Fairfax District (Kansas City, Kansas) facts for kids

The Fairfax Industrial District is a large area in Kansas City, Kansas. It is a place where many factories and businesses are located. This district sits on a bend of the Missouri River called Goose Island. A bridge, the US 69 Missouri River Bridge, connects the district to towns in Platte County and Riverside, Missouri. Today, the General Motors Fairfax Assembly Plant is a major factory here. You can still see parts of old runways from the Fairfax Municipal Airport and Fairfax Air Force Base that used to be in this area.

History of Fairfax

The land where the Fairfax Industrial District now stands was once a bend in the Missouri River. In 1880, a big flood changed the river's path. This flood created an island known as Goose Island.

In 1909, the United States Supreme Court decided that this island belonged to Kansas. Later, a special wall called a dike was built. This dike stopped water from flowing around the island. Because of this, Goose Island became connected to the land.

To protect the area from floods, the government built levees and walls. They also built pump houses to remove water. This protected land was first used for farming. In 1921, it even hosted an "air meet" for airplanes.

How Factories Came to Be

In 1923, a company connected to the Union Pacific Railroad bought almost 1,300 acres of land. They spent a lot of money to build roads and railroad tracks. This helped create a modern area for businesses.

By 1926, the district had paved streets and many railroad tracks. It was home to different businesses. These included a metal foundry, an oil refinery, and a lumber mill. There was also an aviation school and a small airfield. This airfield was first called Sweeney Airport and then Fairfax Airport. It even had natural gas wells to earn extra money.

Early passenger flights took off from Fairfax Airport. Companies like Universal Aviation and Central Air Lines used it. By 1933, major airlines like American and Braniff were flying from here. Companies like Rearwin Airplanes also built aircraft in the district. In 1935, a naval reserve air base was set up at the airport. The Chrysler Motor Parts Company also started operations nearby in 1936.

Building for World War II

During World War II, the Fairfax area became very important. A Navy Elimination Air Base was located here. A large factory, called Air Force Plant NC, was built. This factory started making B-25 bombers in 1942.

Other companies also set up factories in the district. The Fairfax Division of the Fruehauf Trailer Company was there. A special center was built to modify USAAF aircraft. A factory for a rubber company also started during the war. On March 2, 1945, an air freight terminal opened for military transport.

Businesses After the War

After World War II, the government sold military supplies from a depot in Fairfax. They even sold 72 B-25J aircraft to the public. General Motors (GM) leased the Air Force Plant to build cars. GM also built F-84F aircraft at the plant.

In 1951, a big flood affected the area. After the flood, new factories were built. In 1960, GM bought the plant they had been leasing. They built a brand new factory in 1985 when the airport closed.

The city also expanded its borders to include the airport land. The new Fairfax Assembly plant opened in 1987. It produced popular cars like the Chevrolet Malibu and Buick LaCrosse. In 2006, the Kansas City council offered money to GM. This was to help GM produce a new mid-size vehicle at the plant.