Kansas City 80 years ago - These are what this city looked like in 1938.
Photography: Courtesy Kansas Tourism Dodge City is one of seven iconic Western towns featured in our 2017 Best of the West issue. Once upon a time in the Old West, a drunken cowboy climbed aboard the Santa Fe train in Newton, Kansas, and was asked by the conductor where he was heading. “To hell,” said the cowboy. “Well, give me $2.50 and get off at Dodge, then,” replied the conductor. Or so goes another weathered yarn about one of the most colorful Western outposts of its day. “Stories like this and tales of wild nightlife and gun battles gave Dodge City the reputation of being the toughest town in America,” Kansas historian Floyd Benjamin Streeter would note in Prairie Trails and Cow Towns: The Opening of the Old West — while qualifying that “the perpetuation of this impression does Dodge City an injustice.” Founded in 1872, it was soon dubbed the Cowboy Capital of the World (or Queen of the Cowtowns or the Beautiful Bibulous Babylon of the Frontier, depending on whom you asked). Dodge City’s rapid transformation from desolate Army post (Fort Dodge) to stockyard boomtown by the mid-1870s with the rerouting of the Great Western Cattle Trail has launched the lion’s share of its Lonesome Dove tales and memorable Gunsmoke episodes. In fact, the city’s historical heyday was rather short-lived, peaking in the early 1880s before the cattle trail was again rerouted and legendary residents like Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, and Doc Holliday (his dental office was here) moved on to busier pastures and corrals. Nearly a century and a half later, plenty of pride, heritage, and history remain in a town still famous for beef production, brick roads, cowboy culture, singular Old West attractions — and some of the friendliest Midwestern hospitality this side of Wichita. “One of the things folks really like to see here is the feedlots and sale of cattle on sale days — a very organic and earthy experience and something most ‘city’ folks have never experienced,” says Jan Stevens, director of the Dodge City Convention & Visitors Bureau. “It’s just one of those ‘open-the-door-for-you, cowboy-hat-tipping’ kind of towns. Everyone knows the old ‘Get the hell out of Dodge’ phrase. But around here, we like to say, ‘Get the heck into Dodge.’ ” START HERE Whiz through the town’s historic district on a Trolley Historic Tour and save some steps for the Dodge City Trail of Fame, which starts at Wyatt Earp Boulevard and honors every big name that made the place Dodge. Ground zero is Front Street’s Boot Hill Museum, packed with Old West relics, interactive exhibits, and (in summer) a cast of historical interpreters and storytellers that lend extra character to the city’s premier historical showpiece. HIT THE TRAIL Stretching through five states between Missouri and New Mexico, the Santa Fe National Historic Trail preserves one of its remaining sets of original wagon tracks at the Dodge City Ruts — 9 miles west of town, with an interpretive walkway. COOL OFF Last summer, downtown’s Long Branch Lagoon (largest water park between Wichita and Denver, they say) went Western-themed — chuck wagon concessions included — and continues to be an obvious family solution to a hot July day. Float along Cowboy Creek Lazy River, ride the Wrangler Rapids wave pool, and scream down Doc’s Plunge, the park’s signature boomerang slide. RAISE A GLASS Fun fact: Dodge City’s first business was an 1872 “whiskey bar” constructed from a wooden plank and two sod pillars exactly 5 miles from the edge of Fort Dodge, where soldiers could legally drink. Funner fact: The new Boot Hill Distillery (western Kansas’ first craft distillery) picks up where that barrel left off — welcoming a new era of whiskey appreciation with locally sourced, milled, distilled bottles and cocktails. MARK YOUR CALENDAR The 57th annual Dodge City Days (July 28 – August 6) has evolved from its earliest years (when rodeo tickets cost 75 cents) into one of the state’s largest community festivals. Drawing 100,000 guests, the 10-day event celebrates Dodge’s roots with rodeo, parades, and the year’s hottest barbecue contest. More info: visitdodgecity.org Explore more iconic Western towns: • Fort Worth, Texas • Deadwood, South Dakota • Durango, Colorado • Tombstone, Arizona • St. Louis, Missouri • Cody, Wyoming Explore:Destinations
Starting with this post and continuing here, I promise this is the last one using the set of photos from 1938 Kansas City. There are many reasons why I do this, but the main two are: I enjoy it and I feel like somewhat of an explorer, possibly drawing attention to the photos that haven't
In June 1960 the Life Magazine published the following report about the imminent flooding of the Tuttle Creek Reservoir. Forlorn End For a Valley. In the verdant farmlands of the Blue River valley in northeastern Kansas, where 3,000 people found themselves in the path of progress, only a sorrowful handful still stayed near ghost towns.
