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Kansas City, Missouri

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: North American Geography

   Kansas City, Missouri
   Skyline of Kansas City, Missouri

   Official flag of Kansas City, Missouri

                                         Official seal of Kansas City, Missouri
   Flag                                  Seal
   Nickname: ""City of Fountains" or "Heart of America""
   Location in Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass Counties in the state of
   Missouri.
   Location in Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass Counties in the state of
   Missouri.
   Coordinates: 39°06′N 94°35′W
   Country United States
   State Missouri
   Counties Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass
   Incorporated March 28, 1853
   Mayor Kay Waldo Barnes
   Area
    - City 823.7 km²  (318.0  sq mi)
    - Land 812.1 km²  (313.5 sq mi)
    - Water 11.6 km² (4.5 sq mi)
    - Urban 1513.6 km² (584.4 sq mi)
   Elevation 231 m  (758 ft)
   Population
    - City (2005) 444,965
    - Density 543.7/km² (1,408.2/sq mi)
    - Urban 1,361,744
    - Metro 1,947,694
   Time zone CST ( UTC-6)
    - Summer ( DST) CDT ( UTC-5)
   Website: http://www.kcmo.org/

   Kansas City is a city in the US state of Missouri encompassing parts of
   Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties. It is situated at the
   junction of the Missouri and Kansas Rivers ( Kaw Point) and sits
   opposite Kansas City, Kansas. It is the largest city in the Kansas City
   Metropolitan Area, the most populous city in Missouri, the seventh
   largest city in the Midwest, and the 40th most populous city in the
   United States. As of 2005, the city had an estimated population of
   444,965. The city's tap water was recently rated the cleanest among the
   50 largest cities in the United States, containing no detectable
   impurities.

Abbreviations and nicknames

   Kansas City, Missouri is often abbreviated as "KCMO", or just "KC"
   (although this often refers to the entire metro area). It is officially
   nicknamed the City of Fountains, with over 200 installations, ranking
   second in the world and exceeded only by Rome. It is also nicknamed the
   Heart of America because it is within 250 miles (400 km) of both the
   geographic and population centers of the United States. Informal
   nicknames include Jazz Capital of the World, Cowtown, and the BBQ
   Capital of the World, while residents are known as Kansas Citians.

History

   Kansas City Pioneer Square monument in Westport features Pony Express
   founder Alexander Majors, Westport/Kansas City founder John Calvin
   McCoy and Mountainman Jim Bridger who owned Chouteau's Store next to
   Kelly's
   Enlarge
   Kansas City Pioneer Square monument in Westport features Pony Express
   founder Alexander Majors, Westport/Kansas City founder John Calvin
   McCoy and Mountainman Jim Bridger who owned Chouteau's Store next to
   Kelly's

   Kansas City, Missouri was first incorporated in 1850.

Exploration and settlement

   The French explorers Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette were the first
   Europeans to explore the area that came to be known as Kansas City,
   during a six-day canoe trip up the Missouri River in 1673. The French
   first settled at St. Louis in the lower Missouri Valley in 1765.
   François Chouteau established Chouteau Landing at the confluence of the
   Missouri and Kansas rivers in 1821.
   Kansas City Scout Statue
   Enlarge
   Kansas City Scout Statue

   In 1833 John McCoy established West Port along the Santa Fe Trail,
   three miles away from the river. Then in 1834, McCoy established
   Westport Landing on a bend in the Missouri River to serve as a landing
   point for West Port. Soon after, the Kansas Town Company, a group of
   investors, began to settle the area, and in 1850 the landing area was
   incorporated as the Town of Kansas.

   By that time, the Town of Kansas, Westport, and nearby Independence had
   become critical points in America's westward expansion. Three major
   trails - the Santa Fe, California, and Oregon - all originated in
   Jackson County.

   On February 22, 1853 the City of Kansas was created with a newly
   elected mayor. It had an area of 0.98 square miles and a population of
   2,500. The boundary lines at that time extended from the middle of the
   Missouri River south to what is now Ninth Street, and from Bluff Street
   on the west to a point between Holmes and Charlotte Streets on the
   east.

Civil War

   The area was ripe with animosity as the Civil War approached. As a
   slave state, Missourians tended to sympathize with the southern states.
   With Kansas petitioning to enter the Union under the new doctrine of
   popular sovereignty, many from the area crossed into Kansas to sway the
   state towards allowing slavery, at first by ballot box and then by
   bloodshed.
   Bird's eye view of Kansas City, Missouri. Jan. 1869. Drawn by A. Ruger,
   Merchants Lith. Co.
   Enlarge
   Bird's eye view of Kansas City, Missouri. Jan. 1869. Drawn by A. Ruger,
   Merchants Lith. Co.

