National Register of Historic Places listings in Jackson County, Missouri: Downtown Kansas City facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Kansas City, Missouri, is a vibrant city with a rich history, and many of its most important buildings and areas are recognized as special historic places. This list focuses on the amazing historic sites you can find right in downtown Kansas City!

These places are part of the National Register of Historic Places, which is like a special national list of buildings, sites, structures, objects, and neighborhoods that are important to American history, architecture, engineering, or culture. When a place is on this list, it means it's worth protecting and remembering for future generations.

Downtown Kansas City is generally the area bordered by the Missouri River to the north, 31st Street to the south, Troost Avenue to the east, and State Line Road to the west. Out of 332 historic places listed in all of Kansas City, a huge 159 of them are located in this downtown area!

What Are Historic Places?
- Why Are They Important?
Exploring Downtown Kansas City's History
- Cool Buildings to Discover
- Historic Districts: Neighborhoods with a Story
Images for kids

What Are Historic Places?

The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the nation's historic places that are considered worthy of preservation. It's managed by the National Park Service, which is part of the United States government.

Why Are They Important?

Historic places are super important because they help us understand the past. They show us how people lived, worked, and built things long ago. By protecting these places, we save important stories and examples of amazing architecture and design. It's like keeping a giant scrapbook of our country's history!

Exploring Downtown Kansas City's History

Downtown Kansas City is packed with cool buildings and areas that tell fascinating stories. Let's explore some of them!

Cool Buildings to Discover

Many individual buildings in downtown Kansas City have earned a spot on the National Register. Each one has its own unique story.

Boley Building (1130 Walnut St.): This building, listed in 1971, is famous for being one of the very first buildings in the world to use a new way of building with concrete and steel. It was a big step forward in how skyscrapers were made!
BMA Tower (700 West 31st Street): Built in 1972, this tower is known for its cool, modern design. It's a great example of architecture from that time.
Coates House Hotel (1005 Broadway): This historic hotel, listed in 1972, has seen a lot of history! Imagine all the people who have stayed there over the years.
Coca-Cola Building (2101-2111 Grand Ave.): Also known as the Western Auto Building, this building from 1988 is a well-known landmark in the city, especially with its famous sign.
Commerce Tower (911 Main St.): This tall building, listed in 2014, is a key part of the city's skyline and a great example of downtown architecture.
Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City (925 Grand Boulevard): This important building, listed in 2007, was once where the money for the region was managed. It has a grand and strong design.
Fire Department Headquarters; Fire station No. 2 (1020 Central Ave.): This building, listed in 1982, shows us where brave firefighters worked to keep the city safe many years ago.
Hotel Phillips (106 W. 12th St.): Another beautiful historic hotel, listed in 1979, known for its fancy details and classic style.
Kansas City Public Library (500 E. 9th St.): The central branch of the library, listed in 1977, is not just a place for books, but also a stunning piece of architecture.
Kansas City Power and Light Company Building (1330 Baltimore Ave.): This impressive skyscraper, listed in 2002, was built in 1931 and is a shining example of art deco style. It used to be the headquarters for the city's power company.
Kemper Arena (1800 Genessee Street): Listed in 2016, this arena was designed by the famous architect Helmut Jahn. It hosted many big events, from sports games to political meetings.
Liberty Memorial (100 W. 26th St.): This is a very special place, listed as a National Historic Landmark in 2000. It's a memorial to those who served in World War I and includes a fantastic museum.
Loew's Midland Theater-Midland Building (1232-1234 Main St.): Listed in 1977, this theater was once a grand movie palace and is still a popular spot for shows today.
Union Station (Pershing Rd. and Main St.): A huge and beautiful train station, listed in 1972. It was once a very busy hub for travelers and is now a popular place for museums and events.
TWA Corporate Headquarters' Building (1735-1741 Baltimore Ave.): Listed in 2002, this building was the main office for Trans World Airlines (TWA), a famous airline. It's a cool reminder of the history of flight!

Historic Districts: Neighborhoods with a Story

Sometimes, it's not just one building that's historic, but a whole group of buildings or a neighborhood. These are called "historic districts."

