In 1838, Kansas City was founded and eventually surpassed neighboring Westport to become the predominant city west of St. Louis. The area was also a focal point in the westward expansion of the United States, as both the Santa Fe and Oregon trails ran nearby.

In 1843, Kansas City was depicted in a history of Oregon. After the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, Lewis and Clark visited the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri rivers, noting it was a good place to build a fort. In 1831, a group of Mormons from New York state led by Joseph Smith settled in the area.

Explore thousands of digitized photographs and material related to the history of the Kansas City region. Learn about the collections and services of the Missouri Valley Special Collections, the Kansas City Public Library's local history archive. This infamous kidnapping and murder in...

The origins of Kansas City date to the early 1800s, when French fur traders arrived by the Missouri River and built rough cabins along the river. The town of Kansas was formed in 1838 and a trail connecting the river landing to the Santa Fe Trail in the town of Westport was established.

The origin of modern-day Kansas City, Missouri, dates back to the 1830s, when John McCoy founded the settlement of Westport at what is now Westport Road and Pennsylvania Avenue. McCoy chose this area to open an outfitting store for pioneers on the Santa Fe Trail.

The following is a timeline of the history of Kansas City, Missouri, United States. François Chouteau set up a permanent trading post. Missouri becomes the 24th state admitted to the …

Jan 20, 2021 · Investors planned to lure the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad to Kansas City, but traversing the Missouri River at Kansas City was still a big problem in the early 1860s.

Non-circulating local history and genealogy resources of the Kansas City Public Library.

Jan 27, 2025 · Kansas City grew even more quickly after World War II, as it annexed adjacent land and increased its area more than fivefold. City population peaked in 1970—when it surpassed a half million—and then slowly declined until stabilizing in the 1990s.

Jul 17, 2023 · The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 led to the establishment of Kansas Territory, sparking a period of conflict known as “Bleeding Kansas” between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions. In 1864, during the American Civil War, the city was the site of the Battle of Westport, a significant Union victory.