Downtown Kansas City History Walking Tour

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The Kansas City Power & Light Building is a leading historic landmark in the city’s Power & Light District. The building was constructed in 1931 and served as the headquarters for the Kansas City Power & Light Company for six decades. The building’s Art Deco style and ornate rooftop lantern quickly made it a Kansas City icon, and to this day, the lantern appears as a symbol within logos for the Power & Light District. KCP&L occupied the first nineteen floors of the building's thirty-six stories when their new headquarters was complete, renting the other half until 1957, when they sold the property and became a tenant. The company continued to rent space here until 1991. In 2014, the KCP&L Building was sold after its last tenant left. The historic office tower underwent refurbishments and reopened in 2016 as a luxury apartment complex. The building was the tallest in Missouri for nearly fifty years and remains the fourth-tallest in the city.

2. Kansas City Club Building; Hotel Kansas City

Now home to Hotel Kansas City, this historic structure Gothic Revival-style building served as the headquarters for the prestigious Kansas City Club for nearly 80 years. The Club was first formed in 1882 to provide a place for the city’s business class to socialize. In 1922, the organization celebrated the completion of this building which offered numerous amenities for club members, including guest rooms, meeting spaces, athletic facilities, and a banquet hall. With declining membership reflecting trends in other cities, the club sold the building in 2001, and most of the structure was converted into apartments. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. In 2020, Hyatt Hotels converted the building into Hotel Kansas City, preserving its historic features such as the two-story stained glass mural in the main ballroom crafted by Ronald Neill Dixon.

3. Muehlebach Hotel

From the time of its construction in 1915 to mid-century, the Muehlebach Hotel was one of the centers of Kansas City social life. The luxurious hotel was built by the son of the city's famous brewer and hosted celebrities, famous athletes, and even presidents and foreign dignitaries. The hotel is also the site of the first band performance to be broadcast over the radio, the birthplace of the Barbershop Harmony Society, and the place where Harry Truman stayed while waiting for the 1948 presidential election results. The Muehlebach, along with several other downtown hotels, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. After closing in 1986, the Muehlebach was acquired by Marriott Hotels and incorporated into the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. In 2018 it was announced that Platform Ventures will convert the historic hotel into an apartment building.

4. Hotel Phillips

Established in 1931 by Mr. Charles E. Phillips, a long-time Kansas City hotel and apartment builder, this historic hotell was once the tallest building in town, standing 20 stories high. This was the first hotel in Kansas City to have radios in each guest room. This location had previously been home to the Glennon Hotel which for a short time housed a haberdashery operated by President Harry S. Truman. Today, the hotel honors that history with the historically-themed Truman Suite on the top floor. Full of European-influenced Art Deco opulence, this hotel was the place to see and be seen in the 1930s and helped to propel Kansas City's image. Throughout the years, Hotel Phillips housed many dignitaries and celebrities, from Dwight D. Eisenhower and Tina Turner to The Foo Fighters, Paul McCartney, and LeBron James.

5. Aladdin Hotel

When it opened in 1925, the Aladdin Hotel was the tallest building in Kansas City. The 16-story building was designed by architect Phillip T. Drotts in the Italian Romanesque style, with architectural highlights that included a white limestone facade on the first through third floors with arches and terra cotta detailing, ten-story brick pilasters topped with life-size terra cotta female figures, sets of five arched, recessed windows on the 16th floor, and a pyramidal roof. The Aladdin is architecturally significant but also serves as a reminder of the city's prosperity during the early 20th century when grand hotels helped attract major conventions, a critical part of the local economy, and a source of civic pride. As of August 2022, the hotel is closed but its current owners acquired it in December 2021 and plan to redevelop the historic hotel. The Aladdin is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Downtown Hotels in Kansas City, Missouri district, which consists of seven hotels and numerous other structures.