Recently a set of photos taken at the Kansas City's Wonderland Arcade in the late 1960's made rounds on the Internet. These photos are stored at the National Archives in the file "Wonderland Inc. v. United States of America, 1968 - 1968". The National Archives allows searches but not direct links or bookmarks, so you
May 1914 issue of the Rotarian Magazine dedicated to the upcoming opening of the Kansas City Union Station with photos and dedication from the local hotels and other prominent businesses.
Starting with this post and continuing here, I promise this is the last one using the set of photos from 1938 Kansas City. There are many reasons why I do this, but the main two are: I enjoy it and I feel like somewhat of an explorer, possibly drawing attention to the photos that haven't
Starting with this post and continuing here, I promise this is the last one using the set of photos from 1938 Kansas City. There are many reasons why I do this, but the main two are: I enjoy it and I feel like somewhat of an explorer, possibly drawing attention to the photos that haven't
All the devastation happening around the country this year has a direct parallel to the weather events of 1957 when an unusually high number of tornadoes and floods caused a significant death toll and property loss. Everyone in this area knows about the F5 Ruskin Heights tornado that destroyed a neighborhood in Kansas City but it was only one
Previously: Kansas City 1938 (more and even more), 1945, 1954 Note: These photos are dated with the year 1936 on the archive pages, but some of them are used in the article "A Great Newspaper Builds a Great Art Museum" published in 1939. I have no way to tell when they were taken. Pickwick Hotel is visible
Previously: Kansas City 1938 (more and even more), 1945, 1954 Note: These photos are dated with the year 1936 on the archive pages, but some of them are used in the article "A Great Newspaper Builds a Great Art Museum" published in 1939. I have no way to tell when they were taken. Pickwick Hotel is visible
Starting with this post and continuing here, I promise this is the last one using the set of photos from 1938 Kansas City. There are many reasons why I do this, but the main two are: I enjoy it and I feel like somewhat of an explorer, possibly drawing attention to the photos that haven't
Little Midwestern town of Washington, Mo. is the world’s corncob pipe manufacturing center. When about 1870, a Missouri farmer made himself a pipe out of a hollowed-out corncob, he invented something which has brought a unique industry to Washington, Mo. Since then the Missouri Meerschaum Pipe Company, the world’s biggest corncob pipe maker has made
As a veteran of the Cold War from way back, I am always happy to congratulate the American Veterans with their day. Last year I wrote about Bert Berkley - a local Jewish Veteran and a Civic Leader. This year I hope you will enjoy a set of old photos taken at the ROTC ball in
From the author who brought to you Kansas City 1938, More from 1938 Kansas City, and critically acclaimed Even more of 1938 Kansas City, comes long-awaited: Still More Photos from 1938 Kansas City (not available in 3-d) The truth is, I am lazy, my car is in the shop and I have nothing better to
On October 25,1954 Life magazine wrote about the installation of the Hereford Sculpture in Kansas City. A trailer truck rode through Kansas City, Mo. last week bearing a bull destined to achieve great heights. The bull, a Hereford from New Jersey, stands 12 feet high, weighs 5,550 pounds and has plastic flesh atop steel bones. It
Starting with this post and continuing here, I promise this is the last one using the set of photos from 1938 Kansas City. There are many reasons why I do this, but the main two are: I enjoy it and I feel like somewhat of an explorer, possibly drawing attention to the photos that haven't
Someone pointed out that finding these photos is not that hard, anyone can go the Life photo archives, try different keywords and voilà. Why do you think I keep posting them? These photos were taken when the future President Dwight D. Eisenhower visited Kansas City in 1952. During the visit his cortege rode through the
Of all the Wild West towns in Kansas, Dodge City was probably the most famous. This place had it all: saloons, brothels, gunfights, and more!