   During the Civil War, the City of Kansas was in the midst of battles,
   almost all of them victories by the Union. The Battle of Independence
   in August of 1862 stunted a Confederate advance into northern Missouri
   (settled by pro-slavery Virginians), and the October 1864 Battle of
   Westport effectively ended Confederate efforts to occupy the city.
   However, a successful raid on Lawrence, Kansas led by William Quantrill
   forced General Thomas Ewing to issue General Order No. 11, forcing the
   eviction of residents in four counties, including Jackson, except those
   living in the city and nearby communities, or those whose allegiance to
   the Union was certified by Ewing.
   Walnut St., Downtown Kansas City, Mo. 1906
   Enlarge
   Walnut St., Downtown Kansas City, Mo. 1906

Post-Civil War

   After the Civil War, the City of Kansas grew rapidly. The selection of
   the city over Leavenworth, Kansas for the Hannibal & St. Joseph
   Railroad bridge over the Missouri River brought about significant
   growth. The population exploded after 1869, when the Hannibal Bridge,
   designed by Octave Chanute, opened. The boom prompted a name change to
   Kansas City in 1889 and the city limits to extend south and east.
   Westport became part of Kansas City on December 2, 1897.

   Kansas City, guided by architect George Kessler, became a forefront
   example of the City Beautiful movement, developing a network of
   boulevards and parks around the city. The relocation of Union Station
   to its current location in 1914 and the opening of the Liberty Memorial
   in 1923 gave the city two of its most identifiable landmarks. Further
   spurring Kansas City's growth was the opening of the innovative Country
   Club Plaza development by J.C. Nichols in 1925 as part of his Country
   Club District plan.

Pendergast era

   At the turn of the century, political machines attempted to gain clout
   in the city, with the one led by Tom Pendergast emerging as the
   dominant machine by 1925. A new city charter passed that year made it
   easier for his Democratic Party machine to gain control of the city
   council (slimmed from 32 members to nine) and appoint a crooked city
   manager. The machine fell in 1939 when Pendergast, riddled with health
   problems, pleaded guilty to tax evasion. The machine, however, gave
   rise to Harry S. Truman, who quickly became Kansas City's favorite son.

Post-WWII sprawl

   After World War II, the city experienced considerable sprawl, as the
   affluent populace bolted for suburbs like Johnson County, Kansas and
   eastern Jackson County. However, many also went north of the Missouri
   River, where Kansas City had incorporated areas during the 1920s and in
   1963. This annexation would pay off for the city in the 1970s, when a
   population and developmental boom occurred in both Platte and Clay
   counties, bringing more buisinesses to the Northland and making many of
   the landowners in the area millionares. The population of the city
   proper dipped, but over the past 15 years has rebounded to nearly
   450,000. Not only has growth in annexed areas (as far north as
   Smithville and south as Cass County) contributed to the growth, but
   also successful efforts to revitalize the downtown area. Such growth
   and ability to annex surrounding areas has allowed Kansas City to
   surpass St. Louis as the largest single municipality in the state of
   Missouri.

Notable Kansas Citians

   Kansas City has served as a launching pad for several storied careers.
   Ernest Hemingway wrote for the Kansas City Star during World War I.
   Walt Disney moved to Kansas City and established his first animation
   studio, Laugh-O-Gram Studio, at 31st and Locust in 1923. Early screen
   actors Jean Harlow, Ginger Rogers and Craig Stevens, writers Robert
   Heinlein, William Least Heat Moon and director Robert Altman all grew
   up in Kansas City.

Geography

   According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area
   of 318.0 mi² (823.7 km²). 313.5 mi² (812.1 km²) of it is land and 4.5
   mi² (11.6 km²) of it (1.41%) is water.

   Kansas City is often imagined by outsiders to be flat like Chicago,
   Dallas or New York, but in fact it has many rolling hills. Kansas City
   proper is bowl-shaped and is surrounded to the north and south by
   limestone and bedrock cliffs that were carved by glaciers. Kansas City
   is situated at the junction between the Dakota and Minnesota ice lobes
   during the maximum late Independence glaciation of the Pleistocene
   epoch. The Kansas and Missouri rivers cut wide valleys into the terrain
   when the glaciers melted and drained. A partially filled spillway
   valley crosses the central portion of Kansas City, Missouri. This
   valley is an eastward continuation of Turkey Creek valley. Union
   Station is located in this valley.

