Postcards From the Edge of Time

A place to post and request pictures of Kansas City.
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Re: Postcards From the Edge of Time

Post by moderne »

A lot of these vanished buildings had "Chicago" windows: two operable window at the ends with a larger fixed window in the middle. What surviving buildings have these?
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FangKC
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Re: Postcards From the Edge of Time

Post by FangKC »

Gumbel Building

1000 Broadway (former Tanners' site).

915 Broadway.

423 W. 8th Street.

Scarritt Building (second floor)

Grand Avenue Temple Office Building (second floor)

Pickwick Hotel (second floor)

Palace Clothing Company Building

Chambers Building (second floor)

Interstate Building (13th and Locust).

Fairfax Lofts (11th and Baltimore) (2nd and 3rd floors).

1535 Walnut (second floor)

Congress Building (on Broadway) (second floor)

Uptown Theater (second floor)
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Re: Postcards From the Edge of Time

Post by moderne »

Thanks for the list. Now I wonder how many are original and how many are modern double pane replacements. Imagine if historic tax credits used would be the case, but otherwise someone that cared enough.
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Re: Postcards From the Edge of Time

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Re: Postcards From the Edge of Time

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FangKC
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Re: Postcards From the Edge of Time

Post by FangKC »

Looking northeast from the middle of the block near 16th and Broadway. In the foreground is an interesting looking Dutch Colonial-style apartment building. They might be separate buildings, since parts look different. To the right of it is the Bradford Hotel Apartments. Both were on the intersection of 16th and Central. The photo appears to have been taken in the mid-60s based on the cars in the parking lot.

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I found the Dutch Colonial-style apartments among the 1940 tax photos.

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That corner today.

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FangKC
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Re: Postcards From the Edge of Time

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TheLastGentleman
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Re: Postcards From the Edge of Time

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Then and now

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Roanoker
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Re: Postcards From the Edge of Time

Post by Roanoker »

Thank you, Mr. Gentleman. I do so remember how beautiful downtown was during the holiday season. I'm in my mid-70s now, but when I was a little girl, visiting all the big stores during that time was magical. Emery, Bird and Thayer, Kline's, Macy's, Peck's, Jone's, Harzfeld’s. Yes, big, bright, lighted crowns festooned every intersection. Store windows displayed characters with moving arms and heads in anticipation of the Big Day. Kline's had a Fairy Princess, a beautiful young woman dressed in a lavish gown and sporting a glistening tiara on her head. She would wave her magic wand over a box, and out would come a wrapped present just for me. (No gazillion Santa Clauses back then.) Jone's had one floor all decked out with Christmas decorations and a wonderful little train I could ride and enjoy the lovely sights. Now we have the Internet. And I like that, too.
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Re: Postcards From the Edge of Time

Post by herrfrank »

TheLastGentleman wrote: Sun Sep 01, 2019 3:37 pm Image
This advertisement from the KC Chamber of Commerce is truly a period piece -- the prewar diction (with its quasi-scientific terms and industrial-geek phrasing); the map that snubs Dixie (no Atlanta, admittedly smaller than KC at the time, and Norfolk isn't even depicted in its correct state); the requirements for job title and business letterhead on the mandatory response coupon.

Nice find :-)
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TheLastGentleman
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Re: Postcards From the Edge of Time

Post by TheLastGentleman »

The VFW building on Broadway used to look a little different. Used to be called the Medical Arts Building.

https://pendergastkc.org/collection/913 ... s-building

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Re: Postcards From the Edge of Time

Post by moderne »

It was "modernized" in 1976.
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FangKC
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Re: Postcards From the Edge of Time

Post by FangKC »

The Ship saloon -- that is in the West Bottoms -- is the descendant of the original The Ship at 411 E. 10th Street (mid-block between Oak and Locust on the south side of the street). It was located in the Cortez Hotel building next to the alley. That saloon opened in 1935, and closed in 1995.

When the block was being demolished for an urban renewal scheme, the original bar and other interior elements were removed and placed in storage. When the owners of the new incarnation of The Ship found a location in the West Bottoms, those items were incorporated in the new saloon, which opened in 2014. The address is 1217 Union Avenue.

The interior bar in the original The Ship saloon on E. 10th Street.

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The exterior of The Ship at 411 E. 10th Street.

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Website:

http://www.theshipkc.com/history
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Re: Postcards From the Edge of Time

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Re: Postcards From the Edge of Time

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TheLastGentleman
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Re: Postcards From the Edge of Time

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Found out that the cathedral of the immaculate conception used to look quite different. It was apparently altered in a 50s renovation.

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Eon Blue
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Re: Postcards From the Edge of Time

Post by Eon Blue »

I’m gonna call that a serious downgrade. Those marble columns were lovely. Maybe they’re only jacketed?

Is there a story behind the blue ceiling?
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FangKC
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Re: Postcards From the Edge of Time

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Before the Western Auto building was constructed starting in 1914, this panorama photo -- taken in 1908 near Gillham south of 22nd Street -- shows the Grand Avenue train depot.

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FangKC
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Re: Postcards From the Edge of Time

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TheLastGentleman
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Re: Postcards From the Edge of Time

Post by TheLastGentleman »

Panoramic from 1907
The original photo was taken "1,000 feet above 13th and Summit" using Lawrence Captive Airship. Lawrence, the photographer, used a set of seven kites to raise the 49 pound camera into place. Google the airship name for more info.
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http://hyperblogal.blogspot.com/search/ ... ity%201907
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