history

In 1940, Works Progress Administration workers took photos of every building in Kansas City — houses, restaurants, shops, gas stations and more. Kansas City Public Library maintains more than 50,000 of the images, and a new website is making them easier than ever to browse.

Komina Guevara learned the art of beadwork by watching her grandfather. Now she makes traditional and modern pieces that honor 'my family, my culture and myself.'

Lindsborg, Kansas, artist Lester Raymer is best known for paintings of round-faced circus clowns, acrobats and jaunty roosters. But in the Red Barn Studio where he once worked, handcrafted toys for his wife are the star of Christmastime.

A 117-year-old historically-Black church in Missouri is getting much-needed restoration work thanks to a grant from the National Heritage fund — and a crew of about a dozen volunteer builders.

Despite her success in the 1930s, Dana Suesse’s music remains underappreciated. From piano concertos infused with jazz to popular film music, Suesse was a woman of great musical prowess.

"Life Beyond Earth?", which runs through June 2025 at the Linda Hall Library, documents the scientific search for extraterrestrial life and features talks with experts in the field.

Laugh-O-gram Studios near 30th and Troost served as Walt Disney's first animation house in 1922. After preservationists saved the deteriorating building from collapse, an ambitious $4 million fundraising campaign wants to transform it into a digital storytelling center and teaching hub.

Kansas City’s historic Union Cemetery, founded in 1857, serves as the final resting place for more than 55,000 people, including many early pioneers of Westport. A group of volunteers has cleaned more than 300 grave markers there as a way of learning about and connecting with local history.

Angela Wildflower grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, and has since gone on to perform in Broadway productions and popular television series. She plays the iconic jazz singer in "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill," which runs through Oct. 27 at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre.

The Kansas City art museum issued a challenge to architecture firms to design “a museum for all.” With its third evolution, museum leaders hope to respond to growing community needs and increasingly diverse visitors. They estimate a construction budget of $160 million to $170 million, to be funded by private donations.

Armada con una grabadora, la bibliotecaria de Kansas City, Irene Ruiz, capturó la evolución de la historia del vecindario de Westside e hizo de la biblioteca un lugar más acogedor para los inmigrantes mexicanos y latinos que vivían allí. Hoy en día, la sucursal del vecindario de Westside la Biblioteca Pública de Kansas City, que cuenta con la sólida colección de idioma español que Ruiz comenzó, lleva su nombre en su honor.

There’s a whole lot of history packed into the little town of Weston, Missouri. Just a 45-minute drive north of Kansas City, it's an ideal destination for weekend getaways, whether you like to hike and bike, dine and drink, or enjoy local festivals.