Learn all about what you can find at Dodge Town in Antioch Park. It's a great little park if you live in the Kansas City (Johnson County) mentro area that is super fun.
228 North Congress Street today Hough Home Address: 228 North Congress Street, Jackson, Mississippi, USA Opened: Between 1917 and 1920; became women only with death of Dr. Joseph W. Hough on December 11, 1920. Closed: Sold on March 1, 1985 to the Magnolia Federal Bank The Hough Home (sometimes referred to as the Joseph W. Hough Home - Business Woman's Home or the Business Women's Home) was said to be the last of the old-fashioned, ladies-only boarding houses in the State of Mississippi. According to the 1920 Census, Dr. Hough, a 92-year-old widower, was still living at this address--with twenty-five women. But by the time he passed away at the end of the year, it was strictly for the ladies until 1985. From the Waycross Journal-Herald, May 4, 1985: The closing of the historical Hough Home in Mississippi's capital ends the days of women-only boarding houses that offered rooms, meals and sets of rules for parlour courting. "The Hough House was the last of an era because there's nothing else like it around. I don't know of another boarding house for women. The younger girls now are more independent and all want to share together--they're more adventuresome," said Elaine Porter, 38, who has lived at the Hough House for four years. The downtown Jackson structure was built between 1912 to 1915 and purchased by Dr. Joseph W. Hough in 1917. Hough donated the two-story colonial revival wood-frame house to a charitable organization. "It was Dr. Hough's specific request that the house be used for the benefit of the women in the business community," according to Jackson Landmarks, a historical guide compiled by the Junior League of Jackson. The eight-member Hough Home of Board of Directors sold the house to Magnolia Federal Bank on March 1. "It was getting too expensive to run. It wasn't serving its purpose. The girls didn't work downtown, they worked all over the city and there wasn't adequate parking," said Hough Home Board President Sallie Crim. The money from the sale will go into a scholarship fund for students at local colleges. Single women boarding in the Hough Home were usually Mississippians fresh out of high school or college with jobs in state government, banks and insurance agencies. Hostess Janie Gamble said they discovered the boarding house through word of mouth. "It was never advertised. That way you never have as many undesirables applying. I tried and did keep it decent, where a mother would be glad for her daughter to stay there," Ms. Gamble said. Curfews went out of style with bell-bottom jeans in the 70s, she said, but most tenants still returned home early on weeknights and "not too late" on Friday and Saturday nights. It was downstairs-only for male visitors, who were restricted to the den and living room. The women could have men up to their bedrooms for moving purposes only, and that was strictly with the permission of the hostess. The Hough Home was the last of the Jackson women's boarding homes that ran according to the old school of courting, where couples stayed at elbows-length until marriage, Ms. Gamble said. "I don't know where the girls are supposed to go to meet a young man. They used to go to church...I always told them you don't meet nice young men in bars," she said. For Belinda Gurley, who lived in the Hough Home for seven years, the house was sometimes an answer to sensitive dating situations. "In this day and time, I'm pretty liberal. But if you went out with somebody and when they took you home, there wasn't a problem," she said. "I suppose if the Hough Home hadn't closed, I would have stayed there until I was married or an old maid," laughed Miss Gurley, who moved in with a former "Houghee" at a downtown Jackson apartment complex. Ms. Gamble, 71, known as "Granny" to former Hough residents, said many of her tenants came to Hough Home from small Mississippi towns in hopes of meeting "responsible young bachelors. But it doesn't always work out like that." "I'd tell them, 'Well honey, you've got to learn to stand on your own two feet and you know you really do,'" she said. She worked as a beautician before accepting the job as Hough Home hostess in May 1972. For $135 a month, tenants received three meals each weekday and a semi-private furnished room. With room for 46 women, the Hough Home was sometimes close to empty and at other times had a waiting list. "I miss all of the girls. They were sweet to me; they were just precious to me and almost always they respected me. Always I was Granny; that's what they all called me," Ms. Gamble said. "I just wish that I had started taking notes. Some of them were really hilarious; some of them you could have spanked for it."
