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PHOTOS: What Kansas Looked Like Then And What It Looks Like Now

If you happen to stand in one spot in a Kansas town or city, did you ever wonder what things looked like 100+ years ago?  If so, “then and now” books are just the ticket. They are part of a genre that uses photos to contrast the past with the present in cities and states around the country. 

Kansas City historian Monroe Dodd’s “Kansas Then and Now” is fourth in a series of books about the region; the other three were about Kansas City.    Featuring historical scenes from Kansas plains and prairie, the photos take you back to when Kansas was a territory and to the late 20th century.

Follow along with the slideshow as KCUR's Susan B. Wilson talks to Monroe Dodd about their favorite photographs exploring Kansas' past and present.

This story was produced for KC Currents, which airs Sundays at 5pm with a repeat Mondays at 8pm. To listen on your own schedule, subscribe to the KC Currents podcast.

A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Susan admits that her “first love” was radio, being an avid listener since childhood. However, she spent much of her career in mental health, healthcare administration, and sports psychology (Susan holds a PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Bloch School of Business at UMKC.) In the meantime, Wilson satisfied her journalistic cravings by doing public speaking, providing “expert” interviews for local television, and being a guest commentator/contributor to KPRS’s morning drive time show and the teen talk show “Generation Rap.”
As managing podcast producer for KCUR Studios and a host of A People’s History of Kansas City, I want to feed your curious mind, offer historical context so you understand why things are the way they are, and introduce you to the people working to make a difference behind the scenes. Reach me at hogansm@kcur.org.
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