Postcards From the Edge of Time

[FangKC]

I can't believe that a building of that size could have been on the One Park Place/BMA Tower site and none of us know what was there, or no one has seen any photo of it.

Obviously, we need to ask some older people. Cyclops, ask your parents if they remember.  That aerial photo was taken in 1930.  The BMA Tower was completed in 1963.

[FangKC]

Dr. Coe's Sanitarium was located on Wyandotte between 25th and 26th streets.  That area is now where the Liberty Memorial is.

[mlind]

Fascinating thread, but why aren't many of the pictures still there.

A schoolmate's father owned a gas station on the plaza. I think it was on Ward Parkway.  What I remember is that the pumps were located in a covered, indoor type of space - not outside like most stations. 

The Sears store was a freestanding building. West 47th?  It didn't have the Plaza architecture.  I think it was across the street from the Unity Temple.  My aunt lived in a large u-shaped apartment building right across from Unity.  It was blond brick with a parking lot in back.  It was built in the early-mid 1950's.  She didn't drive, so it was a very convenient place to live. Gone now, along with all the 2-3 story red brick apartments nearby.

[moderne]

Sears was the Palace Theater formerly Seville Square building. Your Aunt's apartment was where the Sheraton is now.

[FangKC]

Fascinating thread, but why aren't many of the pictures still there.

Many of them were linked to the Kansas City Public Library Special Collections database. Awhile back, the library changed the web site format, and many of the links went dead.  It's not as easy now to link to library photographs on the web as it used to be, and have them appear on the forum page.

[FangKC]

Here's an old photo of the Baird Building, which used to stand on the SW corner of 6th and Wyandotte, where the gas station is today.  It has a short lifespan, and was completely destroyed by a fire in 1894.

http://www.kchistory.org/cdm4/item_view ... OX=1&REC=2

After fire.

http://www.kchistory.org/cdm4/item_view ... OX=1&REC=1

[Sportster]

Figured this link would be timely with the arrival of the Lockheed L-1011 Tri Star on Saturday the 30th.
Enjoy! This postcard associated with this link will change weekly by the way.

http://www.northeastnews.net/postcard.html

Sportster
...a little history for you.

[Midtownkid]

Here's an old photo of the Baird Building, which used to stand on the SW corner of 6th and Wyandotte, where the gas station is today.  It has a short lifespan, and was completely destroyed by a fire in 1894.

That's a damn shame.  Was a nice looking building.

[ChefColby]

I just took a look at this thread....I had seen (and shown) the powerhouse thread to many people and I always get the same astonished reaction. I LOVE this stuff. I'm so proud to be from this town and it's awesome to see it in it's glory.

Many of you may have seen this but my aunt that lives in Boston put this on Facebook....Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD-hQTEfSqc

[FangKC]

Downtown KC in 1940 from the River Market looking south before the North Loop freeway was constructed. In this photo, one can see several old buildings that are gone now: Midland Exchange Hotel building; the Produce Exchange Bank at Missouri and Walnut; the Nelson Building at Missouri and Main; WalSix Building; Old YMCA building; Schuyler and Densmore hotels, Studio-Pepper Building; Victoria and Frederick Hotels at 9th between McGee and Oak; and Manhattan Building on Main near 8th.

Use scroll to see entire photo.

Source: Kansas City Public Library Special Collections



http://kchistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.p ... X=1&REC=11

[FangKC]

WalSix Building at 6th and Walnut (aka Eureka Building)

Source: Kansas City Public Library Special Collections



http://kchistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.p ... OX=1&REC=3

[FangKC]

Produce Exchange Bank at Missouri and Walnut

Source: Kansas City Public Library Special Collections



http://kchistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.p ... OX=1&REC=5

[FangKC]

The Nelson Building at Missouri and Main

Source: Kansas City Public Library Special Collections



http://kchistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.p ... OX=1&REC=5

[voltopt]

A couple of posts from my blog concerning these very places...


http://notdownhere.blogspot.com/2010/03 ... ittle.html


http://notdownhere.blogspot.com/2010/03 ... dum-1.html

[Midtownkid]

STOP!  This is too sad.  Had the freeway loop been constructed elsewhere, underground, or not at all that area of KC could have been a much more dense crossroads art district.  Reminds me of NYC for sure.

[FangKC]

Here's another one looking north towards the River in 1955.

Kansas City Public Library Special Collections



http://kchistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.p ... OX=1&REC=4

[trailerkid]

Leave it to the automobile to destroy America-- block by block. This "sadness" was repeated a hundred times over all across America.

[FangKC]

I think I read somewhere that the north loop freeway construction resulted in 152 buildings being demolished.

Here's a photo taken in 1930 looking west into Downtown before any of the freeways were built.

Source: Kansas City Public Library Special Collections

Remember to scroll to see entire photo.



Remember to scroll to see entire photo.

http://kchistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.p ... X=1&REC=18

[Joe Smith]

STOP!  This is too sad.  Had the freeway loop been constructed elsewhere, underground, or not at all that area of KC could have been a much more dense crossroads art district.  Reminds me of NYC for sure.

But then again it might not of been The Crossroads. At least they put most of the loop in a hole. Imagine what it would look like today if they didn't go subterranean.

[KC Kropf]

How can one photo make you feel so great, and so bad at the same time...  How do we fix it?  Haven't seen the thread for the "Capping" of Truman with the large park... I am sure most here are for it...  The drawings look great to me!