6. The North American Conference of Homophile Organizations / Phoenix Society for Individual Freedom Historical Marker

This historical marker commemorates the 50th anniversary of the first National Planning Conference of Homophile Organizations. Dedicated on October 12, 2016, at the corner of 12th and Wyandotte in Kansas City, the marker shares the history of one of the early LGBT civil right organizations in Kansas City, Missouri, The Phoenix Society for Individual Freedom, and its founder, Drew Shafer. The marker was created with the help of community members, historians, activists, and the Gay and Lesbian Archive of Mid-America, which is housed at the Miller Nichols Library at the University of Missouri - Kansas City.

7. Barney Allis Plaza and Fountain

This large fountain was built in 1985 as part of a redesign of the Barney Allis Plaza, and urban park located above a parking garage at the site of the city's first convention hall which was built to host the Democratic National Convention of 1900. That convention hall was used until the 1930s and today, the plaza where it once stood is a tree-lined urban park that features several statues and is named after the manager of the former Muehlebach Hotel which was located across the street. That historic hotel is now part of the Marriott Hotel. Barney Allis managed the hotel for three decades beginning in 1931. Despite his short stature of 5 foot 3 inches, Allis had a tremendous presence and ran the hotel in a way that left a positive impression on visitors to the city. Allis earned a reputation as a perfectionist and his leadership bolstered the hotel's reputation which compelled a number of celebrities, including the Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, and future President Harry Truman, to choose to stay at the Muehlebach. The fountain is on the north end of the plaza and features 112 water jets. The plaza was first created in 1956.

8. Folly Theater, Kansas City

The historic Folly Theater is Kansas City’s oldest theater and entertainment venue, dating back to 1900. It still operates as a functional theater today (showing live theater, jazz performances, national touring shows, and other programs) and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Although the Folly Theater is seen as a place of quality, family entertainment, the theater’s origins were based in vaudeville, burlesque, and, later, striptease performances, showcasing nationally acclaimed artists such as Gypsy Rose Lee and Tempest Storm. In the 1920s, however, the Folly Theater (then named the "Shubert's Missouri”) produced dramatic productions and even featured the Marx Brothers and a young Humphrey Bogart. After falling into disrepair in the 1970s, the KCMO community took up the cause and saved the Folly Theater, and it is now one of the most important theatrical and historical sites in the downtown area.

9. Kansas City Fire Department Headquarters; Central Exchange

Completed in 1906, this stately structure served as the headquarters for the Kansas City Fire Department and was known as Fire Station No. 2. Considered one of the finest examples of Beaux-Arts architecture in the city, the building features a grand temple facade composed of four square pedestal bases, three ornamental stone saucers, four large, ribbed Doric columns supporting an entablature, and recessed arched windows. Not only did the building offer a grand appearance, it was also one of the best-equipped and most efficient fire stations in the country at the time of its construction. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. From 1984 until 2020, the building was home to Central Exchange, a women's leadership organization that was established in 1979 by Beth Smith and Marjorie Powell Allen.

10. 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.

11. Western Newspaper Union Building

This building on the west end of downtown Kanas City was built in 1900 for the A. N. Kellogg Auxiliary Newspaper Company, which sold pre-printed newspapers to small town publishers. Kellogg started a ready-print business in Chicago in 1865, supplying newspapers with ads, stories, comics, and news. George Joslyn later expanded this into the largest auxiliary newspaper company by 1906. Joslyn's aggressive tactics made the Western Newspaper Union a dominant force, but legal issues halted his monopoly plans. After Joslyn's death in 1916, the company continued its operations under his widow. By 1952, the company shifted its focus to printing supplies. The Western Newspaper Union Building stands today as a landmark for the competitive media landscape of the early 20th century in the midwest. The competition between Kellogg and Joslyn now exist as contributions that continue to impact the newspaper industry today. Now, the building stands as a law office.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. William Thornton and Charlotte Crosby Kemper Memorial Fountain; Rothschild's Clothing Store

