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	The Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium1

From its humble start as a trading post in 1821, Missouri's Kansas City has grown into a colorful city with an interesting history and bright future. With a mix of recreational activities, museums on a selection of topics and numerous historic districts, this riverside metropolis caters to any visitors. Kansas City may be best known for its musical culture—specifically for its jazz, and provides a variety of museums, restaurants and clubs dedicated to this genre of music. Guests can get a feel of how the city once was as they stroll through the historic 18th and Vine district, which is packed with unique shops and sites. Kansas City also boasts several professional sports teams, including the Royals baseball team, the Chiefs football club and the Wizards soccer team. Harley-Davidson Motorcycles and Hallmark Cards are open for guests to tour their facilities in detail.

HISTORY

Before becoming a part of the developing United States in 1802 with the Louisiana Purchase, Missouri was shared by several European countries. The area was occupied by the Kansa Indians, a peaceful tribe who lived off the land and who were quickly left homeless as settlers moved into the area. While this group may have left the area, their legacy lives on as their name was later chosen for a settlement that formed alongside of the Missouri River: Kansas City.

The original town site was built several miles downstream from the modern day site by French fur trader Francois Chouteau. A flood forced him to move to a new location where the city's roots were secured. The town of Westport was built four miles away by businessman John C. McCoy and was competing as a trading power with Chouteau's village. In 1835, McCoy and several other investors bought the trader's land for $4,220 and made plans for the Town of Kansas. Within 20 years Kansas Town became Kansas City, swallowing up Westport and growing steadily both in population and in economy.

	The Country Club Plaza2

Since Missouri was designated as a slave state when it joined the United States in 1820, it was torn between pro- and anti-slavery sentiments. Many problems erupted before the start of the Civil War in 1861 and threatened to divide the state during those four years of conflict. Parts of the state supported the Union Army while other areas were on the Confederate Army's side. Missouri's position in the heart of the country led it to host several significant battles during the war. For Kansas City one skirmish in particular hit close to home. The Battle of Westport in 1864 was the turning point for the Union Army in Missouri, giving it control of the state after a three-day campaign that lasted from October 21 to 23.

Once the war ended, Kansas City once again flourished. Much of the growth can be credited to the building of two rail bridges in1869—the Hannibal and the St. Joseph—which were the first of their kind to cross any part of the Missouri River. This helped to turn Kansas City into a hub for trading throughout the States, giving it access to all the major centers and boosting its agriculture industry. The city celebrated a national first in 1922 when it approved and built the first planned shopping center, the Country Club Plaza. It was designed by J.C. Nichols, whose memorial fountain stands in the facility that he helped construct.

While the city had been growing at a tremendous pace economically, it was lacking in aesthetic appeal and recreational opportunities. Kansas City newspaper editor William Rockhill Nelson recognized the need and advocated for more green spaces. Colonel Thomas H. Swope donated his farm property to the city, creating Swope Park in 1896, a 1,769-acre landmark destination and popular spot in the city today.

The city is still known for its trading industry—both nationally and internationally— for its numerous fountains and boulevards and for its support of large corporations, such as Hallmark Cards, Ford Motor Company and steel producer GS Technologies. Big business, combined with its agricultural roots, gives Kansas City a strong economic base that appeals to many people for work and play.

ORIENTATION

Kansas City is often referred to as the heart of the Midwest as it is found in Missouri, a state centrally located in the continental United States. Kansas City sits on the Kansas-Missouri border and is separated by Missouri River from a city of the same name in Kansas. Visitors of this city benefit from its location because it provides them with easy access to many other states. Missouri shares its border with Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska. Kansas City is found 157 mi (253 km) from Jefferson City, 250 mi (400 km) from St. Louis, 4.5 mi (7.25 km) from Kansas City in Kansas and 63 mi (100 km) from Topeka, Kansas. Surrounded by communities, such as Lee's Summit, Smithville, Blue Springs and Riverside, the city is an angler's paradise as it has numerous lakes and the Missouri River only a stone's throw away.

Month Avg. Daily Temperature Average Rainfall Min Max Jan 18°F (-8°C) 36°F (2°C) 29 mm Feb 23°F (-5°C) 43°F (6°C) 33 mm Mar 33°F (-1°C) 54°F (12°C) 62 mm Apr 44°F (7°C) 65°F (18°C) 86 mm May 54°F (12°C) 75°F (24°C) 137 mm Jun 63°F (17°C) 84°F (29°C) 113 mm Jul 68°F (20°C) 89°F (32°C) 112 mm Aug 66°F (19°C) 87°F (31°C) 90 mm Sep 57°F (14°C) 79°F (26°C) 118 mm Oct 46°F (8°C) 68°F (20°C) 85 mm Nov 33°F (-1°C) 52°F (11°C) 58 mm Dec 23°F (-5°C) 40°F (4°C) 42 mm

Climate Data from the Midwestern Regional Climate Center

CLIMATE

With warm summers and pleasant winters, Kansas City makes a great place to visit year round.Temperatures in summer months—June, July and August—hover around an average high of 87 F (31 C), with lows reaching 66 F (19 C). Mild Kansas City winters—spanning the months of December, January and February—usually fluctuate between a high of 40 F (4 C) and lows around 21 F (-6C).

