Kaw Point facts for kids
Kaw Point is a special place where two big rivers meet. It's where the Kansas River (also called the Kaw River) flows into the mighty Missouri River. This spot is in the West Bottoms area of Kansas City, Kansas. Kaw Point is also where the Missouri River changes direction. It stops flowing south and starts heading east across the state of Missouri all the way to the Mississippi River near St. Louis.
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History of Kaw Point
Kaw Point has a long and interesting history. It was once claimed by Spain, then by France. But in 1803, the United States bought this land as part of the huge Louisiana Purchase. This purchase added a lot of new land to the young country.
Lewis and Clark Expedition at Kaw Point
The famous Lewis and Clark Expedition camped at Kaw Point for a few days. This was from June 26 to 28, 1804. They were on their long journey from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean.
Captain William Clark wrote in his journal on June 27, 1804, that the land around the river's mouth was "very fine." The explorers also thought it would be a good spot for a fort. They saw many animals there, like deer, elk, buffalo, and bears. They even saw "Parrot queets," which were Carolina parakeets, a type of bird now extinct.
The expedition also noticed something interesting about the rivers. Meriwether Lewis observed that the Missouri River's water was much muddier than the water from the Kaw River. This important meeting point of the rivers is a big reason why the Kansas City metropolitan area grew up here.
Kaw Point and State Borders
Kaw Point played a role in setting state borders. When Missouri became a state in 1821, its western border was based on the longitude of Kaw Point. This line stretched from Iowa down to Arkansas.
South of the Missouri River, this line still forms the border between Kansas and Missouri today. However, north of the Missouri River, Missouri later moved its border further west in 1836. This was part of a land deal called the Platte Purchase.
Becoming Part of Kansas
In 1854, Kaw Point became part of Kansas Territory. This happened when the United States Congress passed the Kansas–Nebraska Act. This act opened up the area for more settlers.
In 1859, the city of Wyandotte was officially formed. Kaw Point was included within its boundaries. Later, in 1886, Wyandotte joined with other towns to form Kansas City, Kansas. So, Kaw Point became a part of that new, bigger city.
Today, Kaw Point is a beautiful place called Kaw Point Riverfront Park. It's a great spot to enjoy the rivers and learn about history.