Climate

   Kansas City lies almost in the exact geographic centre of the
   continental United States, at the confluence of the second largest
   river in the country, the Missouri River, and the Kansas River (also
   known as the Kaw River). This makes for a continental climate with
   moderate precipitation and extremes of hot and cold. Summers can be
   very humid, with moist air riding up from the Gulf of Mexico, and
   July/August daytime highs reaching into the triple digits. Winters vary
   from mild days to bitterly cold, with lows reaching into the teens
   below zero a few times a year. Spring and Autumn are pleasant, and
   peppered with thunderstorms.
   Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
   Avg high °F
   (°C) 38
   (3) 44
   (7) 56
   (13) 67
   (19) 76
   (24) 86
   (30) 90
   (32) 89
   (32) 80
   (27) 69
   (21) 53
   (12) 42
   (7) 66
   (19)
   Avg low °F
   (°C) 21
   (-6) 26
   (-3) 36
   (2) 46
   (8) 57
   (14) 67
   (19) 72
   (22) 70
   (21) 61
   (16) 49
   (9) 36
   (2) 25
   (-4) 47
   (8)
   Rainfall in inches
   (millimeters) 1.13
   (28.7) 1.02
   (25.9) 2.38
   (60.5) 3.27
   (83.1) 4.55
   (115.6) 4.73
   (120.1) 3.61
   (91.7) 3.62
   (91.9) 4.17
   (105.9) 3.28
   (83.3) 2.30
   (58.4) 1.45
   (36.8) 35.51
   (902)

Weather

   Kansas City is situated in " Tornado Alley", a broad region where cold
   air from the Rocky Mountains and Canada collides with warm air from the
   Gulf of Mexico, leading to the formation of powerful storms. Kansas
   City has had many severe outbreaks of tornados, including the Ruskin
   Heights tornado in 1957, and the May 2003 Tornado Outbreak Sequence.
   The region is also prone to ice storms, such as the 2002 ice storm
   during which hundreds of thousands lost power for days and (in some
   cases) weeks. Kansas City and its outlying areas are also subject to
   flooding, including the Great Flood of 1993 and the Great Flood of
   1951.

Cityscape

   Brush Creek on the Plaza at Night
   Enlarge
   Brush Creek on the Plaza at Night

   Kansas City, Missouri, is organized into a system of more than 150
   neighborhoods, some with histories as independent cities or the sites
   of major events.

   Downtown, the centre of the city, is currently undergoing major
   redevelopment. Downtown Kansas City has a variety of neighborhoods,
   including historical Westport, the Crossroads Arts District, 18th and
   Vine Historic District, Pendleton Heights, Quality Hill, the West
   Bottoms and the River Market.
   The city's tallest buildings and characteristic skyline is roughly
   contained inside the downtown freeway loop (shaded in red). Downtown
   Kansas City itself is established by city ordinance to stretch from the
   Missouri River south to 31st Street (beyond the bottom of this map),
   and from I-35 to Bruce R. Watkins
   Enlarge
   The city's tallest buildings and characteristic skyline is roughly
   contained inside the downtown freeway loop (shaded in red). Downtown
   Kansas City itself is established by city ordinance to stretch from the
   Missouri River south to 31st Street (beyond the bottom of this map),
   and from I-35 to Bruce R. Watkins

   Other areas near Downtown Kansas City include:

   The 39th Street District is known as Restaurant Row and features one of
   Kansas City's largest selections of independently owned restaurants and
   boutique shops. It is a centre of literary and visual arts and bohemian
   culture.

   Crown Centre is the headquarters of Hallmark Cards and a major downtown
   shopping and entertainment complex. It is connected to Union Station by
   a series of covered walkways.

   The Country Club Plaza is an upscale, outdoor shopping district. It was
   the first shopping district in the United States designed to
   accommodate shoppers arriving by automobile.

   Kansas City's Union Station is now home to Science City, restaurants,
   shopping, theaters, and the city's Amtrak facility.

   Ward Parkway is a beautiful, landscaped boulevard known for its
   European art and historic large houses.

Downtown redevelopment

   Downtown Kansas City is an area of 2.9 square miles bounded by the
   Missouri River to the north, 31st Street to the south, Bruce R. Watkins
   Drive ( U.S. Highway 71) to the east and I-35 to the west.

