the area. Additional walking and biking trails, as well as bike lanes, have also contributed to expanding forms of transportation within the city. Arts and entertainment districts expanded in the early 2000s as construction on the Crossroads Art District, the Power and Light District, and the Sprint Center arena were completed. Commerce was revitalized in the urban core through the relocation of the H&amp;R Block World Headquarters to Kansas City under the leadership of Mayor Kay Barnes. Kansas City served as Google's first fiber city, and has hosted many business and tech start-ups. The city's continued economic diversification has been beneficial during economic shifts, and growth has continued throughout the 2010s and into the 2020s.In the late 2010s and into the 2020s, focus on environmental protection and conservation has increased. The formation of the Heartland Conservation Alliance has encouraged conservation efforts throughout the community, especially focusing on the Blue River watershed. Additional focuses in the community included embracing Kansas City's music history and remembering the tragedies that occurred due to racial inequality and violence in the past. UNESCO established Kansas City as a City of Music and part of its Creative Cities Network, acknowledging the city's use of creative means for sustainable urban development. The Community Remembrance Project of Missouri became a partner with the Equal Justice Initiative in 2019, establishing projects to memorialize victims of racial violence and encourage respectful dialogue addressing racial inequality in the United States today. The Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center and the Black Archives of Mid-America, among other organizations, are contributing to such educational exhibits and experiences.Neighborhood revitalization occurred at the same time as urban revitalization, propelled by community-based service organizations and dedicated residents within neighborhood communities. This particular exhibit highlights many neighborhoods in Kansas City, including Pendleton Heights, Independence Plaza, Lykins, Sheffield, Indian Mound, and Scarritt Renaissance. An updated city plan for development was recently introduced, entitled "The KC Spirit Playbook." The COVID-19 pandemic brought to light many of the racial and economic disparities that still remain in Kansas City, and continued change and improvement is a goal for city officials.

The rise of suburbanization in the mid-20th century led to a decrease in population in city centers and a loss of tax revenue to maintain those areas, causing urban decay. Suburbanization also reinforced housing segregation, with "white flight" taking white Kansas Citians away from urban centers and relocating them to racially and economically restricted suburban developments. Marginalized communities were left in areas that began to decay. However, many individuals and groups worked towards the revitalization of negatively impacted neighborhoods. Additionally, many civil rights groups worked towards the end of racially exclusive housing developments, achieving change throughout the 20th century. While revitalization and civil rights efforts were met with success, rapid suburbanization and racial exclusion in the housing industry still leaves an indelible mark on the city today. Many events shaped the city and impacted its development throughout the past five decades, leading to the vibrant city known today. Now, with numerous culturally diverse neighborhoods, Kansas City's story has become one of collective heritage, perseverance, civic unity, urban improvement, hope, and pride.

Our Neighborhoods, Our Stories

Corinthian Clay Nutter, born in 1906, served as an influential educator in Merriam, Kansas. Earning her Kansas teaching certificate in 1938, she would continue her education at Emporia State University in pursuit of a Master's degree. She later accepted a teaching position at Walker Elementary School, a segregated school in Merriam, Kansas, for African American students. The school lacked funds and was in disrepair due to the racial segregation of schools at the time. When a new school was built in the district, but restricted Black students from attending, parents and activists in the area boycotted the Walker Elementary school. Nutter provided tutoring and classes outside of Walker Elementary during the boycott, using church basements or personal living rooms to conduct class. Esther Swirk Brown, a local activist, organized a legal case to challenge the segregation of the newly established school in the district, which eventually reached the Kansas Supreme Court, entitled Webb v. School District No. 90. After the case granted African American students attendance to the new school, Nutter would move to Olathe, Kansas, to teach and later become the principal at Westview Elementary School. Corinthian Clay Nutter passed away on February 10, 2004.

Educator who overcame racism to study at KU and Columbia University and to become the first full-time Black professor at UMKC. Graduated from Lincoln High school.

Hazel Browne Williams, Lincoln High School

Rebecca L. Bloodworth, born and raised in Bethpage, Tennessee, was an influential educator who contributed to education in the Kansas City, Kansas area. Equipped with a bachelor's degree from Atlanta University and a master's degree from Columbia University, Bloodworth started he teaching career at Northeast Junior High School in Kansas City, Kansas. She would later join the staff of Sumner High School, a traditionally Black high school. Although high schools in Kansas had been desegregated since the 1870s, due to racial hostility, segregation in high schools was re-established in Kansas City, Kansas, in 1905. Sumner, originally labeled the Manual Training High School until members of the African American community and the School Board chose a more appropriate name, provided education to Black students. In 1978, Kansas City, Kansas, desegregated their high schools once again, and Sumner High School was re-envisioned as the Sumner Academy of Arts and Science.

Carolyn Benton Cockefair, born near Odessa, Missouri, on November 30, 1884, became an influential educator in Kansas City. Her unorthodox methods and personality led to wonderful relationships between herself and her students, as well as led to success among the students. During a time when women were not permitted the same opportunities they are today, Carolyn entered the University of Missouri in Columbia and continued on to become an educator in academia, long before such pursuits were popularly accepted for women in the United States. After years of different experiences, Carolyn accepted an offer from the University of Missouri and found her niche: teaching non-traditional students. She would continue to educate non-traditional students throughout her career, which spanned multiple universities and took her to many different cities throughout Missouri. Carolyn experienced any successes as an educator and assisted with the development of organizations for university women. The beloved educator continues to be honored through the Cockefair Chair, established by her past students, in Cockefair Hall on the University of Missouri-Kansas City campus.

Born on February 9, 1907, Hazel Browne Williams would become an educator who overcame racism to become the first full-time Black professor at the University of Missouri - Kansas City. After graduating from Lincoln High School in Kansas City, Missouri, she would pursue a degree in education at the University of Kansas, receiving her bachelor's in 1927 and her master's in 1929. After teaching at the Louisville Community College, Williams would continue her education, achieving a master's degree in guidance and counseling from Columbia University and culminating with a Ph.D from New York University in 1953. Beginning her career at UMKC in 1958 as an associate professor, she would later become the first fulltime African American professor at UMKC in the 1960s. She passed away on July 7, 1986, after a lifetime of perseverance and breaking both racial and gender barriers.

The latter half of the 1800s served as a period of growth for Kansas City. The city limits were extended in the south and the west, immigrants of varying backgrounds moved to the city, and many industries began to flourish in the area. Originally incorporated as the "Town of Kansas" in 1850, and later changed to Kansas City in 1889, the city's growth truly erupted after the end of the Civil War with the development of the Hannibal Bridge. The evolution of transportation methods within the city also contributed to growth, and allowed Kansas Citians the opportunity to move more efficiently around the city. Starting with an animal-drawn streetcar railway, introduced by Nehemiah Holmes in 1868, community transportation methods evolved into a cable car and electric trolley system. As transportation evolved, so too did the landscape within the City. Urban planner George Kessler, inspired by the City Beautiful Movement, created parks and other landscapes in the area that beautified the city. Kessler designed the park situated outside the library located in Corinthian Hall.Kansas City's growth can also be attributed to many individuals, but it is also important to remember that some of leaders made decisions that limited the freedoms and opportunities of African Americans and other marginalized groups. One such individual was the real estate developer Jesse Clyde Nichols, who also went by J.C. Nichols. The Country Club Plaza and residential areas were designed by Nichols, but he is also known for the implementation and perpetuation of strict racial segregation in his neighborhood developments, enforced by racial codes in deeds and home owner's associations. Such implementations maintained racial segregation within Kansas City neighborhoods well into the 20th Century, demonstrating how the City's growth mostly benefitted certain white Kansas Citians while limiting opportunities for African Americans, immigrants, and the working class.While the period following the Civil War saw limited victories for racial integration such as the Civil Rights Act of 1875, Supreme Court cases like Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896 upheld state and local laws mandating racial segregation in public facilities. Racial discrimination impacted employment opportunities, education, healthcare, home ownership, and many other aspects of life within Kansas City. African Americans, Mexican Americans, immigrants, Jews, and Native Americans all experienced discrimination throughout this period, which extended well into the latter half of the 20th century and left a lasting legacy of racial and ethnic discrimination that is still visible in Kansas City today.Underrepresented communities, including Black and Mexican communities, created and supported their own schools, banks, housing developments, retail stores, and social and entertainment clubs. Churches were also prominent organizations in communities of color, with both the Second Baptist Church and the Allen Chapel AME Church, the oldest Black congregations in Kansas City, still serving the community today. The African American community in Kansas City also created twenty-two Black newspapers, including "The Call," which provided news coverage on the Black community, often ignored in white newspapers.General Hospital No. 2 was created in 1908 after Dr. Thomas Unthank lobbied for its development. The hospital employed many top Black doctors and nurses and served people of color who had been segregated from white hospitals. The Wheatley-Provident Hospital also served the African American community in Kansas City, and employed an entirely Black staff. Founded by Dr. J. Edward Perry in 1902, the hospital evolved from private practice to the Perry Sanitarium and Nurse Training Association by 1910, and finally to the Wheatley-Provident Hospital in 1918. The hospital grew again in 1925 through a collaboration with Dr. Katherine Berry Richardson, co-founder of the Children's Mercy Hospital, that resulted in the construction of a two-story pediatric ward.Additional individuals contributed to the Black community of Kansas City, including Lafayette Alonzo Tillman and Ida M. Bowman Becks. Tillman served as the second Black police officer in Kansas City and operated a barbershop in the area. Tillman became a police officer after returning from the military, where he had served in the Philippine Insurrection and the Spanish-American War and risen to first lieutenant. Becks was an avid advocate for women's suffrage and African American civil rights in Kansas City. She was nationally known for her eloquent public speaking, which she used as a delegate in the 1921 NAACP convention in Detroit, Michigan. She contributed to the community in many ways, including the organization of the Negro Women's National Republic League. People of color continuously fought for equal rights in Kansas City, and their efforts should always be remembered.Government organizations in Kansas City also experienced growth during this time. The Kansas City Fire Department has offered innovation in fire prevention and fire fighting since its inception. Its youngest chief, George Hale, contributed to such innovation, modernizing techniques through his own inventions. The Kansas City Fire Department won the International Fire Congress competition held in Europe in both 1893 and 1900, demonstrating the department's prestige. The Parks and Recreation Department also grew throughout this period and offered services to parts of the community. Community parks served as a form of popular recreation for Kansas Citians, however, segregation was enforced in many parks around the city, limiting activities available to people of color in the area. In 1908, the Park Department hired Elenore Canny to develop recreation activities at Holmes Square Park, a role not normally held by women. She was sworn in as a police officer in 1910, only one of three female police officers in the country at the time, specifically focusing on threats to children. Civilian-led organizations also developed throughout this period. Such organizations included the Kansas City Suffrage League, the Agnes Ward Amberg Club, the Black Women's Club Movement, the National Association of Colored Women, and the Guadalupe Center, among others.Forms of community entertainment also experienced growth at this time, for example, the organization of the Priests of Pallas by the business community. From 1887 until 1912, this festival occurred each Fall, including a parade and an elaborate, invitation-only formal ball. Thrown in the honor of the Greek goddess, Pallas Athene, the festival served as a way to promote shopping downtown. Although formally ending in 1912, the festival returned from 1922 to 1924. While Kansas City experienced extensive growth from the 1880s through the 1920s, there was an unequal distribution of benefits, and racial discrimination plagued the city. In order for Kansas City to truly thrive, decades of changes would need to occur, and even with such change, the foundations of inequality can still be seen throughout the city today.