Artists Lori Doolittle and Alvin Holm designed this unique downtown Kansas City fountain to resemble the ancient stone bowl displayed at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. The fountain was dedicated in 1999 to honor 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. The fountain is located on the southwest corner of 10th and Main, once home to Rothschild’s. One of Kansas City’s premier clothing stores for over 75 years, Rothschild’s built its reputation on affordable prices and customer service. It was also known for its unique bargain basement with slightly damaged or closeout goods at steep discounts. The company's flagship downtown store was located here and the company operated several other Kansas City area locations as well as stores in Oklahoma. Similar to other downtown merchants, Rothschild’s saw declining sales as the population shifted to the suburbs and shopping malls. Rothschild’s was forced to close its Kansas City stores, including the downtown location, in 1978. The building was torn down in 1982 and replaced by a parking lot. In 1999, that parking lot was converted to a small park with the Kemper Fountain.

22. 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.

23. Kansas City Title and Trust Building

Erected by the Kansas City Title and Trust Company in 1922, this building served as office space and a secure place to store real estate records and other title and trust industry materials. Preserving these records was essential for the company to protect itself from fraudulent claims and the building allowed the company to store them safely in one location. The storage space was located in the basement in a 2400-square foot vault capable of storing thousands of documents and protecting them from fire, water damage, or theft. The building is also significant for being one of the first three erected after World War I and marked the start of the post-war construction boom in Kansas City. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005, the building now operates as an office building with a restaurant on the street level.

24. Kansas City Federal Reserve Building (1921-2008)

This historic downtown Kansas City building was constructed in 1921 as the home of the new Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, one of twelve Federal Reserve banks established nationwide as part of the 1913 Federal Reserve Act, which created a central bank system. For four years, Harry Truman had a post-presidential office in Room 1107 until the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum was completed in 1957. The building housed the bank until 2008, when it moved to a new headquarters in Penn Valley Park. The building has been vacant since then, but plans have been made to convert the former central bank branch into a hotel. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.

25. R. A. Long Building, Kansas City

The R. A. Long Building was constructed by Robert Alexander Long in 1906 as the headquarters for the Long-Bell Lumber Company. At this time, Long-Bell was one of the largest lumber companies in the nation and Kansas City was a growing city and a distribution center. The construction boom in Kansas City, Omaha, and surrounding cities also made this an important market for the lumber industry. The Italian Renaissance building was designed by Henry Hoit and was notably the first steel frame tower in Kansas City. In 1956, the Long-Bell Lumber Company merged with the International Paper Company and two years later, the R. A. Long Building was purchased by what is now the UMB Financial Corporation. UMB continues to use this building for its offices and the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

26. Pickwick Complex

The Pickwick Complex, also known as the Pickwick Hotel or Pickwick Plaza, is a historic early multi-purpose building in downtown Kansas City. Built in 1929-1930, its location near local and federal government buildings made it a popular place for visitors conducting business. In addition to a hotel, the complex also housed offices, retail space, a parking garage, and a bus terminal. In the early 1930s the Pickwick Hotel was a favorite retreat for future President Harry Truman, who stayed there while writing of memoir of his political thoughts later called the “Pickwick Papers.” The complex went through a period of decline in the latter half of the twentieth century as the hotel was converted into subsidized housing and other portions were left vacant. It was eventually acquired by Gold Crown Properties, and in 2017 was converted into modern apartments following extensive renovations. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

27. YWCA and the Fine Arts Institute of Kansas City (1911-1927)

This site was once the location of the YWCA Building, constructed in 1911. The Fine Arts institute of Kansas City, now known as the Kansas City Art Institute operated out of this location in offices on the 6th floor for many years. It was here in 1915, that famed animator Walt Disney had his first formal art instruction while attending Saturday art classes. The building was razed for an urban renewal project and is now the site of a surface parking lot.