   After years of neglect and seas of parking lots, downtown Kansas City
   is currently undergoing a period of change. Many residential properties
   have recently been or are currently under redevelopment. A planned
   entertainment district, which will be called the "Power and Light
   District", is being developed in the southern part of the downtown
   freeway loop by the Cordish Company of Baltimore, Maryland; adjacent to
   the entertainment district will be a new arena, named the Sprint
   Centre, set to open in 2007. The arena is to be designed by a
   consortium of local architects, and hopes to lure an NBA or NHL
   franchise to the city. Los Angeles-based Anschutz Entertainment Group
   has invested in the arena project and will run its daily operations.

Parks and parkways

   J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain, in Mill Creek Park, adjacent to the
   Country Club Plaza
   Enlarge
   J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain, in Mill Creek Park, adjacent to the
   Country Club Plaza

   Kansas City is well-known for its spacious parkways and numerous parks.
   The parkway system winds its way through the city with broad,
   landscaped medians that include statuary and fountains. One of the best
   examples is Ward Parkway on the west side of the city, near the Kansas
   state line.

   Swope Park is one of the nation's larger in-city parks, comprising
   1,763 acres (2.75mi²) . It includes a full-fledged zoo, two golf
   courses, a lake, an amphitheatre, day-camp area, and numerous picnic
   grounds.

   Kansas City has always had one of the nation's best urban forestry
   programs. At one time, almost all residential streets were planted with
   a solid canopy of American elms but Dutch elm disease devastated them.
   Most of the elms died and were replaced with a variety of other shade
   trees. A program is underway currently to replace many of the
   fast-growing sweetgum trees with hardwood varieties.

Demographics

                                                  Historical populations
                                                 Census   Pop.      %±
                                                  1870    32,260
                                                  1880    55,785       73%
                                                  1890   132,716      138%
                                                  1900   163,752       23%
                                                  1910   248,381       52%
                                                  1920   324,410       31%
                                                  1930   399,746       23%
                                                  1940   400,178       <1%
                                                  1950   456,622       14%
                                                  1960   475,539        4%
                                                  1970   507,087        6%
                                                  1980   448,159      -12%
                                                  1990   435,146       -3%
                                                  2000   441,545        1%
                                                2010 est 456,789

   As of the census^ GR2 of 2000, there are 441,545 people, 183,981
   households, and 107,444 families residing in the city. The population
   density is 543.7/km² (1,408.2/mi²). There are 202,334 housing units at
   an average density of 645.3/km² (249.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the
   city is 60.68% White, 31.23% African American or Black, 0.48% Native
   American, 1.85% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 3.21% from other races,
   and 2.44% from two or more races. 6.93% of the population are Hispanic
   or Latino of any race.

   There are 183,981 households out of which 28.1% have children under the
   age of 18 living with them, 38.0% are married couples living together,
   16.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 41.6% are
   non-families. 34.1% of all households are made up of individuals and
   9.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The
   average household size is 2.35 and the average family size is 3.06.

   In the city the population is spread out with 25.4% under the age of
   18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and
   11.7% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For
   every 100 females there are 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18
   and over, there are 89.9 males.

   The median income for a household in the city is $37,198, and the
   median income for a family is $46,012. Males have a median income of
   $35,132 versus $27,548 for females. The per capita income for the city
   is $20,753. 14.3% of the population and 11.1% of families are below the
   poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 20.2% are
   under the age of 18 and 10.5% are 65 or older.

   The United States Census bureau updated their American Community Survey
   information in 2005 for Kansas City. Their study estimated a population
   of about 440,885 people, the margin of error was placed at +/- 9,193
   people. Growth in Kansas City is increasing, with 3,618 housing permits
   granted in 2004 and 2005. As of 2005, about 210,000 households exist.

Economy

   H&R Block's new oblong headquarters in downtown Kansas City
   Enlarge
   H&R Block's new oblong headquarters in downtown Kansas City

   Greater Kansas City is headquarters to 4 Fortune 500 companies ( H&R
   Block, Embarq Corporation, Sprint Nextel Corporation, and YRC Worldwide
   Inc.) and five additional Fortune 1000 corporations ( Interstate
   Bakeries Corporation, Great Plains Energy, Aquila, Inc., AMC Theatres,
   and DST Systems). Hallmark Cards's gross revenues certainly would
   qualify it for both lists, but it cannot be included because it is
   privately owned by the Hall family. Numerous agriculture companies
   operate out of the city and the Kansas City Board of Trade is the
   principal trading centre for hard red winter wheat — the principal
   ingredient of bread.