The second half of the 1800s was a period of growth for Kansas City. City limits were extended in the south and the west, immigrants of varying backgrounds moved to the city, and industries began to flourish in the area. Originally incorporated as the "Town of Kansas" in 1850, and later changed to Kansas City in 1889, the city's growth truly erupted after the end of the Civil War with the development of the Hannibal Bridge. The evolution of transportation methods within the city also contributed to growth, and allowed Kansas Citians the opportunity to move more efficiently around the city. Starting with an animal-drawn streetcar railway introduced by Nehemiah Holmes in 1868, community transportation methods evolved into a cable car and electric trolley system. As transportation evolved, so too did the landscape within the City. Urban planner George Kessler, inspired by the City Beautiful Movement, created parks and other landscapes in the area that beautified the city. Kessler designed the park situated outside the library located in Corinthian Hall.Kansas City's growth can also be attributed to many individuals, but it is also important to remember that some of leaders made decisions that limited the freedoms and opportunities of African Americans and other marginalized groups. One such individual was the real estate developer Jesse Clyde Nichols, usually known as J.C. Nichols. The Country Club Plaza and residential areas were designed by Nichols, but he is also known for the implementation and perpetuation of strict racial segregation in his neighborhood developments, enforced by racial codes in deeds and home owners' associations. Such implementations maintained racial segregation within Kansas City neighborhoods well into the 20th Century, demonstrating how the City's growth mostly benefitted certain white Kansas Citians while limiting opportunities for African Americans, immigrants, and the working class.While the period following the Civil War saw limited victories for racial integration such as the Civil Rights Act of 1875, Supreme Court cases like Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896 upheld state and local laws mandating racial segregation in public facilities. Racial discrimination impacted employment opportunities, education, healthcare, home ownership, and many other aspects of life within Kansas City. African Americans, Mexican Americans, immigrants, Jews, and Native Americans all experienced discrimination throughout this period, which extended well into the latter half of the 20th century and left a lasting legacy of racial and ethnic discrimination that is still visible in Kansas City today.Underrepresented communities, including Black and Mexican communities, created and supported their own schools, banks, housing developments, retail stores, and social and entertainment clubs. Churches were also prominent organizations in communities of color, with both the Second Baptist Church and the Allen Chapel AME Church, the oldest Black congregations in Kansas City, still serving the community today. The African American community in Kansas City also created twenty-two Black newspapers, including "The Call," which provided news coverage on the Black community, often ignored in white newspapers.General Hospital No. 2 was created in 1908 after Dr. Thomas Unthank lobbied for its development. The hospital employed many top Black doctors and nurses and served people of color who had been segregated from white hospitals. The Wheatley-Provident Hospital also served the African American community in Kansas City, and employed an entirely Black staff. Founded by Dr. J. Edward Perry in 1902, the hospital evolved from a private practice to the Perry Sanitarium and Nurse Training Association by 1910, and finally to the Wheatley-Provident Hospital in 1918. The hospital grew again in 1925 through a collaboration with Dr. Katherine Berry Richardson, co-founder of the Children's Mercy Hospital, that resulted in the construction of a two-story pediatric ward.Additional individuals contributed to the Black community of Kansas City, including Lafayette Alonzo Tillman and Ida M. Bowman Becks. Tillman served as the second Black police officer in Kansas City and operated a barbershop in the area. He became a police officer after returning from the military, where he had served in the Philippine Insurrection and the Spanish-American War and risen to first lieutenant. Becks was an avid advocate for women's suffrage and African American civil rights in Kansas City. She was nationally known for her eloquent public speaking, which she used as a delegate in the 1921 NAACP convention in Detroit, Michigan. She contributed to the community in many ways, including the organization of the Negro Women's National Republic League. People of color continuously fought for equal rights in Kansas City, and their efforts should always be remembered.Government organizations in Kansas City also experienced growth during this time. The Kansas City Fire Department has offered innovation in fire prevention and fire fighting since its inception. Its youngest chief, George Hale, contributed to such innovation, modernizing techniques through his own inventions. The Kansas City Fire Department won the International Fire Congress competition held in Europe in both 1893 and 1900, demonstrating the department's skills. The Parks and Recreation Department also grew throughout this period and offered services to parts of the community. Community parks served as a form of popular recreation for Kansas Citians, however, segregation was enforced in many parks around the city, limiting activities available to people of color in the area. In 1908, the Park Department hired Elenore Canny to develop recreation activities at Holmes Square Park, a role not normally held by women. She was sworn in as a police officer in 1910, only one of three female police officers in the country at the time, specifically focusing on threats to children. Civilian-led organizations also developed throughout this period. Such organizations included the Kansas City Suffrage League, the Agnes Ward Amberg Club, the Black Women's Club Movement, the National Association of Colored Women, and the Guadalupe Center, among others.Forms of community entertainment also experienced growth at this time. For example, the Priests of Pallas celebration was organized by the business community. From 1887 until 1912, this festival occurred each Fall, including a parade and an elaborate, invitation-only formal ball. Thrown in the honor of the Greek goddess, Pallas Athene, the festival served as a way to promote shopping downtown. Although formally ending in 1912, the festival returned from 1922 to 1924. While Kansas City experienced extensive growth from the 1880s through the 1920s, there was also an unequal distribution of wage benefits, and racial discrimination plagued the city. In order for Kansas City to truly thrive, decades of changes would need to occur, and even with such change, the foundations of inequality can still be seen throughout the city today.

In the early 20th century, the economy of the city grew along with Kansas City's reputation for entertainment and nightlife that led to the nickname "Paris of the Plains." The stockyards dominated the city's economy and industries in the early years of the 20th century, becoming the first million-dollar industry in the city. A diverse population of employees labored in the stockyards, with over 20,000 workers contributing to the city's movement into the modern age. Additional industries included railroads, automobile production, agricultural production, garment manufacturing, and meatpacking plants, all of which further contributed to Kansas City's economic and social landscape. Much like the stockyards, each industry sported employees of varying backgrounds and brought many immigrants to the area. Immigrants and people of color shaped the city throughout the 20th century, contributing heavily to its growth and success.Immigration to Kansas City reached its height between the 1880s and the 1920s, leading to the development of ethnic neighborhoods. Most immigrants hailed from Mexico or varying parts of Europe. One such immigrant was Joseph Charles Cirese, Sr., for whom this gallery is named. Alone, Cirese immigrated to the United States from Italy at 12 years old. Over a decade later, he married Mary Nigro Gargotta, settling in northeast Kansas City. Joseph, Sr., and Mary had three children: Michael, Lucille, and Joseph. Cirese, Sr., made his name as an entrepreneur by founding Bulldog Battery, Universal Trailer, Eastside Electric and Plumbing, and Cirese Power and Light. He was also a founding shareholder and chairman for the Central Bank of Kansas City, still in operation today. Another prominent immigrant at this time was Rose Shklar Mindlin Jacobson, who emigrated from Russia at a young age in 1888. Rose opened a women's hat shop, Mindlin's, that grew in popularity, leading to the opening of three shops around the city. Her shopfront in the Country Club Plaza was the first store specifically for women in the shopping district, providing women with popular accessories of the time. Other influential immigrants included the midwife and traditional healer Juana Frausto-Castro, whose family served as the first Mexican immigrants located west of Broadway Boulevard, and composer Carl Busch, a Danish immigrant who became director of the Kansas City Philharmonic Symphony.While immigrants and people of color contributed to the growth of industries in Kansas City, they also developed entertainment in the city that became nationally known. One such form of entertainment was Kansas City Jazz. The African American community in Kansas City influenced the city's jazz scene, developing a unique sound that separated Kansas City Jazz from New Orleans or Chicago Jazz. In the late 19th century into the early 20th century, most of the nightclubs in the city were found on 12th Street. Later, the 18th and Vine district developed into an entertainment center for the African American community in Kansas City. Jazz musicians and their careers were protected through the formation of the Musicians Protective Union Local 627, otherwise known as the Colored Musicians Union. Many Jazz musicians such as Bennie Moton and Julia Lee contributed to the Kansas City style.Bennie Moten was a founding member of the Negro Musician's Association and a highly celebrated big band leader of the 1920s. Moten toured the Southwest and Midwest with his first band, the B.B.&amp;D. Trio, to promote Kansas City Jazz to people who may not have heard it before. Julia Lee had an impressive career that spanned four decades, her husky voice recognizable in the Jazz scene. Lee performed at the White House for President Harry S. Truman when he was in office, among other accomplishments she had throughout her career. There were many other jazz musicians that contributed to the Kansas City Jazz scene at the time, and the legacy of Jazz can be seen in the 18th and Vine district, where local leaders and community members have worked together to preserve cultural history in Kansas City.Prohibition was a major backdrop for booming industry and the development of jazz and Kansas City became infamous for "Boss Politics" and government corruption. Prohibition did not appear to impact the sale or consumption of alcohol in Kansas City, and bootlegged liquor was readily available in the city. Police and politicians in the area tended to ignore Prohibition, and Kansans came to town to partake in alcoholic drinks, as Kansas had a prohibition on alcohol since 1881. During this time, Thomas J. Pendergast's beverage company produced sodas with room for the addition of alcohol by consumers. This was only the beginning of Pendergast's less than legal means of operation. He would become the political "Boss" of Kansas City for over a decade."Boss politics" were not a new phenomenon when Tom Pendergast came into power. In fact, Kansas City had restructured its city government in hopes of preventing such politics and control from occurring. In 1925, the city adopted a council-manager government meant to reduce the power of the mayor. In this structure, a nine-member council would select a manager for the city. Unfortunately, this new structure did not work as originally planned, and corruption reigned supreme when the Jackson County Democratic Club, of which Pendergast was chairman, gained five council seats in the first election after government restructure. This imbalance gave Pendergast an upper-hand among council decisions, allowing him a great deal of power as mayor. Pendergast's political machine, one of the most powerful in the country, ruled Kansas City, leading to the city's new nickname of "Tom's Town." Pendergast controlled elections and the underworld of the city, establishing connections with immigrants and people of color he thought would be beneficial to his cause.One such connection included Pendergast's interactions with sports promoter Felix Payne, a powerful Black businessman in the city. As an associate for Pendergast, Payne exercised his influence in the African American community to guarantee Pendergast and his chosen candidates received the majority of African American voters. Although associated with Pendergast's corruption, Payne had his own flourishing businesses, such as the "Kansas City American" newspaper and a nightclub. Pendergast's rule would not last forever, though. The Pendergast machine would end in 1939, after "Boss Tom" was imprisoned for income tax evasion, and John B. Gage became mayor in 1940. A candidate of the Forward Kansas City Committee, a group set on toppling the Pendergast machine, Gage served three mayoral terms focusing on economic improvements for the near-bankrupt city and removing any remaining corruption left from the Pendergast era.Businessmen and women flourished in Kansas City throughout this period, and women gained more autonomy and voice in Kansas City society through Women's Suffrage under the passage of the 19th Amendment. It is important to note that the 19th Amendment did not apply to women of color, and it would be years before voting rights were granted to all women, not only white women. Nell Donnelly Reed was a successful businesswoman in Kansas City, founding the Donnelly Garment Company in 1919 which mass-produced women's ready-made dresses. Although providing many benefits for her employees, she was adamantly against the formation of a union amongst her workers, and would fire anyone who attempted to join one. She was especially against the International Ladies Garment Workers Union. The "Barbecue King" Henry Perry was another successful business owner in Kansas City. He opened the first Kansas City barbecue place in the early 20th century in the Garment District, serving as the foundation for later barbecue joints in the city, such as Arthur Bryant's Barbecue and Gates BBQ. Kansas City barbecue is now nationally known and highly popular.The first half of the 20th century saw many changes for Kansas City that developed a lasting foundation for the city still seen today. Immigrants, the working class, African Americans, and additional people and communities of color contributed heavily to the industry boom in the early 1900s, and contributed to the city's cultural heritage. Although Kansas City had an infamous history of political corruption throughout the 1920s and 1930s, changes were made to improve the city's reputation throughout the second half of the 20th century.

The Joseph Charles Cirese, Sr. and Central Bank of Kansas City Gallery focuses on the period from the 1910s until the 1940s. The era was a time of physical and economic growth for the city, but while Kansas City's industries thrived, so too did its crime. The gallery includes exhibits that center on Pohibition and the rise of "Boss Politics". In Kansas City,Thomas J. Pendergast created a political machine that blended corruption and cronyism with pragmatic responsiveness to at least some of the needs of local residents, in order to secure electoral victory for over two decades. One of the most powerful political machines in the country, The Pendergast Machine lasted from the late 1920s until 1939,when Pendergast was imprisoned for income tax evasion. The exhibit includes the history of the political machine that controlled neighborhoods as well as the development of jazz, women's suffrage, booming industries and growth of the city, and the experiences of immigrants and people of color who contributed to the city's continued growth.

