Financial, Library, and Garment Districts of Kansas City Walking Tour

Entries on This Tour

1. Commerce Trust Building; Commerce Bank of Kansas City

Designed by Jarvis Hunt, the Commerce Trust Building was constructed between 1907 and 1908 by the George A. Fuller Company. The fifteen-story building has maintained most of its historic features, such as its large bronze and copper clock. The building served as headquarters for Commerce Bank of Kansas City, which dates back to 1865 when Francis Reid Long arrived with $10,000 to invest in the growing city. The timing of the bank's founding after the Civil War was ideal as the city was chosen as the terminus of several railroads and included the first railroad bridge connecting this area with Missouri. The bank grew rapidly, and its founders determined to create a new headquarters building in the heart of Kansas City’s growing business district. In 1965, the company constructed the 30-story Commerce Tower at 9th and Main Street and later moved its Kansas City headquarters to 10th and Walnut.

2. Elizabeth Powers, Jazz Musicians (1964) bronze

In 1964 the Kemper Foundation commissioned artist Elizabeth Powers to create “Jazz Musicians,” an outdoor public art installation for the north facade of the 811 Main Street building. Artist Elizabeth Powers was a Kansas City native who earned a degree at the Kansas City Art Institute and exhibited at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. At the time of the commission, the artist was living and working in her sculpture studio in Florence, Italy.In preparation of the commission, Powers sketched Kansas City jazz musicians playing in local night clubs. The trumpet man was inspired by watching and listening to Emmett Finney, and the bass player was inspired by Milt Abel, although neither are formal portraits. While the commission is symbolic of Kansas City’s strong jazz tradition, it also serves as a memorial to Lt. David Woods Kemper, James M. Kemper’s son, who passed away in World War II.

3. Muse of the Missouri

Also known as the David Woods Kemper Memorial, the Muse of the Missouri sculpture and fountain was dedicated in 1962 to the memory of David Woods Kemper, who was killed in action during World War II in Italy. It was a gift to the city by his parents Mr. and Mrs. James Kemper. Artist Wheeler Williams created the sculpture and designed the fountains. The sculpture depicts a muse, a Greek goddess of arts and sciences, with a fishing net from which fish fall to the the pool below. The water fountain consists of three pools that are filled by two hundred water spouts.

4. New York Life Building of Kansas City

The New York Life building is a high-rise in the Library District of Kansas City. Built in a Neo-Renaissance style between 1887-90 by famous New York City architects McKim, Mead and White, it was a symbol of Kansas City’s prosperity in the late 19th-century as well as its reliance and faith in the money coming from the East, as Kansas City stood as a gateway to the West. The New York Life building is also considered to be Kansas City’s first skyscraper. The building mirrored the potential and investment coming to the area from all over the country, and it was the first manifestation of this prosperity. Today, the New York Life building is a centerpiece of the Library District neighborhood, and in 1970, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

5. Bunker Building

Walter A. Bunker managed the Kansas City chapter of the Western Newspaper Union. Its success led Bunker and his partners to erect the now-historic Bunker Building in 1881. Bunker felt it prudent to build in the downtown region because he believed in Kansas City's potential to become a meaningful urban center, a view shared by speculators from the eastern part of the country. Investors, architects, and workers came to Kansas City in droves during the 1880s, resulting in a downtown building boom and a doubling of the city's population.

6. Baker–Vawter Building; Sosland Building

The Baker-Vawter Company, a national producer of steel filing cabinets and other office-supply products, hired a Kansas City architectural firm in 1920 to design its "Western Office and Factory" facility in Kansas City. The architectural firm of Hoit, Price & Barnes went on to design numerous buildings in Kansas City, from skyscrapers to residential buildings, many of which survive today as historical landmarks. The Baker-Vawter Building stands as one of the firm's earliest projects and continues to serve as a representation of the firm's contributions to the area's industrial architecture. The Sosland family of Kansas City acquired the building in 1950 and used it for their growing publishing company which began in 1922 with the publication of a weekly magazine for area flour mills. Similar to many other buildings in the area, The historic structure is now home to loft apartments.

7. Old New England Building

The Old New England Building was the tallest building in Kansas City when it was completed in 1888. The last few decades of the 19th century were a time of immense population growth and the area saw an influx of investors, architects, and builders who had previously created some of the leading buildings in cities like New York, Boston, and Chicago. The completion of buildings like this signaled Kansas City's growth into a regional powerhouse. The building was the original home of the New England Mutual Life Insurance Company and featured fifty-seven fireplaces, two elevators, and two walk-in safes on each floor. The architectural design includes a two-story high oriel bay window and five unique ornamental carved stone seals of five New England states. The building was later used by Trans World Airlines and now serves as residential loft-style apartments.