   The business community is serviced by two major business magazines, the
   Kansas City Business Journal (published weekly) and Ingram's Magazine
   (published monthly), as well as numerous other smaller publications,
   including a local society journal, the Independent (published weekly).

Law and government

   The current mayor of Kansas City, Missouri is Kay Barnes, the city's
   first female mayor. Elected in March 1999 and again in March 2003, her
   second of two terms will expire in April 2007. The city has a city
   manager form of government, however the role of city manager has
   diminished over the years following excesses during the heyday of Tom
   Pendergast.

   From the late 19th Century to the mid 20th Century, Kansas City was
   controlled by often corrupt Democrat-controlled political machines. Tom
   Pendergast was the most infamous leader of the party machine. The most
   prominent Democrat to rise out of Pendergast's machine was Harry S.
   Truman, who became a Senator, Vice President of the United States and
   then President of the United States from 1945- 1953.

   Kansas City has hosted the 1900 Democratic National Convention, the
   1928 Republican National Convention, which nominated Herbert Hoover
   from Iowa for President, and the memorable 1976 Republican National
   Convention, which nominated Kansas U.S. Senator Bob Dole for Vice
   President.

   Kansas City consistently votes Democractic in Presidential elections,
   however on the state and local level Republicans often find some modest
   success. Missouri was a Blue state in the 1996 Presidential election
   and Red state in the 2000 and 2004 Presidential elections. Since Kansas
   City borders on the state of Kansas which consistently votes
   Republican, and since the suburbs of Kansas City typically vote
   Republican, the city is sometimes associated with Republicans.

Crime

   As of October 30, 2006, Kansas City ranks as twenty first highest
   amount of crime in the United States, as reported by the FBI.

   Kansas City ranked eighth in rate of murders in the 2004 United States
   cities by crime rate for cities with populations more than 400,000. The
   entire Kansas City metropolitan area has the fourth worst violent crime
   rate among cities with more than 100,000 with a rate of 614.7 crimes
   per 100,000 residents.

   Most of the city's murders and violent crimes occur in the city's inner
   core. The violent crime rates in the core have consistently driven the
   city and metropolitan area down on "livability" indexes, hindering
   initiatives in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s to revive downtown Kansas
   City. In recent years, however, attempts at revitalizing the downtown
   area have been more successful. Downtown currently has one of the
   lowest crime rates in the urban core, and thousands more people have
   moved to this area. However, other parts of the urban core with higher
   poverty levels remain places where crime is unabated.

   Some of the earliest violence in Kansas City erupted during the bloody
   American Civil War. Shortly after its founding in 1853, the Bleeding
   Kansas incidents erupted affecting border ruffians and Jayhawkers who
   both lived in the city. During the war, Union troops burned all
   occupied dwellings in Jackson County south of Brush Creek and east of
   Blue Creek to Independence in an attempt to halt raids into Kansas.

   After the war, the Kansas City Times turned Jesse James into a folk
   hero in its coverage. James was born in the metro area at Kearney,
   Missouri and robbed the Kansas City Fairgrounds at 12th and Campbell.

   In the early 20th Century under "Boss" Tom Pendergast, Kansas City
   became the country's "most wide open town", with virtually no
   enforcement of liquor laws or hours. While this would give rise to
   Kansas City Jazz, it also led to the rise of the Kansas City mob
   (initially under Johnny Lazia) as well as the arrival of gangsters. The
   1930's saw the Kansas City Massacre at Union Station, as well as a
   shootout between police and outlaws Bonnie and Clyde at the Red Crown
   Tavern near what is now Kansas City International Airport.

   In the 1970s, the Kansas City mob was involved in a gangland war over
   control of the River Quay entertainment district in which three
   buildings were bombed and several gangsters were killed. Police
   investigations into the mob took hold after boss Nick Civella was
   recorded discussing gambling bets on Super Bowl IV (where the Kansas
   City Chiefs defeated Minnesota). The war and investigation would lead
   to the end of mob control of the Stardust Casino, which was the basis
   for the movie Casino (although the Kansas City connections are
   minimized in the movie).

   On November 1, 2004, musician Andre "Mac Dre" Hicks was killed in
   Kansas City after performing a concert. Later, Anthony "Fat Tone"
   Watkins was killed in retaliation for the death of Mac Dre. Mac
   Minister was taken to prison for the murder of Fat Tone.