<blockquote>"So we restore a city, what then?...The city is an engine of our society, a machine for problem-solving, a mill to grind issues until they are fine and can be baked into the bread of change."1</blockquote>After the lasting impacts of the suburbanization of the 20th century, Dr. Mindy Fullilove calls attention to the importance of revitalizing urban centers and neighborhoods for ensuring equality and improvements in communities. Urban and neighborhood revitalization has greatly impacted Kansas City throughout the past five decades, and improvements continue to be made today. Innovation sparked by residents led to positive change within the city, and many individuals and organizations contributed to changes within the city that were necessary for growth, equality, and development.While city revitalization can positively impact a community, there have been many instances of negative impacts as well, especially when city revitalization was conducted in the 1950s and 1960s. The Missouri's Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority, beginning in 1954, led to many negative developments in Kansas City including the Chouteau Courts public housing project that contributed to racial segregation, and the construction of I-35 and I-70 which destroyed cultural sectors of the city. As opposed to revitalization projects conducted by civic organizations, revitalization projects by cities can negatively impact marginalized or under-represented communities through unfair land acquisition practices among impoverished or culturally diverse neighborhoods. This could be seen with the construction of Highway 71 that spanned throughout Kansas City in the early 2000s. While connecting the city, it also divided communities that were once intact.The Northeast neighborhoods in Kansas City were the most negatively impacted by white flight and suburbanization, and by the 1970s there were signs of neglect in the area. Community-based service organizations led the way for neighborhood revitalization efforts in marginalized communities, leading to positive change over the decades and a strong legacy of resilience. Such organizations included Blue Hills Community Services, Kansas City Neighborhood Alliance, Guadalupe Centers, Inc., El Centro, Inc., Westside Housing Organization, and the Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council. An extremely important organization has been the Heart of America Indian Center, or the Kansas City Indian Center, founded in the 1950s and formally incorporated in 1971. The KCIC provided social, cultural, and health services to Native American communities that had been continually marginalized by federal policies that forcibly disbanded and relocated tribes throughout the decades. Community-based organizations have continued to be the catalyst for true positive change within the Kansas City area.Revitalization efforts continued from the 1970s throughout the 2010s. The construction of Crown Center in 1971 and the renovation of the River Market, also known as the River Quay, neighborhood by Marion A. Trozzolo starting in 1972 led to a renaissance in downtown Kansas City. Preserving the city's cultural heritage also gained popular traction in the 1970s with the development of the Ethnic Heritage Committee, later becoming the permanent Ethnic Enrichment Commission, that works to raise awareness of Kansas City's diverse cultural heritage, preserving cultures, and encouraging appreciation of diverse cultures in the community. Improvements in engineering, construction, and emergency management were sought after the tragic walkway collapse at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in 1981, killing 114 and injuring 200 others. Tragedy often leads to impactful change in order to prevent such events from occurring again.Political equity and empowerment became tied to the racial and gender equality movements throughout the 1970s, leading to new political voices that impacted communities. Richard L. Berkley, mayor of Kansas City from 1971 until 1991, was the first Jewish mayor of the city. The city embraced inclusive politics throughout his mayoralty, and Berkley encouraged growth in the city through capital improvement projects. The following two mayors continued to break barriers, with the election of Emanuel Cleaver (1991-1999), the first Black mayor, in 1991, and Kay Barnes (1999-2007), the first female mayor, in 1999. All three mayors contributed to impactful changes in the city that redeveloped neglected areas, such as the 18th and Vine district under Cleaver's leadership, or economic changes such as the relocation of the H&amp;R Block World Headquarters to Kansas City under Barnes' leadership.The 1990s saw many changes and calls for equality and action. Amid the HIV/AIDS Crisis of the early 1990s, the Kansas City Free Health Clinic, SAVE Inc., Good Samaritan Project, and HARCMart formed the AIDS Service Foundation of Greater Kansas City (ASF) with combined organizational funds. ASF raises funds, promotes awareness of HIV/AIDS, and provides extensive services to those impacted by HIV/AIDS. Their continued contributions assist all those impacted by HIV/AIDS, and aids the movement towards more effective medical treatments and an eventual cure for the disease. Calls for revitalization also continued in the 1990s, seen through the introduction of the "bi-state tax" in 1996 that impacted Jackson, Clay, and Platte counties in Missouri, and Johnson county in Kansas. The tax was reserved for Union Station restoration, completed in 1999, which sparked a revitalization boom in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.Such revitalization, along with environmental concerns, led to the development of mass transit within the metro area in the early 2000s. The KC Streetcar and Metro Area Express bus lines connect the city and allow an affordable and sustainable way for residents to traverse through the area. Additional walking and biking trails, as well as bike lanes, have also contributed to expanding forms of transportation within the city. Arts and entertainment districts expanded in the early 2000s as construction on the Crossroads Art District, the Power and Light District, and the Sprint Center arena were completed. Commerce was revitalized in the urban core through the relocation of the H&amp;R Block World Headquarters to Kansas City under the leadership of Mayor Kay Barnes. Kansas City served as Google's first fiber city, and has hosted many business and tech start-ups. The city's continued economic diversification has been beneficial during economic shifts, and growth has continued throughout the 2010s and into the 2020s.In the late 2010s and into the 2020s, focus on environmental protection and conservation has increased. The formation of the Heartland Conservation Alliance has encouraged conservation efforts throughout the community, especially focusing on the Blue River watershed. Additional focuses in the community included embracing Kansas City's music history and remembering the tragedies that occurred due to racial inequality and violence in the past. UNESCO designated Kansas City as a City of Music and part of its Creative Cities Network, acknowledging the city's use of creative means for sustainable urban development. The Community Remembrance Project of Missouri became a partner with the Equal Justice Initiative in 2019, establishing projects to memorialize victims of racial violence and encourage respectful dialogue addressing racial inequality in the United States today. The Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center and the Black Archives of Mid-America, among other organizations, are contributing to such educational exhibits and experiences.Neighborhood revitalization occurred at the same time as urban revitalization, propelled by community-based service organizations and dedicated residents within neighborhood communities. This particular exhibit highlights many neighborhoods in Kansas City, including Pendleton Heights, Independence Plaza, Lykins, Sheffield, Indian Mound, and Scarritt Renaissance. An updated city plan for development was recently introduced, entitled "The KC Spirit Playbook." The COVID-19 pandemic brought to light many of the racial and economic disparities that still remain in Kansas City, and continued change and improvement is a goal for city officials.

The rise of suburbs in the mid-20th century led to a decrease in population in city centers and a loss of tax revenue to maintain those areas, causing urban decay. Suburbanization also reinforced housing segregation, with "white flight" taking white Kansas Citians away from urban centers and relocating them to racially and economically restricted suburban developments. Marginalized communities were left in areas that began to decay. However, many individuals and groups worked towards the revitalization of negatively impacted neighborhoods. Additionally, many civil rights groups worked towards the end of racially exclusive housing developments, achieving change throughout the 20th century. While revitalization and civil rights efforts were met with success, rapid suburbanization and racial exclusion in the housing industry still leaves an indelible mark on the city today. Many events shaped the city and impacted its development throughout the past five decades, leading to the vibrant city known today. Now, with numerous culturally diverse neighborhoods, Kansas City's story has become one of collective heritage, perseverance, civic unity, urban improvement, hope, and pride.

"Our City, Our Stories" features 21 different unique, personal stories from different Kansas Citians from varying racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. Along with photos, the stories recount personal strength, courage, hope, and unity. One such personal account comes from Samantha, an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community who aims to expand human compassion. Her story is one of courage and resilience, as most of her loved ones left her side after she came out as a transgender woman in 2016. Samantha now speaks at universities, schools, hospitals, and other organizations throughout the city, advocating for equality, diversity, and inclusion. Along with talks, she also contributes to multiple newspapers to promote acceptance and compassion throughout the community.Samantha's story is one of many from the Kansas City metro that highlight perseverance, hope, and compassion. "Our City, Our Stories," aiming to connect Kansas Citians together through personal stories and experiences, is also partnered with the nonprofit 7 Billion Ones. This organization collects personal stories from people of various backgrounds with the mission of connecting and empowering one another - all across the globe. With the Kansas City Museum's local contribution, the museum hopes to continue to document stories to connect and empower all who visit the exhibit.

The second half of the 1800s was a period of growth for Kansas City. City limits were extended in the south and the west, immigrants of varying backgrounds moved to the city, and industries began to flourish in the area. Originally incorporated as the "Town of Kansas" in 1850, and later changed to Kansas City in 1889, the city's growth truly erupted after the end of the Civil War with the development of the Hannibal Bridge. The evolution of transportation methods within the city also contributed to growth, and allowed Kansas Citians the opportunity to move more efficiently around the city. Starting with an animal-drawn streetcar railway introduced by Nehemiah Holmes in 1868, community transportation methods evolved into a cable car and electric trolley system. As transportation evolved, so too did the landscape within the City. Urban planner George Kessler, inspired by the City Beautiful Movement, created parks and other landscapes in the area that beautified the city. Kessler designed the park situated outside the library located in Corinthian Hall.Kansas City's growth can also be attributed to many individuals, but it is also important to remember that some of leaders made decisions that limited the freedoms and opportunities of African Americans and other marginalized groups. One such individual was the real estate developer Jesse Clyde Nichols, usually known as J.C. Nichols. The Country Club Plaza and residential areas were designed by Nichols, but he is also known for the implementation and perpetuation of strict racial segregation in his neighborhood developments, enforced by racial codes in deeds and home owners' associations. Such implementations maintained racial segregation within Kansas City neighborhoods well into the 20th Century, demonstrating how the City's growth mostly benefitted certain white Kansas Citians while limiting opportunities for African Americans, immigrants, and the working class.While the period following the Civil War saw limited victories for racial integration such as the Civil Rights Act of 1875, Supreme Court cases like Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896 upheld state and local laws mandating racial segregation in public facilities. Racial discrimination impacted employment opportunities, education, healthcare, home ownership, and many other aspects of life within Kansas City. African Americans, Mexican Americans, immigrants, Jews, and Native Americans all experienced discrimination throughout this period, which extended well into the latter half of the 20th century and left a lasting legacy of racial and ethnic discrimination that is still visible in Kansas City today.Underrepresented communities, including Black and Mexican communities, created and supported their own schools, banks, housing developments, retail stores, and social and entertainment clubs. Churches were also prominent organizations in communities of color, with both the Second Baptist Church and the Allen Chapel AME Church, the oldest Black congregations in Kansas City, still serving the community today. The African American community in Kansas City also created twenty-two Black newspapers, including "The Call," which provided news coverage on the Black community, often ignored in white newspapers.General Hospital No. 2 was created in 1908 after Dr. Thomas Unthank lobbied for its development. The hospital employed many top Black doctors and nurses and served people of color who had been segregated from white hospitals. The Wheatley-Provident Hospital also served the African American community in Kansas City, and employed an entirely Black staff. Founded by Dr. J. Edward Perry in 1902, the hospital evolved from a private practice to the Perry Sanitarium and Nurse Training Association by 1910, and finally to the Wheatley-Provident Hospital in 1918. The hospital grew again in 1925 through a collaboration with Dr. Katherine Berry Richardson, co-founder of the Children's Mercy Hospital, that resulted in the construction of a two-story pediatric ward.Additional individuals contributed to the Black community of Kansas City, including Lafayette Alonzo Tillman and Ida M. Bowman Becks. Tillman served as the second Black police officer in Kansas City and operated a barbershop in the area. He became a police officer after returning from the military, where he had served in the Philippine Insurrection and the Spanish-American War and risen to first lieutenant. Becks was an avid advocate for women's suffrage and African American civil rights in Kansas City. She was nationally known for her eloquent public speaking, which she used as a delegate in the 1921 NAACP convention in Detroit, Michigan. She contributed to the community in many ways, including the organization of the Negro Women's National Republic League. People of color continuously fought for equal rights in Kansas City, and their efforts should always be remembered.Government organizations in Kansas City also experienced growth during this time. The Kansas City Fire Department has offered innovation in fire prevention and fire fighting since its inception. Its youngest chief, George Hale, contributed to such innovation, modernizing techniques through his own inventions. The Kansas City Fire Department won the International Fire Congress competition held in Europe in both 1893 and 1900, demonstrating the department's skills. The Parks and Recreation Department also grew throughout this period and offered services to parts of the community. Community parks served as a form of popular recreation for Kansas Citians, however, segregation was enforced in many parks around the city, limiting activities available to people of color in the area. In 1908, the Park Department hired Elenore Canny to develop recreation activities at Holmes Square Park, a role not normally held by women. She was sworn in as a police officer in 1910, only one of three female police officers in the country at the time, specifically focusing on threats to children. Civilian-led organizations also developed throughout this period. Such organizations included the Kansas City Suffrage League, the Agnes Ward Amberg Club, the Black Women's Club Movement, the National Association of Colored Women, and the Guadalupe Center, among others.Forms of community entertainment also experienced growth at this time. For example, the Priests of Pallas celebration was organized by the business community. From 1887 until 1912, this festival occurred each Fall, including a parade and an elaborate, invitation-only formal ball. Thrown in the honor of the Greek goddess, Pallas Athene, the festival served as a way to promote shopping downtown. Although formally ending in 1912, the festival returned from 1922 to 1924. While Kansas City experienced extensive growth from the 1880s through the 1920s, there was also an unequal distribution of wage benefits, and racial discrimination plagued the city. In order for Kansas City to truly thrive, decades of changes would need to occur, and even with such change, the foundations of inequality can still be seen throughout the city today.

