Rosedale, Kansas facts for kids
Rosedale, Kansas is a neighborhood that is part of Kansas City, Kansas. It is located in the southeast corner of Wyandotte County. To its north is the Kansas River and the Armourdale area. To the south is Johnson County. The Argentine neighborhood is to its west, and the state of Missouri is to its east. Rosedale is known for the Rosedale World War I Memorial Arch and the University of Kansas Medical Center.
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Rosedale's Past: A Look at Its History
The Great Flood of 1844 was a huge flood that changed the path of Turkey Creek. It used to flow into the Missouri River but was naturally moved to the Kaw (Kansas) River in what became Rosedale. Early homes in Rosedale got their water from wells, cisterns, and Turkey Creek. The creek also provided water for factories, ice making, and church baptisms.
How Rosedale Became a City
"The Town of Rosedale, Shawnee Township" officially started in 1872. In 1875, Kansas decided that a town needed at least 600 people to become a "City of the Third Class." A request was sent to Judge Hiram Stevens. He ordered that Rosedale be made a city. The first election for city leaders happened on August 28, 1877.
By 1897, Rosedale had more than 2,000 people. It stayed its own city until 1922, when it became part of Kansas City, Kansas.
Dealing with Floods in Rosedale
The Kansas River and Turkey Creek have caused many big floods in this area throughout history. Besides the 1844 flood, major floods also happened in 1903, June 1, 1935, and September 13, 1961. Rosedale has worked with groups like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to build flood control projects. From 1911 to 1920, a large flood control project was built. A key part of this project was to make Turkey Creek flow into the Kansas River in Rosedale. Other local projects included a tunnel for Turkey Creek and a new bridge over Southwest Boulevard.
Learning in Rosedale: Schools and Libraries
Rosedale is part of the Kansas City, Kansas School District.
Elementary Schools in Rosedale
- T. A. Edison Elementary School: This school has about 330 students. It got a ten-room addition in 1954.
- Noble Prentis School: Built in 1912 with four rooms. More rooms were added in 1950 and 1955.
- Frank Rushton Elementary School: This school was first called Maple Leaf School when it was built in 1911. It was later renamed after Frank Rushton, who was on the Rosedale and Kansas City school boards. A new building was constructed in 1956.
Rosedale Middle School is the local middle school. Students then go to J. C. Harmon High School.
A History of Rosedale's Schools
The very first school in Rosedale was in a place called "Cooks Hall." The first building just for a school was "The Public School," also known as "The White School." It was later called "Whitmore." Around 250 students usually attended. In 1899, a new Whitmore school was built with eight regular classrooms.
The Ely School served the northern, more rural part of Rosedale at that time.
Rosedale High School started in 1884 within "The Public School." Its first graduating class in 1886 had seven students. A special building for the high school was built in 1906. In 1913, there were 115 students. An expansion was added in 1913, including a gymnasium. A brand new school building was built in 1927. The old 1906 building was torn down that same year. Seventh graders from other schools also started coming to Rosedale High, which was then called Rosedale Junior-Senior High School.
Attucks School was another important school in Rosedale. Its first building was built in 1889, and a new brick building was constructed in 1939.
"The Brick School," later renamed Columbian in 1892, was built in 1888. It had four rooms, and more were added later. A Kindergarten building opened in 1930.
The Macchochaque School, meaning "Place of Refreshment," was built in 1876 in a Shawnee area. Rosedale took over this school in 1911. A new two-story school building was then built.
The University of Kansas Medical Center bought the Macchochaque School in 1958 and tore it down in 1968. Students from Macchochaque went to Edison and Snow schools. The Columbian School was bought and torn down in 1966. Attucks School closed in 1972. Rosedale Senior High joined with Argentine Senior High School to create J.C. Harmon High in 1973. The old Rosedale High became a junior high school. The former Whitmore School was torn down in 1973.
Public Libraries in Rosedale
The Kansas City, Kansas Public Library used to have a Rosedale Branch. This library branch opened inside Rosedale High School on March 15, 1927.
Famous People from Rosedale
- James P. Cannon: A founding leader of the Socialist Workers Party.
- Frank L. Hagaman: A former Governor of Kansas.
- Dick Harp: A basketball coach for the University of Kansas.
Cool Places to Visit in Rosedale
- Rosedale World War I Memorial Arch: A special monument honoring the soldiers from Rosedale who served in World War I.
- Boulevard Drive-In: An outdoor movie theater that has been showing movies every weekend during the summer since 1950.
- Sauer Castle: A famous old house that many people believe is haunted.
- University of Kansas Medical Center: This includes the School of Medicine and the Hospital.
- Vox Theatre: This building used to be a silent movie theater and is now used for events.