28. Kansas City Insurance Building - Consumers Cooperative Association

Constructed in 1905 to house Spalding's Commercial College, this structure later housed numerous insurance companies, including Sentinel Life Insurance Company. In 1944, the Consumers Cooperative Association moved in, making major interior renovations. The building later housed union and public service offices. The college was founded by former business professor James F. Spalding in 1865, the college aimed to bring business education to the Midwest. Students of the college include future President of the United States Harry S. Truman, who attended the school in 1901. Initially located at 2nd and Main Streets in downtown Kansas City, the college relocated here be near leading businesses in 1905. Over 1200 students attended classes in this building and learned a variety of business skills. The building was designed in the Chicago style, with multi-sash windows, vertical pillars, and terracotta trim. As the area became more commercialized and Spalding’s Commercial College outgrew the space, the building became home to business in 1920.

29. Stine & McClure Undertaking Company Building

This historic downtown building demonstrates the cultural fascination with ancient Egypt, referred to as Egyptomania, that swept the United States during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Completed in 1912 for the Stine & McClure Undertaking Company, this is the only Neo-Egyptian Revival style commercial building that survives to the present and serves as reminder of the impactful work of John McKecknie, a prolific Kansas City architect. The exterior design takes its inspiration from ancient Egyptian tombs, a fitting choice for a funeral business.

30. Ilus W. Davis Park and Fountain

Constructed in the 1990s, this fountain and small park located next to Kansas City's City Hall honors former mayor Ilus Winfield Davis. Davis' two terms in office (1963-71) included efforts to end segregation in public schools and other institutions as well as measures to promote equality in the aftermath of the 1968 Kansas City riots that followed the assassination of Martin Luther King. Davis joined hundreds of Black youth in a march towards city hall, but the city's police department still made the decision to use tear gas to disperse the crowd. This action by the police prompted several days of riots, property damage, injuries, and deaths. Davis has been remembered by civil rights leaders for his good faith attempts to heal the city's racial divide. For example, Herman Johnson, the former president of the Kansas City NAACP, declaring at Davis' 1996 funeral: "Ilus Davis probably did more than one single person in Kansas City in the area of civil rights" owing to his simple willingness to listen and support the ideas of African American leaders and residents at a time when other city leaders were less responsive.

31. Kansas City Missouri City Hall and Observation Deck

Located on a hill, this 29-story skyscraper includes an observation deck that offers some of the very best views in the city. Planning for the building began in 1931 following a special referendum in which Kansas City voters overwhelmingly approved the city's ten year plan for infrastructure and public works development. The building design was heavily influenced by city political boss Tom Pendergast, whose concrete company profited from the city contract, as did other construction firms connected to the Pendergast political machine. This building is not only one of the ten tallest buildings in Kansas City, it is the fourth-tallest city hall in the world.

32. B'nai Jehudah (1885-1908)

The building that used to stand here was Congregation B'nai Jehudah's second synagogue. It was built in a Moorish design, featuring twin towers with onion cupolas on top. Construction started in 1883 and took two years, finishing in 1885 just before Rosh Hashanah. The building had an impressive design and an expanded seating capacity for the growing congregation. However, it only served them for 23 years, with B'nai Jehudah moving to the new Linwood building in 1908.

33. Jackson County Courthouse, Kansas City

The Kansas City branch of the Jackson County Courthouse was established in 1872. The current building was constructed in 1934 under Presiding Judge and future president Harry Truman. The ornate, Art Deco building was one of several structures built during the 1930s as part of a “Ten Year Plan” to sustain economic growth and provide employment in Kansas City during the Great Depression. Today the building primarily houses facilities for both municipal court and the Missouri 16th Judicial Circuit Court.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

Downtown Kansas City History Walking Tour

Created by David Trowbridge on June 17th 2017, 7:04:26 pm.

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Starting with the Jackson County Courthouse and Kansas City's historic City Hall, this walking tour makes a quick stop through each of the leading districts of downtown Kansas City, Missouri, including the Financial District, Library District, Garment District, and the Power and Light District. The tour includes thirty landmarks of the city, from historic buildings to markers and monuments, and several of the city's trademark fountains.

Entries on This Tour

Downtown Kansas City History Walking Tour

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