In the early 20th century, the economy of the city grew along with Kansas City's reputation for entertainment and nightlife that led to the nickname "Paris of the Plains." The stockyards dominated the city's economy and industries in the early years of the 20th century, becoming the first million-dollar industry in the city. A diverse population of employees labored in the stockyards, with over 20,000 workers contributing to the city's movement into the modern age. Additional industries included railroads, automobile production, agricultural production, garment manufacturing, and meatpacking plants, all of which further contributed to Kansas City's economic and social landscape. Much like the stockyards, each industry sported employees of varying backgrounds and brought many immigrants to the area. Immigrants and people of color shaped the city throughout the 20th century, contributing heavily to its growth and success.Immigration to Kansas City reached its height between the 1880s and the 1920s, leading to the development of ethnic neighborhoods. Most immigrants hailed from Mexico or varying parts of Europe. One such immigrant was Joseph Charles Cirese, Sr., for whom this gallery is named. Alone, Cirese immigrated to the United States from Italy at 12 years old. Over a decade later, he married Mary Nigro Gargotta, settling in northeast Kansas City. Joseph, Sr., and Mary had three children: Michael, Lucille, and Joseph. Cirese, Sr., made his name as an entrepreneur by founding Bulldog Battery, Universal Trailer, Eastside Electric and Plumbing, and Cirese Power and Light. He was also a founding shareholder and chairman for the Central Bank of Kansas City, still in operation today. Another prominent immigrant at this time was Rose Shklar Mindlin Jacobson, who emigrated from Russia at a young age in 1888. Rose opened a women's hat shop, Mindlin's, that grew in popularity, leading to the opening of three shops around the city. Her shopfront in the Country Club Plaza was the first store specifically for women in the shopping district, providing women with popular accessories of the time. Other influential immigrants included the midwife and traditional healer Juana Frausto-Castro, whose family served as the first Mexican immigrants located west of Broadway Boulevard, and composer Carl Busch, a Danish immigrant who became director of the Kansas City Philharmonic Symphony.While immigrants and people of color contributed to the growth of industries in Kansas City, they also developed entertainment in the city that became nationally known. One such form of entertainment was Kansas City Jazz. The African American community in Kansas City influenced the city's jazz scene, developing a unique sound that separated Kansas City Jazz from New Orleans or Chicago Jazz. In the late 19th century into the early 20th century, most of the nightclubs in the city were found on 12th Street. Later, the 18th and Vine district developed into an entertainment center for the African American community in Kansas City. Jazz musicians and their careers were protected through the formation of the Musicians Protective Union Local 627, otherwise known as the Colored Musicians Union. Many Jazz musicians such as Bennie Moton and Julia Lee contributed to the Kansas City style.Bennie Moten was a founding member of the Negro Musician's Association and a highly celebrated big band leader of the 1920s. Moten toured the Southwest and Midwest with his first band, the B.B.&amp;D. Trio, to promote Kansas City Jazz to people who may not have heard it before. Julia Lee had an impressive career that spanned four decades, her husky voice recognizable in the Jazz scene. Lee performed at the White House for President Harry S. Truman when he was in office, among other accomplishments she had throughout her career. There were many other jazz musicians that contributed to the Kansas City Jazz scene at the time, and the legacy of Jazz can be seen in the 18th and Vine district, where local leaders and community members have worked together to preserve cultural history in Kansas City.Prohibition was a major backdrop for booming industry and the development of jazz and Kansas City became infamous for "Boss Politics" and government corruption. Prohibition did not appear to impact the sale or consumption of alcohol in Kansas City, and bootlegged liquor was readily available in the city. Police and politicians in the area tended to ignore Prohibition, and Kansans came to town to partake in alcoholic drinks, as Kansas had a prohibition on alcohol since 1881. During this time, Thomas J. Pendergast's beverage company produced sodas with room for the addition of alcohol by consumers. This was only the beginning of Pendergast's less than legal means of operation. He would become the political "Boss" of Kansas City for over a decade."Boss politics" were not a new phenomenon when Tom Pendergast came into power. In fact, Kansas City had restructured its city government in hopes of preventing such politics and control from occurring. In 1925, the city adopted a council-manager government meant to reduce the power of the mayor. In this structure, a nine-member council would select a manager for the city. Unfortunately, this new structure did not work as originally planned, and corruption reigned supreme when the Jackson County Democratic Club, of which Pendergast was chairman, gained five council seats in the first election after government restructure. This imbalance gave Pendergast an upper-hand among council decisions, allowing him a great deal of power as mayor. Pendergast's political machine, one of the most powerful in the country, ruled Kansas City, leading to the city's new nickname of "Tom's Town." Pendergast controlled elections and the underworld of the city, establishing connections with immigrants and people of color he thought would be beneficial to his cause.One such connection included Pendergast's interactions with sports promoter Felix Payne, a powerful Black businessman in the city. As an associate for Pendergast, Payne exercised his influence in the African American community to guarantee Pendergast and his chosen candidates received the majority of African American voters. Although associated with Pendergast's corruption, Payne had his own flourishing businesses, such as the "Kansas City American" newspaper and a nightclub. Pendergast's rule would not last forever, though. The Pendergast machine would end in 1939, after "Boss Tom" was imprisoned for income tax evasion, and John B. Gage became mayor in 1940. A candidate of the Forward Kansas City Committee, a group set on toppling the Pendergast machine, Gage served three mayoral terms focusing on economic improvements for the near-bankrupt city and removing any remaining corruption left from the Pendergast era.Businessmen and women flourished in Kansas City throughout this period, and women gained more autonomy and voice in Kansas City society through Women's Suffrage under the passage of the 19th Amendment. It is important to note that the 19th Amendment did not apply to women of color, and it would be years before voting rights were granted to all women, not only white women. Nell Donnelly Reed was a successful businesswoman in Kansas City, founding the Donnelly Garment Company in 1919 which mass-produced women's ready-made dresses. Although providing many benefits for her employees, she was adamantly against the formation of a union amongst her workers, and would fire anyone who attempted to join one. She was especially against the International Ladies Garment Workers Union. The "Barbecue King" Henry Perry was another successful business owner in Kansas City. He opened the first Kansas City barbecue place in the early 20th century in the Garment District, serving as the foundation for later barbecue joints in the city, such as Arthur Bryant's Barbecue and Gates BBQ. Kansas City barbecue is now nationally known and highly popular.The first half of the 20th century saw many changes for Kansas City that developed a lasting foundation for the city still seen today. Immigrants, the working class, African Americans, and additional people and communities of color contributed heavily to the industry boom in the early 1900s, and contributed to the city's cultural heritage. Although Kansas City had an infamous history of political corruption throughout the 1920s and 1930s, changes were made to improve the city's reputation throughout the second half of the 20th century.

The Joseph Charles Cirese, Sr. and Central Bank of Kansas City Gallery focuses on the period from the 1910s until the 1940s. The era was a time of physical and economic growth for the city, but while Kansas City's industries thrived, so too did its crime. The gallery includes exhibits that center on Pohibition and the rise of "Boss Politics". In Kansas City,Thomas J. Pendergast created a political machine that blended corruption and cronyism with pragmatic responsiveness to at least some of the needs of local residents, in order to secure electoral victory for over two decades. One of the most powerful political machines in the country, The Pendergast Machine lasted from the late 1920s until 1939,when Pendergast was imprisoned for income tax evasion. The exhibit includes the history of the political machine that controlled neighborhoods as well as the development of jazz, women's suffrage, booming industries and growth of the city, and the experiences of immigrants and people of color who contributed to the city's continued growth.

"Our City, Our Stories" aims to connect Kansas Citians together through personal stories and experiences by featuring 21 unique, personal stories from Kansas Citians from varying racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. Along with photos, the stories recount personal strength, courage, hope, and unity. One such personal account comes from Samantha, an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community who aims to expand human compassion. Her story is one of courage and resilience, as most of her loved ones left her side after she came out as a transgender woman in 2016. Samantha now speaks at universities, schools, hospitals, and other organizations throughout the city, advocating for equality, diversity, and inclusion. Along with talks, she also contributes to multiple newspapers to promote acceptance and compassion throughout the community.Samantha's story is one of many from the Kansas City metro that highlight perseverance, hope, and compassion. To capture the photographs and stories in "Our City, Our Stories," the Kansas City Museum partnered with nonprofit organization 7 Billion Ones based in Springfield, Missouri. 7 Billion Ones collects personal stories from people of various backgrounds with the mission of connecting and empowering one another - all across the globe. With the Kansas City Museum's local contribution, the museum hopes to continue to document stories to connect and empower all who visit the exhibit. To feature the individual stories, the Kansas City Museum worked with UMKC's Center for Neighborhoods and Kansas City's Sister Cities program.

Kansas City has a diverse population with rich cultural histories that have shaped the city into what it is today. The exhibit, "Our City, Our Stories," features stories from 21 Kansas Citians, each highlighting their own unique racial, ethnic, and cultural background. Although the stories are brief, the exhibit allows patrons an inside look into the lives of Kansas Citians of all walks of life.

A Cultural & Community Restoration: 1970s to Present

American women first organized to seek the right to vote in 1848 at Seneca Falls, New York. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, the organizer of the Women's Rights Convention, urged suffrage as a tool to fight societal problems facing women. Two national groups were formed that advocated for women's suffrage by the late 1860s, the National Women's Suffrage Association (NWSA) and the American Women's Suffrage Association (AWSA). In 1890, the two groups merged to create the National American Women's Suffrage Association (NAWSA). One of the earliest known gatherings in Richmond focusing on the vote for women was a dinner hosted by a member of NWSA, Paula Wright Davis; local suffragist Anna Whitehead Bodeker was invited to speak on the topic. Bodeker founded and headed the Virginia State Woman Suffrage Association (VSWSA).Spottswood Dabney ("S. Dabney") Crenshaw (1854-1940) purchased the house at 919 W. Franklin St. by 1900. The 45-year-old president of a geology company shared the home with his wife of fifteen years, Anne C. (age 40) and their three children: (Mary) "Warfield" (12), Fannie G. (10), and Spottswood D. (4). Four African American servants resided in the Crenshaw House in 1900: Philip Hillsman (24), Martha Scott (25), Catherine J. Purvis (22), and Walter James (28). A fourth Crenshaw child, Clay, was born in 1901. S. Dabney served as president of the Sulphur Mining and Rail Road Company by 1907 and as secretary of the Virginia-Carolina Chemical Company. Miss Fannie G. Crenshaw (1890-1984) and Miss Mary Warfield Crenshaw (1887-1968) also were residents in the house, according to a 1907 city directory. Their mother, Anne Clay Crenshaw (1859-1845), was the daughter of a well-known abolitionist and advisor to Abraham Lincoln, Cassius Clay (1810-1903) of Kentucky, and Mary Jane Warfield Clay (1815-1900). Anne C. witnessed first-hand what little rights women had when her parents divorced in 1878 when Anne C. was in her late teens.Anne C. was active in the women's suffrage movement. The first meeting of the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia (ESL) was hosted by Anne C. at her W. Franklin St. home in November 1909. The eighteen women in the ESL were headed by Lila Meade Valentine and went on to hold public suffrage rallies. The Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was finally passed in 1920 and became federal law in August 1921. The ESL soon disbanded but re-formed as the League of Women Voters of Virginia (LWV); its first president was Adele Clark. Ann C.'s sister, Laura Clay (1849-1941) of Kentucky was a well-known suffragist and women's rights advocate who co-founded the Kentucky Equal Rights Association in 1888. Laura Clay became the first woman to have her name placed in nomination for President of the United States at the Democratic National Convention in San Francisco in 1920. Two women were the first to be elected to the Virginia General Assembly in 1923, representing the Norfolk area and Buchanan County.Mary Warfield Crenshaw married George Edwin Haw in 1918. By 1921, her father, S. Dabney was the vice president of the Virginia-Carolina Chemical Company. Fannie G. worked as a schoolteacher at St. Catherine's School. Clay (1901-1986), a student, also lived at 919 W. Franklin in 1921, as did his brother, S. Dabney (IV; 1895-1948). Fannie G. became the director of physical education at Westhampton College by 1938; she shared the W. Franklin St. home with her parents, S. Dabney, the president of the Sulphur Rail Road and Mining Company, and Anne C.The Crenshaw House features seven unique fireplaces and a decorative stained-glass ceiling insert. The house was purchased in the 1960s by Richmond Professional Institute. In 2010, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Crenshaw House now houses Virginia Commonwealth University's (VCU) Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies on its Monroe Park Campus. In 2012, a Virginia historical marker was installed next to the building's front steps.