8. Savoy Hotel and Savoy Grill (1888-2014); The Savoy at 21c and 21c Museum Hotel Kansas City

This historic Kansas City building was home to the Savoy Hotel starting in 1888. Five years later, the hotel added the Savoy Grill, the longest-operating restaurant west of the Mississippi River. The restaurant and hotel closed following a 2014 fire, but the building was later renovated and reopened by the 21c hotel chain to include a contemporary art museum along with many tributes to the history of the former historic establishment. Soon after the hotel reopened, the former dining room of the Savoy Grill reopened as the Savoy at 21c Restaurant. Visitors to the restaurant can sit in a booth that was the preferred location of Harry S. Truman and view a series of historically significant murals that were created as part of the restaurant's 1903 opening. These murals by Edward Holslag depict early Kansas City history from pioneers departing Westport on the Sante Fe Trail to the arrival of steamboats on the Missouri River. A short hallway connects these historical works to a contemporary art museum that is open to the public 24 hours a day within the new hotel's lobby. A virtual tour of the hotel's art gallery and restaurant, including the murals by Edward Holsalg, is available within this entry.

9. Rodin Rodannadanna by Donald Lipski

Artist Donald Lipski created "Rodin Rodannadanna" in 2000. The work consists of a circle of 18 life-sized casts of Auguste Rodin's 'The Thinker', with a title that is a tongue-in-cheek reference to Gilder Radner's character in Saturday Night Live Roseanne Roseannadanna. Lipski is known for his sense of humor and tendency to super-size found objects into unexpected settings.

10. The Phoenix Hotel (1888) and Mural

This mural of Kansas City jazz musicians is located on the east wall of the historic Phoenix Building which was constructed in 1888 and a contributing property within the Garment District which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The most striking feature of this historic three-story Neo-Romanesque building is the cast iron arch at the 8th street entryway. Since 1990 the first level of the former hotel has been home to The Phoenix, a live music venue that offers nightly jazz. In 2002, the city named the section of 8th Street from Broadway to Central as “Scamps Alley" in honor of an iconic jazz band with Kansas City roots dating back to the Great Depression.

11. Kansas City Historic Garment District Museum (2002-2024)

Until its closure in September 2024, the Kansas City Garment District Museum was housed in the former office space for Poindexter Dry Goods, which was built in 1901. The museum was founded by Ann Brownfield and Harvey Fried in 2002. Both founders were former employees in the Garment District, and the museum benefitted from their firsthand reflections and knowledge of the district. Ownership and management of the collection was transferred to the Kansas City Museum in 2015. Beginning in 2022, the Kansas City Museum collection is co-owned by the Kansas City Museum Foundation and Union Station.

12. Eighth Street Fountain

In the decades after World War I, this section of downtown Kansas City, known as the Garment District, became a major clothing manufacturing site. Dozens of garment companies employed thousands of workers here until the domestic garment industry declined rapidly 1970s and 1980s. Today the Garment District is now primarily a residential and commercial area. The Eighth Street Fountain was erected in 1989 by the Historic Garment District Group to commemorate this important part of the city's history.

13. The Needle (Public Art) and Kansas City Garment District

Dedicated in 2002, this public art installation by the artist Dave Stevens depicts a button and sewing needle in honor of the neighborhood's history as the second-largest garment district in the United States. The tall needle symbolizes the district's buildings, which was second only to New York City in terms of total garment production in the 1930s. Several of the nation's largest clothing manufacturers operated businesses in the District from the 1920s through the 1970s. Today, many of the former factories are home to loft apartments, offices, and restaurants, but this sixteen-foot needle and thread sculpture on 8th and Broadway, along with several plaques, serve as a reminder of the district's garment-making past.

14. Descent of Civilization (Bison Memorial) by Marc Swanson (2010) bronze and limestone

Marc Swanson's bronze sculpture, Descent of Civilization (Bison Memorial), pays tribute to the American buffalo or bison of the American West. Created in 2010, the piece measures 120 x 107 x 36" and is part of the Collection of the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, Missouri. The museum's purchase of the sculpture was made possible by DST Systems, Inc. Reminiscent of a skeleton one might find at a natural history museum, the Bison bones may be an unexpected discovery when walking in Downtown KC.

15. James Fitzpatrick Saloon Building; The Majestic

Now home to the Majestic, the historic James Fitzpatrick Saloon Building was erected in 1911 and was one of many entertainment venues connected to the infamous Pendergast political machine. The structure is a contributing property of the Garment District listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A landmark institution related to the history of Kansas City jazz that hosted musicians such as Count Basie and Charlie Parker, this building has been at the epicenter of the city's growth from the early 1900s, when that was centered on the downtown area to the 21st century which has seen a resurgence and return of businesses and residential spaces in the urban core. From its jazz era origins to the emergence of the garment industry and the resurgence of downtown, this historic building is representative of the overall history of Kansas City.