Sister cities

   Scout Indian statue in Seville, sistered with Kansas City
   Enlarge
   Scout Indian statue in Seville, sistered with Kansas City
     * Tainan City, Taiwan
     * Seville, Spain
     * Xi'an, People's Republic of China
     * Freetown, Sierra Leone
     * Ramla, Israel
     * Port Harcourt, Nigeria
     * San Nicolas de los Garza, Mexico
     * Kurashiki, Japan
     * Metz, France
     * Guadalajara, Mexico
     * Hannover, Germany
     * Arusha, Tanzania
     * Morelia, Mexico

Transportation

   Kansas City owes its existence as a major city to its crossroads
   status.

   First, it was at the confluence of the Missouri River and Kansas River
   and the launching pointing for travelers on the Santa Fe, Oregon, and
   California trails. Then with the construction of the Hannibal Bridge
   across the Missouri River it became the central location for 11 trunk
   railroads. More rail traffic in terms of tonnage still passes through
   the city than any other city in the country. TWA located its
   headquartes in the city and had ambitious plans to turn the city into
   an air hub for the world.

   Missouri and Kansas were the first states to start building interstates
   with Interstate 70. An ever increasing number of interstate loops has
   encouraged suburban sprawl.

Airports

   Kansas City International Airport
   Enlarge
   Kansas City International Airport

   Kansas City International Airport was built to the specifications of
   TWA to make a world hub for the supersonic transport and Boeing 747.
   Its passenger friendly design in which its gates were 100 feet from the
   street has, since the September 11, 2001 attacks, required a costly
   overhaul to retrofit it to incorporate elements of a more conventional
   security system.

   Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport was the original headquarters of
   Trans World Airlines and houses the Airline History Museum. It is still
   used for general aviation and airshows.

Mass transit

   In the first half of the 20th century, Kansas City's mass transit
   system was rail-based with its interurban running from Kansas City more
   than 50 miles in all directions between 1900 and 1939. In addition,
   Kansas City had an electric trolley network that ran through the city
   until 1959.

Bus rapid transit

   In July 2005, the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority started a
   new bus system called, "The MAX" (Metro Area Express). The bus route
   starts in the City Market in Downtown Kansas City, and has many stops
   along Main Street, The Plaza and southern Kansas City. At the time of
   their introduction, MAX buses were to be able to prolong green traffic
   lights to stay on schedule, but as of September, 2006, this technology
   has not been put into effect.
     * Buses run 7 days a week from 5:00am to 1:00am. During rush hour
       periods, the buses make stops every 10 minutes. All other times,
       the buses make stops every 15-30 minutes. Each bus ride costs
       $1.25. Kansas City also has the METRO bus system which runs through
       the whole Kansas City Area. Between June 1 and September 20, the
       fare is reduced to $0.25 on days for which the amount of ground
       level ozone is predicted to be high.

Light rail

     * Kansas City does not have a subway or light rail system, and
       several proposals to build one have been rejected by voters in the
       past. On November 7, 2006, a measure proposing a light rail system
       was passed with a majority of 53 percent. This measure would see
       light rail running from the Kansas City Zoo, through the urban
       core, and out to Kansas City International Airport. There has been
       some criticism of the funding plan.

Culture

Architecture

   Municipal Auditorium and Bartle Hall Convention Center , Kansas City
   Enlarge
   Municipal Auditorium and Bartle Hall Convention Centre , Kansas City

   Kansas City has long been praised for its varied architecture, which
   includes many famous and interesting buildings. Its skyline is notable
   for various structures, including the immense Bartle Hall Convention
   Centre, the adjoined art deco Municipal Auditorium, and numerous
   skyscrapers such as the Kansas City Power and Light Building and One
   Kansas City Place (the tallest habitable structure in Missouri), as
   well as the KCTV-Tower (the tallest freestanding structure in Missouri
   and 39th tallest tower in the world), and the Liberty Memorial (the
   national World War I memorial and museum of the United States).

City of Fountains

   With more than 200 fountains, Kansas City claims that only Rome has
   more fountains. The fountain is a logo for the city.

Kansas City cuisine

   The American Hereford Association bull and Kemper Arena and the Kansas
   City Live Stock Exchange Building in the former Kansas City Stockyard
   of the West Bottoms as seen from Quality Hill
   Enlarge
   The American Hereford Association bull and Kemper Arena and the Kansas
   City Live Stock Exchange Building in the former Kansas City Stockyard
   of the West Bottoms as seen from Quality Hill

   Kansas City is most famous for its steak and barbeque.