This historic three-story brick townhouse was constructed in 1891 in one of the city's growing residential neighborhoods. In 2010, the Crenshaw House was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its significance in the struggle for the vote for women. Suffragist Anne Clay Crenshaw resided in this home when it was used in November 1909 for the first meeting of the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia (ESL). It would take eleven more years before the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granted women the right to vote in federal elections in 1920. The building now houses Virginia Commonwealth University's (VCU) Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies. There is a historical marker next to the front steps.

Crenshaw House

Women's History

This heritage trail includes two dozen historical sites related to women's history throughout West Virginia. The trail was created for "IN.EXclusive: An Exhibit and Event Series Dedicated to West Virginia Women" that was on display at Arts Monongahela in 2017. This is a living heritage trail and has changed in the past year as local historians suggest different markers, monuments, and historical sites for inclusion. The trail was built as an educational resource and its creators selected these two dozen sites from many nominations and hope to create additional trails that reflect the history of the state. 

West Virginia Women's History Trail

This tour highlights places and events throughout Washington, D.C. related to women's history. Explore museums, historic sites, and monuments founded by or dedicated to women and discover important moments in women's history within the city.

Women's History Tour of Washington, D.C.

Test Tour

This walking tour begins at the historic home of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and concludes with the Women's Rights National Historic Park, National Women's Hall of Fame and the Seneca Falls Historical Society. Highlights of the tour include several monuments that commemorate the history of women's suffrage and the role of Seneca Falls in the movement for women's rights in the 19th and early 20th century. The tour also includes Seneca Falls' Wesleyan Chapel. In 1848, this church held the First Women’s Rights Convention which is also known as the Seneca Falls Convention.

Seneca Falls Women's History Tour

This trail was created in 2021 by students at the University of Missouri-Kansas City with the goal of connecting residents and visitors to the history and accomplishments of a some of Kansas City's most influential women. The trail includes many of the inductees to the Starr Women's Hall of Fame, as well as landmarks throughout the city that recognize the contributions of women. The trail was created thanks to the archival resources of the Kansas City Research Center, Missouri Valley Special Collections of the Kansas City Public Library, and LaBudde Special Collections at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. This trail is a living project, and students and faculty at UMKC will continue to add to the project in the years ahead. Suggestions for Kansas City landmarks that could be added to the trail can be sent to Dr. David Trowbridge in the Department of History. 

Kansas City Women's Heritage Trail

This digital map includes sites in West Virginia related to the history of the Women's Suffrage Movement. The map is divided into different zones throughout the state that correspond with cities or regions. Within those regions are pins that each represent places and events that are central to the history of suffrage in the Mountain State. 

West Virginia Women's Suffrage Trail

This expansive trail throughout the heart of Indianapolis includes eighteen landmarks related to women's history, including several historic homes, buildings, and markers. Together, the eighteen entries on the tour tell the story of some of the outstanding women of Indianapolis.  Although many entries in the downtown area are close enough for walking, many others are spread throughout the city.

Indianapolis Women's History Tour

This statewide digital story map includes landmarks throughout New York that are related to the history of the Women's Suffrage Movement.

New York Women's Suffrage History Trail

This trail was created in 2021 by students at the University of Missouri-Kansas City with the goal of connecting residents and visitors to the history and accomplishments of a some of Kansas City's most influential women. The trail includes many of the inductees to the Starr Women's Hall of Fame, as well as landmarks throughout the city that recognize the contributions of women. The trail was created thanks to the archival resources of the Kansas City Research Center, Missouri Valley Special Collections of the Kansas City Public Library, and LaBudde Special Collections at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. This trail is a living project, and students and faculty at UMKC will continue to add to the project in the years ahead in addition to creating trails for other parts of the Kansas City metro area. Suggestions for Kansas City landmarks that could be added to the trail can be sent to Dr. David Trowbridge in the Department of History. 

Kansas City Missouri Women's Heritage Trail

This section offers a selection of landmarks and heritage trails related to the history of baseball in the United States

<div>African Americans began to play baseball in the late 1800s on military teams, college teams, and company teams. They eventually found their way to professional teams with white players. Moses Fleetwood Walker and Bud Fowler were among the first to participate. However, racism excluded most African Americans&nbsp;from these teams by 1900. Thus, Black players formed their own teams and traveled&nbsp;around the country to play anyone who would challenge them.&nbsp; </div><div> </div><div>In 1920, an organized league structure was formed under the guidance of Andrew "Rube" Foster-a former player, manager, and owner of the Chicago American Giants. In a meeting held at the Paseo YMCA in Kansas City, Foster and a few other Midwestern team owners formed the Negro National League. In the next two decades, other leagues such as the&nbsp;Eastern Colored League&nbsp;were formed.&nbsp;</div><div> </div><div>In 1945, the Brooklyn&nbsp;Dodgers recruited Jackie Robinson from the Kansas City Monarchs. Robinson was not the first African American to play on a Major League team, simply the first to do so in baseball's modern era. Robinson's success paved the way for other Black players, but integration also led to&nbsp;the decline of the Negro Leagues. By the early 1950s, Negro League teams found their best players being signed by MLB teams.&nbsp;The last Negro Leagues teams folded in the early 1960s, but their legacy lives on at the&nbsp;Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. </div><div> </div>Museum History from the NLBM website: Through the inspiration of Horace M. Peterson III (1945-1992), founder of the Black Archives of Mid-America, a group of local historians, business leaders, and former baseball players came together to create the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in the early 1990s. The museum originally operated out of a small, one-room office in the Lincoln Building...&nbsp;The museum expanded to a 2,000 square-foot space in the Lincoln Building in 1994. During the late 1990s, plans were underway by city officials to create a new home to showcase Kansas City's jazz heritage and to revitalize the Historic District. City officials and the mayor worked to raise over $20 million in bonds to build a new facility to host the new American Jazz Museum and a new, permanent and expanded, home for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. This new 50,000 square-foot building opened in September 1997 and the Baseball Museum opened in November. The NLBM broke ground in early 2006 on a $15 million historical preservation and expansion project to restore the Paseo YMCA and convert the national landmark into the John "Buck" O'Neil Education and Research Center.

Located near the founding site of the Negro Leagues, this museum preserves and shares the history of African Americans in baseball from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement when MLB teams and Southern minor league teams began to hire Black players, coaches, and front office personnel. The museum includes a replica of Kansas City's Muhlenbach Stadium with statues of the game's greatest players. 

Visitors begin their tour with a documentary film narrated by actor James Earl Jones that shares the general history of Black baseball and the Negro Leagues. The museum then follows a timeline that places the history of the Negro Leagues within the larger narrative of American history. Exhibits include original equipment, jerseys, photographs, and several interactive displays. The museum concludes with exhibits about the hiring of Black coaches and managers, and a gift shop that includes replica jerseys, books, pennants, and posters. 

Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

<div>The Hall of Fame was founded in 1939 by Stephen Carlton Clark, the owner of a local hotel. who sought to bring tourists to a city whose economy had stagnated as a result of the Great Depression. The Hall made use of the claim made in 1905 that the game of baseball was developed in Cooperstown by Abner Doubleday. Although that claim was false, the establishment of the Hall of Fame helped to further that myth when in reality, the game of baseball developed over time. In contrast to basketball, no one person "invented" baseball, although many individuals who have been enshrined into the Hall of Fame exercised a profound impact upon the development of the game.&nbsp;</div><div> </div><div>The first five men elected were Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson, chosen in 1936; roughly 20 more were selected before the entire group was inducted at the Hall's 1939 opening. There are now over 300 people elected to the Hall of Fame, including players, managers, umpires, and team owners. Players are currently inducted into the Hall of Fame through election by either the Baseball Writers Association of America (or BBWAA), or the Veterans Committee. </div>The Hall of Fame is divided into three sections; a museum, the Hall of Fame, and a research library. Visitors can tour exhibits in the permanent gallery, as well as rotating exhibitions related to various themes. The Hall also offers educational lectures and other programs to enhance awareness, understanding and appreciation of the game for a diverse audience.

Located in Cooperstown, New York, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States, with 300,000 annual visitors. Established in in 1939, the Hall of Fame preserves and shares the history of the game of baseball and its impact on American culture. The Hall of Fame is the definitive repository, as well as a shrine that honor the men and women who have made outstanding contributions to America's national pastime.

National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

The Philadelphia Stars were established&nbsp;in 1933 by Ed Bolden, the previous owner of the&nbsp;Hilldale Daisies. The Stars became a member of the
Negro National League after one season as an independent team in 1933. As
a member of the NNL in 1934, the Stars won the NNL pennant in a classic series
with the Chicago American Giants.&nbsp;From 1934 until 1948, the Stars remained one of the biggest draws&nbsp;within the&nbsp;NNL. After the NNL dissolved in 1948, the Stars joined the Negro American
League and continued baseball operations&nbsp;until 1952. During the Philadelphia Stars’ time, they featured greats
like Biz Mackey and even Satchel Paige in 1950.Recently, the Philadelphia Phillies have worked to honor
the men of the Philadelphia Stars and their contributions to the game of
baseball and the city of Philadelphia. Every April 15 on Jackie Robinson Day,
the Phillies and members of various Philadelphia Business Association members
gather at Philadelphia Stars Negro League Memorial Park to honor and remember
the legacy of African American baseball in the Philadelphia community.

Located in Philadelphia’s West Parkside neighborhood, the Philadelphia Stars Negro League Memorial Park stands in the very spot where the Philadelphia Stars played their home games an Penmar Park. In addition to being the home of the Stars, the ballpark also served as the host to multiple Negro League World Series games in the 1930s and 1940s. The Memorial Park, which was made possible through the coming together of several parties including the MLB and City of Philadelphia in 2004, features a historical site marker, a mural, and a memorial statue.

Philadelphia Stars Negro League Memorial Park

In 1869, George Muehlebach bought Main Street Brewery which was at the northwest corner of 18th and Main Street. By 1880, Muehlebach had expanded operations and became the largest brewery in the city. The company invested its profits in developing the stadium, a hotel, and several other commercial ventures until 1956, when the company was acquired by Schlitz.In 1923,
Muehlebach Field was built to be a home for the Kansas City Blues, a minor
league American Association team.&nbsp;However, the ballpark did not just serve as the home of the Kansas City Blues. In addition, it also served as the home of the Kansas City Monarchs who were the longest operating franchise in Negro League history.

While housing the Negro League’s
longest-running franchise makes Municipal Stadium historically important, the
field is even more important in Negro League history because it house four
Colored World Series. These four series came in 1925, 1926, 1942, and 1946.
During its time, Municipal Stadium featured many hall of famers including some
of the Negro League’s greatest pitchers, such as Bullet Rogan, José Méndez, and
Hilton Smith. During the entire lifespan of the American Association, the only
ever perfect game, which was thrown by Carl de Rose, came in 1947 at Municipal
Stadium. In 1955, a major league baseball team, the Philadelphia Athletics,
came to the field as well. Their arrival led to renovations that raised rent
prices, which then forced the Kansas City Monarchs to leave the stadium after
the 1955 season.

1960 was a big year for Municipal
Stadium as it hosted both the Major League Baseball All-Star Game and the final
Negro Leagues East-West Game. However, the year 1960 was the last big year for
Municipal Stadium, though it did remain the home of the Kansas City Athletics
until their move to Oakland, California in 1968. Consequently, 1968 became the
first year in its history that Municipal Stadium didn’t feature any
professional baseball games. After that, it was the home of the Kansas City
Royals from 1969-1972. &nbsp;Following the
1972 season, the Royals moved to a new stadium, and Municipal Stadium became
empty. Today, part of it is used as a community garden, and part sits as an
empty lot.