TRANSPORTATION

With the Kansas City International Airport found on its perimeter, Kansas City can support visitors from the far corners of the world. At least 400 flights arrive each day at the airport. From here, an array of shuttle services, car rentals, taxis and buses are ready to bring visitors to their destinations. Amtrak is another travel option. It has two trains making regular stops in Kansas City, one traveling through Missouri to Chicago and the other offering services through Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Greyhound Lines has a station for bus travelers and offers frequent daily trips to and from the city. There are numerous highways running through the city, including US Route 71, US Route 169, and US Route 40, as well as several Interchanges including I-70, I-635, I-29, giving those visitors who are driving plenty of ways to get in and out of the city.

Once in the city, many guests use the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority. These public buses have routes running inside the city and to many of the outlying communities. There are also numerous taxi and limousine services ready to drive people to city attractions. While visitors may want to take a taxi to the tourist spots, many of these districts are small enough that walking is the easiest way to get around once arriving there.

	J. C. Nichols Memorial Fountain3

FEATURED ATTRACTIONS

Historical Attractions
Since the people of Kansas City were very conscious of their city's appearance in its early days, there are now many historical sites and landmarks for visitors to experience. This city is well-known for its fountains, which range from simple neighborhood structures to a massive geyser shooting water 30 feet in the air. Some of the most popular fountains are the J.C. Nichols Fountain in Country Club Plaza, the Children's Fountain in North Kansas City, the Crown Center Fountains. These are only a handful of the many structures found throughout the city and which rivals many European cities in number.

Kansas City and its surrounding area boasts more than a dozen historical sites, giving people a glimpse of the way Western Missouri once was. The area's most interesting spots may be from its most infamous resident: Jesse James. Two of Kansas City's outlying towns boast impressive historic sites related to this outlaw. In Kearney, visitors can enjoy touring the James' family farm, which still bears the bullet holes in the door to the house, furnishings from the family and the grave site of James himself. After seeing his residence, guests can travel to Independence to see the bank where the first daylight heist took place, allegedly by the James-Younger Gang.

	The Blue Room Music Club and Museum4

Cultural Attractions
Inside the city there are at least 20 museums dedicated to all interests, but one of the most interesting is the American Jazz Museum, which is found in the historic 18th and Vine district. The jazz museum houses the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the Blue Room museum and live music club and the Gem Theater. While focusing on the great moments and artists of these soulful melodies, visitors of the museum will learn how jazz developed and changed the landscape of music and society. 18th and Vine also boasts an abundance of shops specializing in the African-American culture, flavorful restaurants, numerous live music clubs and other places of interest, such as the Black Archives of Mid-America and the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center.

After spending a day exploring, guests can take in a play at one of the many theaters found in the city. There is the Folly Theater with its early-1900s ambiance and the rare outdoor stage, the Starlight Theatre, in Swope Park, among many others, which offer a stage for numerous theater, opera, and dance companies, as well as musicians to perform on.

Tours
Many of the big businesses have an open-door policy with visitors of the city, such as the Harley-Davidson Assembly Plant, which offers guided tours of their facility. Hallmark Cards also takes people through their building and educates them on the company through films, tours and interactive displays. A fun spot for adults is at the Boulevard Brewing Company, where visitors can see how various lagers and ales are created while tasting a variety of beers. Other activities for guests to enjoy include the Fiesta Cruises boat trip and a visit to the Lakeside Nature Center.

	The Starlight Theatre in Swope Park5

Natural Attractions
Since traveling and learning can get exhausting, Kansas City offers ample natural areas for its guests and residents to relax and recharge in. The city's Swope Park is the largest facility. It provides people with pavilions, picnic areas, athletic fields and playgrounds, and is the home to attractions like the Starlight Theater, the Kansas City Zoo and the Lakeside Nature Center. Various gardens around the city include Powell Gardens and Penn Valley Park. A day of fishing, boating, swimming or hiking is easily accommodated. There are several lakes used specifically for recreation, including Lake Jacomo and Blue Springs Lake in Fleming Park. Camping facilities, hiking and biking trails, a marina, several historic sites and a beach can be found here.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

1. Kansas City CVA; The Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium; Kansas City, MO, USA
2. Kansas City CVA; The Country Club Plaza; Kansas City, MO, USA
3. Kansas City CVA; J.C.Nichols Memorial Fountain; Kansas City, MO, USA
4. Kansas City CVA; The Blue Room Music Club and Museum; Kansas City, MO, USA
5. Kansas City CVA; The Starlight Theatre in Swope Park; Kansas City, MO, USA