Kansas City steaks

   During the heyday of the Kansas City Stockyards, the city was known for
   its Kansas City steaks or Kansas City strip steaks. The most famous of
   the steakhouses is the Golden Ox in the Kansas City Live Stock Exchange
   in the stockyards in the West Bottoms. The stockyards, which were
   second only to those of Chicago in size, never recovered from the Great
   Flood of 1951 and eventually closed. The famed Kansas City Strip cut of
   steak is largely identical to the New York Strip cut, and is sometimes
   referred to just as a strip steak.

Kansas City-style barbecue

   Along with Texas, Memphis & North Carolina, Kansas City is a "world
   capital of barbecue." There are more than 90 barbecue restaurants in
   the metropolitan area and the American Royal each fall hosts what it
   claims is the world's biggest barbecue contest.

   The classic Kansas City-style barbecue was an inner city phenomenon
   that evolved from the pit of Henry Perry from the Memphis, Tennessee
   area in the early 1900s and blossomed in the 18th and Vine
   neighbourhood. Arthur Bryant's was to take over the Perry restaurant
   and added molasses to sweeten the recipe. In 1946 Gates and Sons
   Bar-B-Q was opened by one of Perry's cooks. The Gates recipe added even
   more molasses. Although Bryant's and Gates are the two definitive
   Kansas City barbecue restaurants they have had little or no luck
   exporting the barbecue beyond the Kansas City metropolitan area.

   In 1977 Rich Davis, a child psychologist, test-marketed his own
   concoction called K.C. Soul Style Barbecue Sauce. He renamed it KC
   Masterpiece and in 1986 he sold the sauce to the Kingsford division of
   Clorox. Davis retained rights to operate restaurants using the name and
   sauce, with a restaurant in the suburb of Overland Park, KS.

   One of the most popular and recognized BBQ establishments in Kansas
   City is Fiorella's Jack Stack Restaurant. As of November 2006, the
   Fiorella family has 4 restaurants in the Kansas CIty area. Russ
   Fiorella started the chain in 1957 and then continued by his son, Jack
   and Jack's wife Delores. Jack and Delores are responsible for
   introducing hickory-smoked meats and side-dishes to the menu. Jack
   Stack has a reputation as one of the highest quaility BBQ restaurants,
   offering seafood, lamb, Angus beef and chicken.

Kansas City Jazz

   Memorial to Charlie Parker at the American Jazz Museum at 18th and
   Highland in Kansas City
   Enlarge
   Memorial to Charlie Parker at the American Jazz Museum at 18th and
   Highland in Kansas City

   Kansas City Jazz in the 1930s marked the transition from big bands to
   the bebop influence of the 1940s. In the 1930s City Boss Tom Pendergast
   was at his height of his power and left Kansas City a wide open town in
   which night clubs were allowed to remain open from dusk to dawn. In
   this venue, an era of musical improvisation developed in which it was
   not uncommon for a single "song" to be performed all night by competing
   performers who passed through the city. The era ended in 1936 when
   producer John H. Hammond began signing Kansas City talent and
   transferring the acts to New York City.

   The era of Kansas City influence is bracketed by the signing of Count
   Basie in 1929 to the advent of Kansas City native Charlie Parker in the
   1940s. Pendergast pleaded guilty to income tax evasion in 1939 and the
   city soon began a crackdown of the clubs.

   In the 1970s Kansas City attempted to resurrect the glory of the jazz
   era in a sanitized family friendly atmosphere. In the 1970s an effort
   to open jazz clubs in the River Quay area of City Market along the
   Missouri ended in a gangland war in which three of the new clubs were
   blown up in what ultimately resulted in the removal of Kansas City mob
   influence in the Las Vegas casinos that was partially depicted in the
   movie Casino (movie).

   In 1981, 114 people died in the Hyatt Regency walkway collapse at a tea
   dance that was attempting to recreate the jazz era. In 1999 the
   American Jazz Museum opened in the 18th and Vine neighbourhood.

Music

   Kansas City has an avid local music scene and is a very popular locale
   for many punk and hip-hop acts. Native rappers include Tech N9ne, Fat
   Tone, and Krizz Kiliko. Recent rock groups originating in Kansas City
   include Puddle of Mudd, Flee the Seen, and The Life and Times.