Kansas City's Muehlebach Field was built in 1923 at a cost of $400,000 to the George Muehlebach Brewing Company. The stadium was built for the Kansas City Blues who played in the American Association. The ballpark was also home to the Kansas City Monarchs, the longest-operating and arguably the most successful franchise in Negro League history. From 1923 to 1955, the stadium housed the Monarchs and also featured four Colored World Series. In addition, the stadium was home to three NFL teams throughout its history. The stadium changed its name to Municipal Stadium in 1955 when it became home to the Kansas City Athletics, a team that was part of Major League Baseball's American League between 1955 and 1967. The Athletics left Kansas City for Oakland in 1968 but Municipal Stadium once again hosted Major League baseball when Kansas City and Seattle secured expansion teams in 1969. The Kansas City Royals called Municipal Stadium home for two years, moving to Royals Stadium (known as Kaufmann Stadium today) in 1971. Municipal Stadium also hosted home games of the Kansas City Chiefs between 1963 and the creation of Arrowhead Stadium in 1971. Today, the ballpark is gone and the area is home to several private residences. 

Municipal Stadium (Muehlebach Field)

Wrigley Field, the home of the Chicago Cubs Major League Baseball team, is a stadium with a rich and storied history. It is the site of many famous moments in sports history and is a revered and beloved landmark for Chicagoans and tourists to the city alike.         Built in 1914, Wrigley Field is the second-oldest MLB ballpark in the country, just behind Fenway Park in Boston. Located at 1060 West Addison Street, Wrigley Field was constructed on land previously occupied by a seminary. Originally called Weeghman Park after landowner Charles H. Weeghman, the stadium seated 14,000 occupants and cost $250 thousand dollars to build. Between the infield and outfield, the stadium boasted 4,000 yards of soil and 4 acres of bluegrass.                The stadium was called Cubs Park upon the sale of the team from Weeghman to the Wrigley family in 1920 with the official name being changed to Wrigley Field in 1926 in honor of team owner William Wrigley, Jr. The famous Wrigley Field marquee was constructed in 1934 and remains intact and fully functional today. In 1937, the outfield was renovated to accommodate more occupants, thus the bleachers were added as well as the famous center field scoreboard. Despite numerous renovations to the stadium over the years, the original scoreboard remains intact and is still in use today. 1937 was also the year the infamous ivy was planted. Bill Veeck, treasurer for the Cubs (whose late father had once been the president of the Cubs) purchased and planted bittersweet vines from the top to the bottom of the wall and ivy at the base of the wall. This unique touch is a beloved part of Wrigley Field’s history and is recognizable to baseball fans around the world (Chicago Cubs). The Ivy was put in not only as a new renovation to make Wrigley look better, but it also give a little bit of padded protection when outfielders run into the walls.               Over the years, Wrigley Field has grown to seat 41,160 occupants. Stadium lighting was added in 1988 to allow for night games to be played. The first night game at Wrigley Field took place on August 8, 1988, with Rick Sutcliffe being throwing out the opening pitch of the game against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Cubs were leading 3-1 in the fourth inning when downpours covered Chicago, causing the game to be called. Although it was the first night game at Wrigley Field, the game did not count toward the 1988 season. Luckily, the next night is when the first complete night game took place at Wrigley Field, with the Cubs defeating the Mets 6-4 (Cubs Get Lights at Wrigley Field). From 1994-95, 63 private boxes were also added to the stadium. After the completion of the 2005 baseball season, the outfield bleachers were expanded and a restaurant was added. The restaurant, which serves local cuisine like the famous Chicago-style hot dogs and features a bleacher patio that can seat up to 600 guests, can be rented out for private engagements (Chicago Cubs).Wrigley Field is also on of the only ball parks where neighborhood residents can sit ion their roof tops and watch the games. It wasn't a problem for the Cubs until the 1990s when the owners of the apartments put bleachers on the roofs and were charging people to watch the cubs games from the roof. This later was settled because the owners of the apartment complexes agreed to share some of the proceeds with the Cubs. In return the Chicago Cubs did not end up putting up a fence to block the view. Later on, Cubs owners have even bought some of the apartments for themselves.               Wrigley Field has seen some of the greatest moments in baseball history and is the home of many first for baseball. Wrigley Field was the first MLB stadium to feature organ music as well as the first ballpark to allow spectators to keep foul balls. Wrigley Field was the first ballpark to have permanent concession stands. The stadium was also the location of the 1947, 1962, and 1990 All-Star Baseball Games as well as games from the 1918, ’29, ’32, ’35, ’38, and '45 World Series.' Babe Ruth called his shot at Wrigley Field as well. Ruth did this during the 1932 World Series. Some argue that he didn't actually call his shot but was instead just pointing at the Cubs dugout, but no matter what happened, it happened at Wrigley Field. The highest scoring game in baseball history was played at Wrigley Field between the Cubs and the Philadelphia Phillies on August 15, 1922, that ended with a final score of 26-23. The first home run of the 1938 World Series was scored at Wrigley Field by a 17 year-old Lou Gherig. While no batted baseballs have ever hit the famous scoreboard, golfer Sam Snead did manage to hit it with a golf ball when he teed off on home plate before the 1951 season opener against the Cincinnati Reds. Baseball legend Pete Rose reached his 4,191st career hit, tying him with Ty Cobb for most hits in baseball history. A proud memory for Cubs fans was broadcaster Harry Caray’s singing of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the 7th inning stretch (Wrigley Field, Chicago Cubs ballpark).      Wrigley Fields most recent achievement was there 2016 World Series championship. The Chicago Cubs held the record for the longest World Series drought. They had not won a World Series in 108 years. The last time they had won a National League pennant was 71 years. After not winning a World Series since 1908, this championship was more than just a win for the team but a win foe the city as well. This win gave the city hope and was a sign of rebirth in the city of Chicago and for Wrigley Field. They now had a winning team. In the 2016 World Series, they defeated the Cleveland Indians 8-7 in game seven.

                Wrigley Field is home to the Chicago Cubs Major League Baseball team. Built in 1914, the stadium is the second-oldest in baseball history behind Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox. Wrigley Field is a landmark in Chicago. Wrigley Field is the home of many baseball firsts as well as some of the greatest moments in baseball history. This field is one of the top tourist attractions i Chicago and a legendary place for teams to play at. 

Wrigley Field

African Americans began to play baseball in the late 1800s on military teams, college teams, and company teams. They eventually found their way to professional teams with white players. Moses Fleetwood Walker and Bud Fowler were among the first to participate. However, racism excluded most African Americans from these teams by 1900. Thus, Black players formed their own teams and traveled around the country to play anyone who would challenge them. In 1920, an organized league structure was formed under the guidance of Andrew "Rube" Foster-a former player, manager, and owner of the Chicago American Giants. In a meeting held at the Paseo YMCA in Kansas City, Foster and a few other Midwestern team owners formed the Negro National League. In the next two decades, other leagues such as the Eastern Colored League were formed. In 1945, the Brooklyn Dodgers recruited Jackie Robinson from the Kansas City Monarchs. Robinson was not the first African American to play on a Major League team, simply the first to do so in baseball's modern era. Robinson's success paved the way for other Black players, but integration also led to the decline of the Negro Leagues. By the early 1950s, Negro League teams found their best players being signed by MLB teams. The last Negro Leagues teams folded in the early 1960s, but their legacy lives on at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.Museum History from the NLBM website:Through the inspiration of Horace M. Peterson III (1945-1992), founder of the Black Archives of Mid-America, a group of local historians, business leaders, and former baseball players came together to create the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in the early 1990s. The museum originally operated out of a small, one-room office in the Lincoln Building... The museum expanded to a 2,000 square-foot space in the Lincoln Building in 1994.During the late 1990s, plans were underway by city officials to create a new home to showcase Kansas City's jazz heritage and to revitalize the Historic District. City officials and the mayor worked to raise over $20 million in bonds to build a new facility to host the new American Jazz Museum and a new, permanent and expanded, home for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. This new 50,000 square-foot building opened in September 1997 and the Baseball Museum opened in November. The NLBM broke ground in early 2006 on a $15 million historical preservation and expansion project to restore the Paseo YMCA and convert the national landmark into the John "Buck" O'Neil Education and Research Center.

Located near the founding site of the Negro Leagues, this museum preserves and shares the history of African Americans in baseball from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement when MLB teams and Southern minor league teams began to hire Black players, coaches, and front office personnel. The museum includes a replica of Kansas City's Muhlenbach Stadium with statues of the game's greatest players. Visitors begin their tour with a documentary film narrated by actor James Earl Jones that shares the general history of Black baseball and the Negro Leagues. The museum then follows a timeline that places the history of the Negro Leagues within the larger narrative of American history. Exhibits include original equipment, jerseys, photographs, and several interactive displays. The museum concludes with exhibits about the hiring of Black coaches and managers, and a gift shop that includes replica jerseys, books, pennants, and posters.

African Americans began to play baseball in the late 1800s on military teams, college teams, and company teams. They eventually found their way to professional teams with white players. Moses Fleetwood Walker and Bud Fowler were among the first to participate. However, racism excluded most African Americans from these teams by 1900. Thus, Black players formed their own teams and traveled around the country to play anyone who would challenge them. In 1920, an organized league structure was formed under the guidance of Andrew "Rube" Foster-a former player, manager, and owner of the Chicago American Giants. In a meeting held at the Paseo YMCA in Kansas City, Foster and a few other Midwestern team owners formed the Negro National League. In the next two decades, other leagues such as the Eastern Colored League were formed. In 1945, the Brooklyn Dodgers recruited Jackie Robinson from the Kansas City Monarchs. Robinson was not the first African American to play on a Major League team, simply the first to do so in baseball's modern era. Robinson's success paved the way for other Black players, but integration also led to the decline of the Negro Leagues. By the early 1950s, Negro League teams found their best players being signed by MLB teams. The last Negro Leagues teams folded in the early 1960s, but their legacy lives on at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.Museum History from the NLBM website:Through the inspiration of Horace M. Peterson III (1945-1992), founder of the Black Archives of Mid-America, a group of local historians, business leaders, and former baseball players came together to create the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in the early 1990s. The museum originally operated out of a small, one-room office in the Lincoln Building... The museum expanded to a 2,000 square-foot space in the Lincoln Building in 1994.During the late 1990s, plans were underway by city officials to create a new home to showcase Kansas City's jazz heritage and to revitalize the Historic District. City officials and the mayor worked to raise over $20 million in bonds to build a new facility to host the new American Jazz Museum and a new, permanent and expanded, home for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. This new 50,000 square-foot building opened in September 1997 and the Baseball Museum opened in November. The NLBM broke ground in early 2006 on a $15 million historical preservation and expansion project to restore the Paseo YMCA and convert the national landmark into the John "Buck" O'Neil Education and Research Center.

African Americans began to play baseball in the late 1800s on military teams, college teams, and company teams. They eventually found their way to professional teams with white players. Moses Fleetwood Walker and Bud Fowler were among the first to participate. However, racism excluded most African Americans from these teams by 1900. Thus, Black players formed their own teams and traveled around the country to play anyone who would challenge them. In 1920, an organized league structure was formed under the guidance of Andrew "Rube" Foster-a former player, manager, and owner of the Chicago American Giants. In a meeting held at the Paseo YMCA in Kansas City, Foster and other Midwestern team owners; Indianapolis ABCs, Cincinnati Cuban Stars, Detroit Starts, St. Louis Giants, Chicago Giants, Kansas City Monarchs and the Dayton Marcos, created the Negro National League. Soon after, other leagues such as the Eastern Colored League and the Negro American League were formed. In 1945, the Brooklyn Dodgers recruited Jackie Robinson from the Kansas City Monarchs. Robinson was not the first African American to play on a Major League team, simply the first to do so in baseball's modern era. Robinson's success paved the way for other Black players, but integration also led to the decline of the Negro Leagues. By the early 1950s, Negro League teams found their best players being signed by MLB teams. The last Negro Leagues teams folded in the early 1960s, but their legacy lives on at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.Museum History from the NLBM website:Through the inspiration of Horace M. Peterson III (1945-1992), founder of the Black Archives of Mid-America, a group of local historians, business leaders, and former baseball players came together to create the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in the early 1990s. The museum originally operated out of a small, one-room office in the Lincoln Building. The museum expanded to a 2,000 square-foot space in the Lincoln Building in 1994.During the late 1990s, plans were underway by city officials to create a new home to showcase Kansas City's jazz heritage and to revitalize the Historic District. City officials and Mayors Dick Berkley and Emanuel Cleaver II worked to raise over $20 million in bonds to build a new facility to host the new American Jazz Museum and a new, permanent and expanded, home for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. This new 50,000 square-foot building opened in September 1997 and the Baseball Museum opened in November. The NLBM broke ground in early 2006 on a $15 million historical preservation and expansion project to restore the Paseo YMCA and convert the national landmark into the John "Buck" O'Neil Education and Research Center.