Crossroads Historic Freight District (Roughly bounded by Southwest Boulevard, W. 20th St., Baltimore Ave., W. 22nd St., and Broadway): This area, listed in 2000, was once a busy place for moving goods by train and truck. Now it's a lively arts and entertainment district.
Holy Rosary Historic District (Roughly bounded by 5th and Campbell, 5th and Harrison, and 9th and E. Missouri Ave.): Listed in 2007, this district includes the historic Holy Rosary Catholic Church and tells the story of an important community.
Old Town Historic District (Roughly bounded by Independence Ave., 2nd, Delaware and Walnut Sts.): This district, listed in 1978, is one of the oldest parts of Kansas City, showing what the city looked like in its early days.
Quality Hill (Roughly bounded by Broadway, 10th, 14th, and Jefferson Sts.): Listed in 1978, this neighborhood is known for its beautiful old homes and buildings, showing how the city's wealthier residents lived in the past.
Walnut Street Warehouse and Commercial Historic District (Roughly bounded by Main St., 15th St., Grand St. and 17th St.): This district, listed in 1999, was once full of warehouses and businesses. It shows how important trade and industry were to Kansas City's growth.

Images for kids

Map of Kansas City, Missouri
1524 Grand Avenue Building
1901 McGee Street Automotive Service Building
Acme Brass and Machine Works Building
Alana Apartment Hotel
Argyle Building
Auto Coach Building
Baker-Vawter Building
Blackstone Hotel
BMA Tower
Boley Building
Bonfils Building
Bryant Building
Buick Automobile Company Building
Bunker Building
Chambers Building
Christian Church Hospital
City Bank Building
Coates House Hotel
Coca-Cola Building (Western Auto Building)
Columbia Building
Commerce Tower
Commerce Trust Company Historic District
Continental Hotel (Mark Twain Tower)
Thos. Corrigan Building
Louis Curtiss Studio Building
Dierks Building
The Fairfax Building
Faultless Starch Company Building
Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
The Fidelity National Bank and Trust Company Building
Fire Department Headquarters; Fire station No. 2
Firestone Building
Gate City National Bank
Globe Storage and Transfer Company Building
Grand Avenue Garage
Grand Avenue Temple and Grand Avenue Temple Building
Graphic Arts Building
Greenlease Cadillac Building
Guadalupe Center
Helping Hand Institute Building
Hesse Carriage Company Building
Holy Rosary Historic District
Hotel Phillips
Frank M. Howe Residence
Imperial Brewing Company Brewery
Insurance Building-Consumers Cooperative Association Building
Inter-State Building
Jenkins Music Company Building
Jensen-Salsbery Laboratories
Kansas City Club Building
Kansas City Cold Storage Company Building
Kansas City Live Stock Exchange
Kansas City Police Station Number 4
Kansas City Power and Light Company Building
Kansas City Public Library
Kansas City Southern Railway Building
Kansas City Terminal Railway Company Roundhouse Historic District
Kansas City Title and Trust Building
Kansas City Water Department Building
Kansas City, Missouri Western Union Telegraph Building
Kelley-Reppert Motor Company Building
Kemper Arena
Kirkwood Building
Land Bank Building
Liberty Memorial
Liquid Carbonic Company Building
Loew's Midland Theater-Midland Building
R.A. Long Building
Lowe and Campbell Sporting Goods Building
Mainstreet Theatre
Marks and Garvey Historic District
Albert Marty Building
Mercantile Bank & Trust Building
Midwest Hotel
Monroe Hotel (and Thomas J. Pendergast Headquarters)
Montgomery Ward and Company General Merchandise Warehouse
New York Life Building
Old New England Building
Palace Clothing Company Building
George B. Peck Dry Goods Company Building
Pennbroke Apartments
Joseph Grear Peppard House
Perfection Stove Company Building
Nelle E. Peters Troost Avenue Historic District
Pickwick Hotel, Office Building, Parking Garage and Bus Terminal
President Hotel
Professional Building
Quality Hill
Richards and Conover Hardware Company Building
Ridenour-Baker Grocery Company Building
Rieger Hotel
Sacred Heart Church, School and Rectory
Safeway Stores and Office and Warehouse Building
St. Mary's Episcopal Church
Savoy Hotel and Grill
Scarritt Building and Arcade
Sewall Paint and Glass Company Building
E. R. Squibb and Sons Building
Standard Theatre (Folly Theater)
R.O. Stenzel & Company, Warehouse
Stine and McClure Undertaking Company Building
Studna Garage Building
Sweeney Automobile and Tractor School
Ten Main Center
Townley Metal & Hardware Company Building
Traders National Bank Building
TWA Corporate Headquarters' Building
Twenty-Twenty Grand Building
U.S. Courthouse and Post Office
United States Post Office-Kansas City
Joe Vaccaro Soda Water Manufacturing Company Building
Vitagraph Film Exchange Building
Waltower Building
Maj. William Warner House
Webster School
Western Newspaper Union Building

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National Register of Historic Places listings in Jackson County, Missouri: Downtown Kansas City Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.