Sports

   Kauffman Stadium
   Enlarge
   Kauffman Stadium

Current teams

   Kansas City sports teams presently include the following:
   Club Sport Founded League Venue
   Kansas City Royals Baseball 1969 Major League Baseball : AL Kauffman
   Stadium
   Kansas City Chiefs Football 1963 National Football League : AFC
   Arrowhead Stadium
   Kansas City Explorers Tennis 1993 World TeamTennis Barney Allis Plaza
   Kansas City Wizards Soccer 1996 Major League Soccer Arrowhead Stadium
   Kansas City Brigade Arena Football 2006 Arena Football League Kemper
   Arena/ Sprint Centre (2008)

Sporting events

     * Kansas City is often the home of the Big 12 College Basketball
       Tournaments. Men's Basketball is played at Kemper Arena, while
       women's Basketball is played at Municipal Auditorium. Lately newer
       arenas in Dallas and Oklahoma City have hosted the tournament. The
       new Sprint Centre will host the tournament in March 2008.

     * Arrowhead Stadium serves as the venue for various intercollegiate
       football games. Often it is the host of the Big 12 Football Title
       Game.
       On the last weekend in October, the Fall Classic rivalry game
       between Northwest Missouri State University and Pittsburg State
       University takes place here. Usually, the Bearcats of Northwest and
       Gorillas of Pitt State are ranked one-two in the MIAA conference.
       In 2005, other games at Arrowhead included Arkansas State playing
       host to Missouri, and Kansas hosting Oklahoma.

Sites of interest

   Liberty Memorial
   Enlarge
   Liberty Memorial

Museums

     * American Jazz Museum ( website)
     * Negro Leagues Baseball Museum ( website)
     * Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (also site of the annual Jewel Ball)
     * Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
     * Airline History Museum
     * Toy and Miniature Museum of Kansas City
     * Westport, oldest part of the city and a vibrant entertainment
       district.
     * Kansas City ranks second in the world in number of fountains (over
       200), exceeded only by Rome ( visitkc.com)
     * Charlie Parker Memorial, at 17th Terrace and the Paseo
     * Arabia Steamboat Museum ( www.1856.com), in the historic River
       Market.
     * Kansas City Museum ( website), located in a beautifully renovated
       1910 mansion.
     * Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum ( website), located
       in Kansas City suburb of Independence, MO.

Historical landmark

     * Country Club Plaza ( website) -- first shopping centre designed to
       accommodate the automobile. Now considered one of the great urban
       shopping districts in America.
     * Liberty Memorial ( website)-- Official World War I memorial and
       museum in the United States. Tower and observation deck restored
       and re-opened in 2002. Currently an even larger museum is being
       constructed underneath the monument.
     * Laugh-O-Gram Studio ( www.laughograms.com), Walt Disney's original
       cartoon studio in Kansas City. Now being renovated.

Entertainment

     * Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun
     * Kansas City Zoo, in Swope Park.
     * Kansas City Renaissance Festival ( website), annual festival that
       runs through the fall that features live entertainers, a medieval
       village, rides, games, sword fights, and more.
     * Ameristar Casino Kansas City
     * Isle of Capri
     * Kansas City Irish Fest ( website), Labor Day weekend annually.

Educational institutions

Post-secondary

     * Avila University
     * Calvary Bible College
     * DeVry University of Kansas City
     * Kansas City Art Institute
     * Kansas City College
     * Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences (KCUMB)
     * Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City ( website )

          MCC-Penn Valley
          MCC-Longview
          MCC-Maple Woods
          MCC-Business and Technology
          MCC-Blue River

     * Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
     * National American University
     * Nazarene Theological Seminary ( website )
     * Park University ( )
     * Rockhurst University
     * University of Missouri - Kansas City (UMKC)
     * University of Phoenix - Kansas City
     * Webster University - Kansas City
     * Vatterott College

Elementary and secondary

   Kansas City is served by a variety of school districts.

   School districts that serve Kansas City include:
     * Centre 58 School District
     * Grandview Consolidated No.4 School District
     * Hickman Mills Consolidated No.1 School District
     * Kansas City, Missouri School District.
     * Lee's Summit R-VII School District
     * Liberty Schools
     * North Kansas City School District
     * Park Hill School District
     * Platte County School District
     * Raytown Consolidated No.2 School District
     * Smithville School District

   Private schools in Kansas City include:
     * The Barstow School
     * Lutheran High School
     * Notre Dame de Sion
     * The Pembroke Hill School
     * Rockhurst High School
     * Archbishop O'Hara Highschool
     * Saint Pius X High School
     * Saint Teresa's Academy

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_City%2C_Missouri"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
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