When Downtown KC was a powerhouse - A must see for all

[kard]

Interesting that they were placing large ads on the side of that same building even then (middle of the pic).

[Deleted User]

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[LenexatoKCMO]

As late as 1950, there was some serious density in the south Crown Center area in the middle of the photo below Liberty Memorial. Unfortunately Crown Center tore these buildings down and currently the land is vacant surface lots. Too bad they couldn't have incorporated this row of old dense buildings into the project. 1950   Aerial view looking northeast, near 29th and Gillham.

I can't believe how much better the Main side of PVP looks in this pic.  It isn't all overgrown with trees and brush and actually looks like a park from Main instead of an overgrown, vacant, waste of space.  I imagine pedestrians might have actually entered the park along there back then; unlike now.  I wish the parks departement had the money to restore the streetfacing part of the park along there to look like this pic. 

[moderne]

    Great photos---shows you do not need high rise for density!  I love to hear the few elderly left that were around then talk about what an exciting vital place the city was, before the freeway  system and postwar suburbanization.  Imagine 31st and Troost as one of the main shopping areas in town.

[Tosspot]

    Great photos---shows you do not need high rise for density!  I love to hear the few elderly left that were around then talk about what an exciting vital place the city was, before the freeway  system and postwar suburbanization.  Imagine 31st and Troost as one of the main shopping areas in town.

My paternal grandmother tells lots of stories about the city back when she was young. It was true city living, back when Kansas City was a real city, before most of it was destroyed by kowtowing to the automobile.

[Deleted User]

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[voltopt]

The Lasalle Hotel tower on 31st gave this corner a distinctive urban feel before it was destroyed.

the Lasalle Hotel was torn down about six years ago... it had a large neon sign on top that read "Defenders"
it looked really neat - its a stupid loss that that building and that entire corridor was abandoned.  i've been fascinated by linwood, troost, 31st, and points east for some time - it looks like we have similar interests!

[KCDevin]

The Power and Light tower was the tallest for over 40 years. It is 476ft officially (the glass dome doesn't count in it's height)
City Hall is only 443ft tall... (it's flagpole doesn't count in it's height)

Whoa!  What was the tallest building then?  P&L?  City Hall?

[JJack_44]

GREAT PHOTOS! When you get those nice aerial pictures of DTKC, it look like NYC in a way.

[warwickland]

1945

1950s

[moderne]

    Ive got that 1945 view on a postcard copyrighted by the photographer and with a logo in one corner--kansas city-HARZFELD's-petticoat lane.

[JJack_44]

     Ive got that 1945 view on a postcard copyrighted by the photographer and with a logo in one corner--kansas city-HARZFELD's-petticoat lane.

How much do you think that is worth?

[Rusty]

I would like to have a print of this framed...I couldn't find it on the KC Library website.  Any ideas on where I can find and order a print?

I think I've seen this in Union Station...not sure, though.

[ignatius]

I actually snapped that picture at Union Station.  Feel free to save it to a file and have it touched up and printed.  I won't tell anyone.

[Roanoker]

I remember as a child in the 1940s being dragged downtown by my loved-to-shop mother. (No malls back then.) We used to take the streetcar, I barely recall. (I was fascinated by the one light on the front. Why was there only one? Why did automobiles have two?) We spent hours trying on clothes at Kline's, Peck's, Macy's, Jones', and Emory Byrd Thayer. We never shopped at Rothchild's, Harzfeld's, or Wolf Brothers' because they were too expensive. When I saw all those old pictures, my nose went back to the strong--really strong--burnt-coffee smell. Every Christmas, Harzfeld's displayed beautiful, magical scenes in their windows. The doll-like characters moved, in keeping with the visual messages they were meant to convey. Christmastime downtown was exciting, exactly like the words in the song, Silver Bells.

[Tosspot]

That sounds wonderful the memories of Christmas downtown.

But I too as a child was hauled around with a shopaholic relative (my aunt) who actually believed a six or seven year old boy wanted to spend all f-ing day shopping for clothes. God how I hated that. Eventually I broke the news to her that I hated, HATED going shopping for hours on end.

[Roanoker]

Eventually I broke the news to her that I hated, HATED going shopping for hours on end.

Didn't she buy you any toys?! I always managed to get what was called a "story book doll." They came in wonderful, square-shaped, white boxes with brightly colored polka dots. It sort of compensated for the mind-numbing boredom.

But for a young boy--especially one like you, with such an active mind--the experience must have been excruciating.

[Tosspot]

I don't specifically recall any toys...what I remember most saliently is going to the Venture store in Roeland Park (where the new Price Chopper is now) and my aunt would always immediately head straight for the clothing section. Yeah, that's some real fine stylin' there, getting your clothes at a discount emporium that would be bankrupt within a decade AND hauling around your woebegone post-toddleresque nephew at the same time! Just writing about these memories makes me want to get on the phone and yell at my aunt about these memories.

[Roanoker]

We used to take the streetcar, I barely recall.

One more thing about those streetcars. (I can't remember what I ate for dinner tonight, but I can remember transportation in the 1940s!) They were powered by electricity. Two, very long, rather thin-looking, metal rods extended from the top of each streetcar and reached up to their lifeforce: a massive grid of metal wires. As the vehicle moved along, you could see and hear the sparks overhead. Occasionally, something went wrong. Not sure what. But the driver had to get out of the streetcar and reattach the rods (feelers?) so they touched the wires again. Gave me something to do.

[Roanoker]

I don't specifically recall any toys...what I remember most saliently is going to the Venture store in Roeland Park (where the new Price Chopper is now) and my aunt would always immediately head straight for the clothing section. Yeah, that's some real fine stylin' there, getting your clothes at a discount emporium that would be bankrupt within a decade AND hauling around your woebegone post-toddleresque nephew at the same time! Just writing about these memories makes me want to get on the phone and yell at my aunt about these memories.

Ahaaaa haaaa haaa! (Difficult to type lots of laughing.) Funny stuff! You should consider being a comedy writer. How about stand-up? Write a book. I'll buy it!