16. Historical Marker: Camp Union

Dedicated by the Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas City in 1957, this marker commemorates Camp Union, a small fort built by U.S. troops at this location in 1861. It consisted of barracks and service buildings surrounded by a 200 square foot earthwork. Various companies of the U.S. Reserve Corps were stationed here to protect Kansas City from Confederate attacks beginning in June 1861. Troops would remain here for the duration of the war.

17. Kansas City Slide Company (1913-1920); Kirk Building, Crossroads Academy

Constructed in 1908, this building is historically known as the location of the Kansas City Slide Company, where famed animator Walt Disney worked as a cartoon artist. The Kansas City Slide Company occupied this site from 1913 to 1920, moving locations shortly after Disney was hired. In 1925 the building was expanded, but like many structures in the area, deferred maintenance caused the building to become dilapidated. As a champion for downtown Kansas City revitalization, local real estate developer Phil Kirk purchased and renovated the building in 1983. Years later, Kirk leased the building at $1 per month for a newly established charter school, Crossroads Academy, which continues to occupy the site since 2012.

18. Graphic Arts Building

The Graphic Arts Building (circa 1915) served as the headquarters for the Kansas City Graphic Arts Organization, which acted as an anchor for the graphic arts industry during the pre-tech era. Various companies related to publishing and graphic arts, producing or using such items as ink, printing presses, steel and copper plate engraving, typesetting, and lithography, occupied the Graphic Arts Building or operated businesses within a few blocks of the historic structure because it made financial sense for companies with related interests to stay in close proximity to each other.

19. Community Bookshelf/Parking Garage

The Community Bookshelf installation spanning the south façade of the Central Library parking garage has become a frequently photographed downtown landmark. Standing 2½ stories high, it depicts 22 towering book spines that bear the names of 42 classic titles suggested by the public. Another art installation on the east side of the garage, The Kansas City Connection by local artist Bob Price Holloway, features notable figures in the city’s history. In the early 20th century, the garage location on West Ninth Street was home to the Sam S. Shubert Theater, which operated from 1906-1935. It was razed in 1936 to make way for a parking structure.

20. Central Library, Kansas City Public Library

Located in the historic former headquarters of First National Bank, the Central Library serves as the major resource library for the Kansas City Public Library system. Offering breathtaking galleries and reading rooms, and an ingenious parking garage that looks like a bookshelf, the Central Library is consistently included in lists of the most beautiful public libraries in the United States. The former bank vault is now home to the Stanley H. Durwood film collection, while the old bank's 35-foot ceilings add grandeur to the main reading room. Located on the fifth floor of the Central Library, the Missouri Valley Room is the premiere collection of rare books and one-of-a-kind historical records related to the history of Kansas City. Patrons may use the reading room to view archival and genealogical materials that do not circulate beyond the library.

21. Land Bank Building

One of the cornerstone buildings of Kansas City's Financial District, this structure was completed in 1924 for the Kansas City Joint Stock Land Bank, the nation's fifth to receive a Charter under the 1916 Federal Farm Loan Act. This law provided guaranteed loans to farmers in recognition of the growing expenses farmers faced as agriculture became more reliant on advanced equipment and larger landholdings, as well as the unique challenges farmers faced when they tried to secure loans compared to other businesses. The building's design was recognized with the 1924 Business District's Gold Medal for architecture. For many years, Rothschild's department store was located east of this building while the New England National Bank remains to the west. The former bank across the street is now home to the Kansas City Public Library.

22. William Thornton and Charlotte Crosby Kemper Memorial Fountain

Artists Lori Doolittle and Alvin Holm designed this unique downtown Kansas City fountain to resemble the ancient stone bowl which is on display at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. The fountain was dedicated in 1999 in honor of the Kemper Family and their commitment to Kansas City. The artists added features that preserve energy as part of their effort to reflect themes of conservation, art, and technology into the design of the fountain. The artists also worked to blend aspects of the fountain to match the architecture of nearby buildings, including the Commerce Bank headquarters.

23. The Box Gallery

The Box Gallery is an exhibition space located inside the Commerce Bank Building at 1000 Walnut Street in Kansas City. The gallery can be found inside the Arcade on the main floor. For nine years the gallery has served a Downtown audience of residents, workers and visitors, with a wide range of cultural arts and history-themed exhibits. The shows often feature artwork by local artists or collectors, or stem from partnerships with KC art organizations, museums, businesses or universities.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

Financial, Library, and Garment Districts of Kansas City Walking Tour

Created by Clio Admin on September 7th 2022, 1:09:24 am.

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Description

This walking tour covers two dozen landmarks spread evenly throughout downtown Kansas City's Financial District, Library District, and Garment District--- all in a two mile walk that returns to the starting location. Highlights of the tour include a variety of museums and galleries, public art installations and fountains, and historic buildings. The tour includes stops at three of the city's most storied establishments for steaks and live jazz, a combination that continues to make downtown Kansas City a popular destination.

Entries on This Tour

Financial, Library, and Garment Districts of Kansas City Walking Tour

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