Located near the founding site of the Negro Leagues, this museum preserves and shares the history of African Americans in baseball from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement when MLB teams and Southern minor league teams began to hire Black players, coaches, and front office personnel. The museum includes a replica of Kansas City's Muehlebach Stadium with statues of the game's greatest players. Visitors begin their tour with a documentary film narrated by actor James Earl Jones that shares the general history of Black baseball and the Negro Leagues. The museum then follows a timeline, created by historian Larry Lester, that places the history of the Negro Leagues within the larger narrative of American history. Static exhibits include original equipment, jerseys, photographs, and several interactive displays. The museum concludes with exhibits about the hiring of Black coaches and managers, and a gift shop that includes replica jerseys, books, pennants, and posters.

African Americans began to play baseball in the late 1800s on military teams, college teams, and company teams. They eventually found their way to professional teams with white players. Moses Fleetwood Walker and Bud Fowler were among the first to participate. However, racism excluded most African Americans from these teams by 1900. Thus, Black players formed their own teams and traveled around the country to play anyone who would challenge them. In 1920, an organized league structure was formed under the guidance of Andrew "Rube" Foster-a former player, manager, and owner of the Chicago American Giants. In a meeting held at the Paseo YMCA in Kansas City, Foster and other Midwestern team owners; Indianapolis ABCs, Cincinnati Cuban Stars, Detroit Starts, St. Louis Giants, Chicago Giants, Kansas City Monarchs and the Dayton Marcos, created the midwestern-based Negro National League (1920-31). Soon after, other leagues were formed including; Eastern Colored League (1923-1928), American Negro League (1929), East-West League (1932), Negro Southern League (1929), eastern-based Negro National League II (1933-1948) and the Negro American League (1937-1962).In 1945, the Brooklyn Dodgers recruited Jackie Robinson from the Kansas City Monarchs. Robinson was not the first African American to play on a Major League team, simply the first to do so in baseball's modern era. Robinson's success paved the way for other Black players, but integration also led to the decline of the Negro Leagues. By the early 1950s, Negro League teams found their best players being signed by MLB teams. The last Negro Leagues teams folded in the early 1960s, but their legacy lives on at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.Museum History from the NLBM website:Through the inspiration of Horace M. Peterson III (1945-1992), founder of the Black Archives of Mid-America, a group of local historians, business leaders, and former baseball players came together to create the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in the early 1990s. The museum originally operated out of a small, one-room office in the Lincoln Building. The museum expanded to a 2,000 square-foot space in the Lincoln Building in 1994.During the late 1990s, plans were underway by city officials to create a new home to showcase Kansas City's jazz heritage and to revitalize the Historic District. City officials and Mayors Dick Berkley and Emanuel Cleaver II worked to raise over $20 million in bonds to build a new facility to host the new American Jazz Museum and a new, permanent and expanded, home for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. This new 50,000 square-foot building opened in September 1997 and the Baseball Museum opened in November. The NLBM broke ground in early 2006 on a $15 million historical preservation and expansion project to restore the Paseo YMCA and convert the national landmark into the John "Buck" O'Neil Education and Research Center.

Located near the founding site of the Negro Leagues, this museum preserves and shares the history of African Americans in baseball from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement when MLB teams and Southern minor league teams began to hire Black players, coaches, and front office personnel. The museum includes a replica of Kansas City's Muehlebach Stadium with statues of the game's greatest players. Visitors begin their tour with a documentary film narrated by actor James Earl Jones that shares the general history of Black baseball and the Negro Leagues. The museum then follows a timeline, created by historian and co-founder Larry Lester, that places the history of the Negro Leagues within the larger narrative of American history. Other founders included, Phil Dixon, Buck O'Neil, Alfred Surratt, Sr., Bob Motley and Horace Peterson. Static exhibits include original equipment, jerseys, photographs, and several interactive displays. The museum concludes with exhibits about the hiring of Black coaches and managers, and a gift shop that includes replica jerseys, books, pennants, and posters.

In 1869, George Muehlebach bought Main Street Brewery which was at the northwest corner of 18th and Main Street. By 1880, Muehlebach had expanded operations and became the largest brewery in the city. The company invested its profits in developing the stadium, a hotel, and several other commercial ventures until 1956, when the company was acquired by Schlitz.In 1923, Muehlebach Field was built to be a home for the Kansas City Blues, a minor league American Association team. However, the ballpark did not just serve as the home of the Kansas City Blues. In addition, it also served as the home of the Kansas City Monarchs who were the longest operating franchise in Negro League history.While housing the Negro League’s longest-running franchise makes Municipal Stadium historically important, the field is even more important in Negro League history because it house four Colored World Series. These four series came in 1925, 1926, 1942, and 1946. During its time, Municipal Stadium featured many hall of famers including some of the Negro League’s greatest pitchers, such as Bullet Rogan, José Méndez, and Hilton Smith. During the entire lifespan of the American Association, the only ever perfect game, which was thrown by Carl de Rose, came in 1947 at Municipal Stadium. In 1955, a major league baseball team, the Philadelphia Athletics, came to the field as well. Their arrival led to renovations that raised rent prices, which then forced the Kansas City Monarchs to leave the stadium after the 1955 season.1960 was a big year for Municipal Stadium as it hosted both the Major League Baseball All-Star Game and the final Negro Leagues East-West Game. However, the year 1960 was the last big year for Municipal Stadium, though it did remain the home of the Kansas City Athletics until their move to Oakland, California in 1968. Consequently, 1968 became the first year in its history that Municipal Stadium didn’t feature any professional baseball games. After that, it was the home of the Kansas City Royals from 1969-1972. Following the 1972 season, the Royals moved to a new stadium, and Municipal Stadium became empty. Today, part of it is used as a community garden, and part sits as an empty lot.

Kansas City's Muehlebach Field was built in 1923 at a cost of $400,000 to the George Muehlebach Brewing Company. The stadium was built for the Kansas City Blues who played in the American Association. The ballpark was also home to the Kansas City Monarchs, the longest-operating and arguably the most successful franchise in Negro League history. From 1923 to 1955, the stadium housed the Monarchs and also featured four Colored World Series. In addition, the stadium was home to three NFL teams throughout its history. The stadium changed its name to Municipal Stadium in 1955 when it became home to the Kansas City Athletics, a team that was part of Major League Baseball's American League between 1955 and 1967. The Athletics left Kansas City for Oakland in 1968 but Municipal Stadium once again hosted Major League baseball when Kansas City and Seattle secured expansion teams in 1969. The Kansas City Royals called Municipal Stadium home for two years, moving to Royals Stadium (known as Kaufmann Stadium today) in 1971. Municipal Stadium also hosted home games of the Kansas City Chiefs between 1963 and the creation of Arrowhead Stadium in 1971. Today, the ballpark is gone and the area is home to several private residences.

Located near the founding site of the Negro Leagues, this museum preserves and shares the history of African Americans in baseball from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement when MLB teams and Southern minor league teams began to hire Black players, coaches, and front office personnel. The museum includes a replica of Kansas City's Muehlebach Stadium with statues of the game's greatest players. Visitors begin their tour with a documentary film narrated by actor James Earl Jones that shares the general history of Black baseball and the Negro Leagues. The museum then follows a timeline, created by historian and co-founder Larry Lester, that places the history of the Negro Leagues within the larger narrative of American history. Other founders included Phil Dixon, Buck O'Neil, Alfred Surratt, Sr., Bob Motley and Horace Peterson. Static exhibits include original equipment, jerseys, photographs, and several interactive displays. The museum concludes with exhibits about the hiring of Black coaches and managers, and a gift shop that includes replica jerseys, books, pennants, and posters.

In 1869, George Muehlebach bought Main Street Brewery which was at the northwest corner of 18th and Main Street. By 1880, Muehlebach had expanded operations and became the largest brewery in the city. The company invested its profits in developing the stadium, a hotel, and several other commercial ventures until 1956 when the company was acquired by Schlitz.In 1923, Muehlebach Field was built to be a home for the Kansas City Blues, a minor league American Association team. The stadium was home to the Kansas City Monarchs, the Negro League’s longest-running franchise. The ballpark was also the site of the first Colored World Series in 1924 between Hillsdale of the Eastern Colored League and the Kansas City Monarchs, champion of the Negro National League. During its time, Municipal Stadium featured many hall of famers including some of the Negro League’s greatest pitchers, such as Bullet Rogan, José Méndez, and Hilton Smith. During the entire lifespan of the American Association, the only perfect game, which was thrown by Carl de Rose, came in 1947 at Municipal Stadium. In 1955, a major league baseball team, the Philadelphia Athletics, came to the field as well. Their arrival led to renovations that raised rent prices, which then forced the Kansas City Monarchs to leave the stadium after the 1955 season.1960 was a big year for Municipal Stadium as it hosted both the Major League Baseball All-Star Game and the final Negro Leagues East-West Game. However, the year 1960 was the last big year for Municipal Stadium, though it did remain the home of the Kansas City Athletics until their move to Oakland, California in 1968. Consequently, 1968 became the first year in its history that Municipal Stadium didn’t feature any professional baseball games. After that, it was the home of the Kansas City Royals from 1969-1972. Following the 1972 season, the Royals moved to a new stadium, and Municipal Stadium became empty. Today, part of it is used as a community garden, and part sits as an empty lot.

Kansas City's Muehlebach Field was built at this location in 1923 at a cost of $400,000 to the George Muehlebach Brewing Company. The stadium was built for the Kansas City Blues of Major League Baseball's American Association. The ballpark was also home to the Kansas City Monarchs, the longest-operating and arguably the most successful franchise in Negro League history. From 1923 to 1955, the stadium housed the Monarchs and also featured four Colored World Series. In addition, the stadium was home to three NFL teams throughout its history. The stadium changed its name to Municipal Stadium in 1955 when it became home to the Kansas City Athletics, a team that was part of Major League Baseball's American League between 1955 and 1967. The Athletics left Kansas City for Oakland in 1968 but Municipal Stadium once again hosted Major League baseball when Kansas City and Seattle secured expansion teams in 1969. The Kansas City Royals called Municipal Stadium home for two years, moving to Royals Stadium (known as Kaufmann Stadium today) in 1971. Municipal Stadium also hosted home games of the Kansas City Chiefs between 1963 and the creation of Arrowhead Stadium in 1971. Today, the ballpark is gone and the area is home to several private residences.