Google tweaked something in its Life Magazine Archives search and now I am finding some of the best photos I was ever able to post on this blog. This batch was taken by the Life photographer William Vandivert in 1938. I can't place most of these, so feel free to comment. There may be a
Between 1887 and 1892, John C.H. Grabill sent 188 photographs to the Library of Congress for copyright protection. Grabill is known as a western photographer, documenting many aspects of frontier life — hunting, mining, western town landscapes and white settlers’ relationships with Native Americans. Most of his work is centered on Deadwood in the late 1880s and 1890s. He is most often cited for his photographs in the aftermath of the Wounded Knee Massacre on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. (via Plog)
Welcome to Metro Photo Imagery! Just another example of my urban photography. My shop has a variety of old hotel and motel signs that still exist as well as other street scenery across the USA's major cities (and some not so major) This is an INSTANT DOWNLOAD DIGITAL PRINT only. No physical print or frame will be shipped to you. Colors in the final print may look different due to differences in the calibrations between computer monitors and printers, most of mine are black and white, but some have a color file added. No returns but let me know if there is a problem. All artwork is for personal use only. Thanks for your visit!
This place is on private property. Listing for informational purposes only. Please do not visit without express permission from the land owner. Several family members died here, and paranormal sightings such as apparitions, orbs and floating lights have been reported. The Sauer Castle was the residence of Anton Sauer. Sauer had married his wife Francesca in Vienna, Austria at age 18 and a half. There, they had their five children: Gustave O.L., Anthony Philip Jr., Julius J., Emil, and Johanna. In 1858 they decided to move to New York City to be with Anton's mother and sisters that had already been there for some time. Due to his worsening case of tuberculosis and Francesca's death in 1868, he decided to move his family to Kansas City. After his business became successful, he began courting a young 28 year old widow, Mary (Maria) Einhellig Messerschmidt, who had two daughters of her own: Anna and Maria. After marrying in 1869 they had five daughters (four survived to maturity): Eva Marie, Antoinette, Josephine (sometimes listed as Fosefa), and Clara. Daughter Helen (sometimes listed as Frances) died in infancy age 14 months. By 1872 the mansion was finally fully furnished, sitting on the Shawnee Indian trail that was part of the old Santa Fe Trail that many wagons passed. After Anton's death on August 16, 1879 in the second floor master bedroom, Mary and the children continued living in the house, as did the children continue living there after Mary's death in 1919. Five generations of the Sauer family continued living in the mansion until the owner of a home heating oil company, Paul Berry, bought the house after Eve's death. He lived in the mansion until his own death in December 1986. Because of ghost stories originating in 1930, the house was constantly trespassed and vandalized, which Barry and his dog fought off themselves. NOTE: This is private property. Please respect and admire from the road.
Whether you are brand new to town or just bored of Netflix, this is your guide to things to do in Kansas City this weekend, or anytime really. Scroll through the whole article or click the category you want to start with.
Castle architecture in Kansas City MO. Follow the link. kansascityworkhouse.wordpress.com/information/
Exhibition dates: 25th January – 20th July 2014 Attributed to: Tsukamoto (Japanese) Portrait of a man in samurai armour mid 1870s Ambrotype 5 x 3 1/2 inches Gift of the Hall Fam…
On October 25,1954 Life magazine wrote about the installation of the Hereford Sculpture in Kansas City. A trailer truck rode through Kansas City, Mo. last week bearing a bull destined to achieve great heights. The bull, a Hereford from New Jersey, stands 12 feet high, weighs 5,550 pounds and has plastic flesh atop steel bones. It
This weekend's old photo posts are dedicated to the Midtown Miscreant's new hometown. This is how it looked back in 1945. And lastly,this is what MM would have looked like while blogging in 1945: Harry Truman's Missouri.
Someone pointed out that finding these photos is not that hard, anyone can go the Life photo archives, try different keywords and voilà. Why do you think I keep posting them? These photos were taken when the future President Dwight D. Eisenhower visited Kansas City in 1952. During the visit his cortege rode through the