In 1869, George Muehlebach bought Main Street Brewery which was at the northwest corner of 18th and Main Street. By 1880, Muehlebach had expanded operations and became the largest brewery in the city. The company invested its profits in developing the stadium, a hotel, and several other commercial ventures until 1956 when the company was acquired by Schlitz.In 1923, Muehlebach Field was built to be a home for the Kansas City Blues, a minor league American Association team. The stadium was known as Muehlebach Field from 1923 to 1937, then Ruppert Stadium from 1938-42, and later Blues Stadium. It was the home for the Kansas City Blues of the American Association and the Kansas City Monarchs, of the Negro Leagues, from 1923-54, and later home to the American League Kansas City A’s from 1955-67 and the K.C. Royals from 1969-1972. The street boundaries were 22nd Street (first base side), Brooklyn Avenue (right field), 21st Street (left field) and Euclid Avenue (third base). The stadium is memorably known for Harvey the Mechanical Rabbit which delighted fans when he rose out of the ground behind home plate to give the umpire fresh baseballs from a basket with bunny ears.The stadium was home to the Kansas City Monarchs, the Negro League’s longest-running franchise. Seating was segregated for the Blues games, but the lines of division were removed when the Monarchs played. However, in 1933, the Blues were sold to former Chicago Cubs catcher and Kansas City native Johnny Kling, who encouraged integrated seating for attendees. In 1938, when the park was purchased by Yankee owner Jacob Ruppert, he restituted segregated seating, causing an angry response from the Kansas City Call, one of the City’s Black newspapers.The ballpark was also the site of the first Colored World Series in 1924 between Hillsdale of the Eastern Colored League and the Kansas City Monarchs, champion of the Negro National League. During its time, Municipal Stadium featured many hall of famers including some of the Negro League’s greatest pitchers, such as Bullet Rogan, José Méndez, and Hilton Smith. During the entire lifespan of the American Association, the only perfect game, which was thrown by Carl de Rose, came in 1947 at Municipal Stadium. In 1955, a major league baseball team, the Philadelphia Athletics, came to the field as well. Their arrival led to renovations that raised rent prices, which then forced the Kansas City Monarchs to leave the stadium after the 1955 season.1960 was a big year for Municipal Stadium as it hosted both the Major League Baseball All-Star Game and the final Negro Leagues East-West Game. However, the year 1960 was the last big year for Municipal Stadium, though it did remain the home of the Kansas City Athletics until their move to Oakland, California in 1968. Consequently, 1968 became the first year in its history that Municipal Stadium didn’t feature any professional baseball games. After that, it was the home of the Kansas City Royals from 1969-1972. Following the 1972 season, the Royals moved to a new stadium, and Municipal Stadium became empty. Today, part of it is used as a community garden, and part sits as an empty lot.Select Stadium HighlightsSome highlights include being the site of games #5, #6 and #7 of the first Colored World Series between the Monarchs and the Hilldale Club from Pennsylvania. In 1946, the Monarchs played the Newark Eagles in World Series games #3 and #4 at Blues Stadium, splitting the wins. The largest crowd on record was 36,623 on 3 August 1971 when the Royals played the Oakland Athletics, enroute to 101 wins. The A’s featured many former Kansas City players such as Sal Bando, Rick Monday, Reggie Jackson, Vida Blue, Catfish Hunter and Johnny “Blue Moon” Odom.Before 30,619 fans, the 28th annual Major League All-Star game was the first All-Star game to be played in Kansas City. It occurred on Monday 11 July 1960 and featured 18 future members of the Hall of Fame. The game was the last All-Star game for Ted Williams and the first for Roberto Clemente and Brooks Robinson. Two Negro League no-hitters were pitched at the ballpark, the first a combination no-hitter thrown by Hall of Fame pitchers José Méndez and Bullet Rogan in 1923 and the second by another Hall of Famer, Hilton Smith, in 1937. In each game, a perfect game was missed because of a single base on balls.It was also the site of the only nine-inning perfect game ever pitched in the American Association on June 26 1947 by Carl De Rose. The right field embankment featured the image of a German shorthaired pointer dog named Old Drum, a once-legendary dog that has been memorialized with a monument in Warrensburg. Also add “Charlie O. the Mule” to the mix. Also, the short-lived Pennant Porch in 1965, offering a fence 296 feet from home plate to mimic Yankee Stadium’s right field distance. Commissioner Ford Frick vetoed the wooden structure, before the start of the season. This field also saw the final pitching game of Satchel Paige who at the age of 59 pitched while wearing a major league uniform on September 25, 1965 against the Boston Red Sox. Paige pitched three innings, giving up one hit, striking out one batter and yielding no runs.

Kansas City's Muehlebach Field was built at this location in 1923 at a cost of $400,000 to the George Muehlebach Brewing Company. The stadium was built for the Kansas City Blues of Major League Baseball's American Association. The ballpark was also home to the Kansas City Monarchs, the longest-operating and arguably the most successful franchise in Negro League history. From 1923 to 1955, the stadium housed the Monarchs and also featured four Colored World Series. In addition, the stadium was home to three NFL teams throughout its history. The stadium changed its name to Municipal Stadium in 1955 when it became home to the Kansas City Athletics, a team that was part of Major League Baseball's American League between 1955 and 1967. The Athletics left Kansas City for Oakland in 1968 but Municipal Stadium once again hosted Major League baseball when Kansas City and Seattle secured expansion teams in 1969. The Kansas City Royals called Municipal Stadium home for two years, moving to Royals Stadium (known as Kaufmann Stadium today) in 1971. Municipal Stadium also hosted home games of the Kansas City Chiefs between 1963 and the creation of Arrowhead Stadium in 1971. Today, the ballpark is gone and the area is home to several private residences, but there is a small park known as Monarch Plaze that recognizes the history of the field.

In 1869, George Muehlebach bought Main Street Brewery which was at the northwest corner of 18th and Main Street. By 1880, Muehlebach had expanded operations and became the largest brewery in the city. The company invested its profits in developing the stadium, a hotel, and several other commercial ventures until 1956 when the company was acquired by Schlitz.In 1923, Muehlebach Field was built to be a home for the Kansas City Blues, a minor league American Association team. The stadium was known as Muehlebach Field from 1923 to 1937, then Ruppert Stadium from 1938-42, and later Blues Stadium. It was the home for the Kansas City Blues of the American Association and the Kansas City Monarchs, of the Negro Leagues, from 1923-54, and later home to the American League Kansas City A’s from 1955-67 and the K.C. Royals from 1969-1972. The street boundaries were 22nd Street (first base side), Brooklyn Avenue (right field), 21st Street (left field) and Euclid Avenue (third base). The stadium is memorably known for Harvey the Mechanical Rabbit which delighted fans when he rose out of the ground behind home plate to give the umpire fresh baseballs from a basket with bunny ears. The right field embankment once included a small "zoo" to entertain fans of all ages, including grazing sheep, China golden pheasants, Capuchin monkeys, German checker rabbits, peafowl, and other animals.  The stadium was home to the Kansas City Monarchs, the Negro League’s longest-running franchise. Seating was segregated for the Blues games, but the lines of division were removed when the Monarchs played. However, in 1933, the Blues were sold to former Chicago Cubs catcher and Kansas City native Johnny Kling, who encouraged integrated seating for attendees. In 1938, when the park was purchased by Yankee owner Jacob Ruppert, he restituted segregated seating, causing an angry response from the Kansas City Call, one of the City’s Black newspapers.The ballpark was also the site of the first Colored World Series in 1924 between Hillsdale of the Eastern Colored League and the Kansas City Monarchs, champion of the Negro National League. During its time, Municipal Stadium featured many hall of famers including some of the Negro League’s greatest pitchers, such as Bullet Rogan, José Méndez, and Hilton Smith. During the entire lifespan of the American Association, the only perfect game, which was thrown by Carl de Rose, came in 1947 at Municipal Stadium. In 1955, a major league baseball team, the Philadelphia Athletics, came to the field as well. Their arrival led to renovations that raised rent prices, which then forced the Kansas City Monarchs to leave the stadium after the 1955 season.1960 was a big year for Municipal Stadium as it hosted both the Major League Baseball All-Star Game and the final Negro Leagues East-West Game. However, the year 1960 was the last big year for Municipal Stadium, though it did remain the home of the Kansas City Athletics until their move to Oakland, California in 1968. Consequently, 1968 became the first year in its history that Municipal Stadium didn’t feature any professional baseball games. After that, it was the home of the Kansas City Royals from 1969-1972. Following the 1972 season, the Royals moved to a new stadium, and Municipal Stadium became empty. Today, part of it is used as a community garden, and part sits as an empty lot.Select Stadium HighlightsSome highlights include being the site of games #5, #6 and #7 of the first Colored World Series between the Monarchs and the Hilldale Club from Pennsylvania. In 1946, the Monarchs played the Newark Eagles in World Series games #3 and #4 at Blues Stadium, splitting the wins. The largest crowd on record was 36,623 on 3 August 1971 when the Royals played the Oakland Athletics, enroute to 101 wins. The A’s featured many former Kansas City players such as Sal Bando, Rick Monday, Reggie Jackson, Vida Blue, Catfish Hunter and Johnny “Blue Moon” Odom.Before 30,619 fans, the 28th annual Major League All-Star game was the first All-Star game to be played in Kansas City. It occurred on Monday 11 July 1960 and featured 18 future members of the Hall of Fame. The game was the last All-Star game for Ted Williams and the first for Roberto Clemente and Brooks Robinson. Two Negro League no-hitters were pitched at the ballpark, the first a combination no-hitter thrown by Hall of Fame pitchers José Méndez and Bullet Rogan in 1923 and the second by another Hall of Famer, Hilton Smith, in 1937. In each game, a perfect game was missed because of a single base on balls.It was also the site of the only nine-inning perfect game ever pitched in the American Association on June 26 1947 by Carl De Rose. The right field embankment featured the image of a German shorthaired pointer dog named Old Drum, a once-legendary dog that has been memorialized with a monument in Warrensburg. Also add “Charlie O. the Mule” to the mix. Also, the short-lived Pennant Porch in 1965, offering a fence 296 feet from home plate to mimic Yankee Stadium’s right field distance. Commissioner Ford Frick vetoed the wooden structure, before the start of the season. This field also saw the final pitching game of Satchel Paige who at the age of 59 pitched while wearing a major league uniform on September 25, 1965 against the Boston Red Sox. Paige pitched three innings, giving up one hit, striking out one batter and yielding no runs.

In 1967, voters in Jackson County approved the bonds for the construction of Truman Sports Complex that included a football stadium for the Kansas City Chiefs and a baseball stadium for the Kansas City Athletics. This was a unique proposal as many cities were building multi-use stadiums and the location of the two stadiums next to one another invited questions about the wisdom of not following this trend. When the stadium opened on April 10, 1973, it was celebrated as one of the game's most beautiful ballparks. And while many recent ballparks have surpassed the cost of the construction of this stadium, it retains its reputation owing to its classic design and incorporation of new technologies and updated seating areas. The ballpark has been home to the 1973 and 2012 All-Star Games, three no-hitters, playoff games in 1976, '77, '78, '80, '81, '84, '85, 2014 and '15 with 13 World Series tilts in 1980, 1985, 2014 and 2015. The facility was officially renamed in honor of team owner Ewing M. Kauffman in a ceremony at the stadium on July 2, 1993.Beginning with the 2007 season the Royals had a red seat placed in the stadium among the all-blue seats behind home plate to honor Buck O'Neil. O'Neil played for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro League from 1937 to 1955 and was the leading force behind the creation of the Negro Leagues museum in Kansas City. The team selects one local person who embodies the spirit of Buck O'Neil selected from community nominees to sit in that seat, formerly occupied by O'Neil, at each home game. The seat is located behind home plate in Section 127 and honorees are recognized at each game for their contributions. Kauffman, who founded Marion Laboratories in his mother's basement and built it into a diversified health care company with sales reaching nearly one billion dollars, possessed a sense of daring and an innate ability to motivate those around him. "Mr. K" also gave much personal attention to the Kansas City community, an important philosophy that was incorporated into the Royals organization. Among the awards Mr. Kauffman won for his leadership include the Kansas City Press Club's 1973 Man of the Year, an induction into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, and being named one of 20 finalists for enshrinement in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008. Mr. K passed away on August 1, 1993.

Kauffman Stadium opened in 1973 and is home to the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball. It was built to replace Municipal Stadium, which was constructed in the 1920s and was home to the Kansas City Blues and the Kansas City Monarchs. Kauffman Stadium is part of the Truman Sports Complex along with Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. The stadium first opened as Royals Stadium but since 1993, the ballpark has been named in honor of the late Ewing Kauffman, the founder and first owner of the Royals, as well as a leading businessman and philanthropist in the Kansas City area. Upon his passing, Kauffman donated the team to the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation under the condition that the team would be sold to owners who would keep the team in Kansas City with all proceeds from the sale of the team benefiting local charities. The stadium is well known for the water fountains along the outfield fence which formed the largest privately-funded water fountain in the world when the stadium opened. The stadium also features a ten-story scoreboard topped by a gold crown that can be seen by traffic along I-70.

Kauffman Stadium

Baseball History

This short drive through downtown Denver includes two museums and several current and historic ballparks that have been home to Denver's professional teams.

Downtown Denver Baseball History Tour

This virtual tour (or "bucket list" driving tour for enthusiasts) includes stops at the location where each of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League franchises played their games. The tour includes a stop at the History Museum of South Bend, which holds the archives of the league and artifacts and papers of many of the players, owners, and coaches. Play Ball!

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