 Show 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. He then established a river boat landing on the bluffs at the bend in the Missouri River, just two miles north of his settlement. This Westport Landing was connected to the settlement of Westport by road and sparked development in the area. A group of 14 investors, including McCoy, formed the Town Company in 1838 to buy up property along the riverfront. This area included Westport Landing and in 1850 was incorporated
as the Town of Kansas. City founders derived the name from the Kansas, or Kaw, River which was named for the Kansa Indians. The state of Missouri then incorporated the area as the City of Kansas in 1853 and renamed it Kansas City in 1889. John McCoy’s settlement, the old town of Westport, was annexed by Kansas City, Missouri, on December 2, 1897. During this time, other settlements were developing across the river on the Kansas side in Wyandotte County. Some of these small towns
incorporated as Kansas City, Kansas, in 1872. By naming this town after the growing city on the Missouri side of the state line, city leaders in Kansas were able to capitalize on the success of Kansas City, Missouri. It’s also possible that the people in Wyandotte County felt that they had more right to the name “Kansas City” than the people of Missouri had. Today Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri, remain two separately incorporated cities but together, along with a number of
other cities and suburbs, as part of the Kansas City Metropolitan area. It’s a tale as old as time — isn’t Kansas City in Kansas? Well, we’re not (only) in Kansas anymore. To understand how both Kansas City, Missouri + Kansas City, Kansas share the same name, let’s take a walk down memory lane… or should we say State Line Road? Kansas City, MO (KCMO)During the 1830s, John McCoy founded the settlement of Westport and established a river boat landing close to the Missouri River. The connection between these spots served as a catalyst for development. The city was named the City of Kansas in 1853, before Kansas was even a state. The city in Missouri derived the name from the Kansas river — named after the Native Americans of the Kaw Nation (Kanza people). Fun fact: “Possum Trot” and “Rabbitville” were also names in the running, which gives us better context as to why the “Father Of Kansas City Barbecue,” Henry Perry was cooking these animals. The city was renamed Kansas City in 1889. John McCoy’s Westport settlement was annexed in 1897. Kansas City, KS (KCK)In 1872, the small towns developing in Wyandotte County incorporated to form Kansas City, Kansas. Naming the town after the City of Kansas in Missouri was done to capitalize + benefit from the growth happening on the Missouri side. Kansas politicians even attempted to annex the Missouri side of Kansas City into their state, but KCMO remained a Missouri state. So, what’s in a name? Well, for Missouri and Kansas, it’s the pride we share for the city, regardless of which state it’s in. Have you ever wondered why there are two cities named Kansas City…specifically how the larger one isn’t even in Kansas at all? Kansas City vs. Kansas City There are two places in the Midwest named Kansas City, and they both sit and prosper along the Missouri River…although on opposite sites. There’s the major metropolis of Kansas City, Missouri (population: 490,000), as well as Kansas City, Kansas (population: 152,000), which is actually and confusingly considered part of the larger Kansas City, Missouri metropolitan area. Why did it happen? These two places sprung up independently of one another, so the reason for the two cities with the same name isn’t like how Missouri’s St. Louis has a suburb called East St. Louis just over the border in Illinois. (However, they are very close together — about five miles apart.) Oddly enough, and it sounds counterintuitive, the Kansas City in Missouri was founded before the Kansas City in Kansas. Missouri’s Kansas City started up in 1850, while the Kansas one was officially founded in 1872, bringing together an amalgamation of smaller settlements in Wyandotte County.
From the 20th century to the Old West, from the Age of Enlightenment to the Dark Ages, Strange History is overflowing with mysterious artifacts, macabre legends, kooky inventions, reality-challenged rulers, boneheaded blunders, and mind-blowing facts. Learn More Confusing industry and visitors According to local legend, one of the reasons why the new city named itself Kansas City (even though the name was taken, and so close by) was resentment: The people there reportedly didn’t like how Missouri had a city named after their state. That it was a major, wealthy river-reliant city added insult to injury. So, they sought to steal back some of the attention by purposely trying to confuse industry and individuals to divert money (and visitors) there. Look to the river So then why is there a city named Kansas in a state that isn’t Kansas? That’s because it’s not named after the state of Kansas, it’s named after the Kansas River, which in turn gets its name from the indigenous Kansa people. Before it was Kansas City, it was called simply Kansas, when incorporated in 1850, before the official establishment of the Kansas Territory in 1854. When that happened, Kansas the city — located just inside the boundaries of Missouri — changed its name to Kansas City to avoid confusion. Why is there a Kansas City in both Kansas and Missouri?City founders derived the name from the Kansas, or Kaw, River which was named for the Kansa Indians. The state of Missouri then incorporated the area as the City of Kansas in 1853 and renamed it Kansas City in 1889.
Why are there two Kansas cities in the United States?At around the same time settlement was beginning along the river bottoms in Wyandotte County just across the border in the state of Kansas. So from the 1850s on there were two Kansas Cities, divided by the Missouri-Kansas state line, and both grew from a consolidation of villages rather than from a single unit.
Is Kansas City Kansas and Missouri the same city?Kansas City, abbreviated as "KCK", is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas, and the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is an inner suburb of the older and more populous Kansas City, Missouri, after which it is named.
Why isn t Kansas City in Kansas?Kansas City, KS (KCK)
Naming the town after the City of Kansas in Missouri was done to capitalize + benefit from the growth happening on the Missouri side. Kansas politicians even attempted to annex the Missouri side of Kansas City into their state, but KCMO remained a Missouri state.
|
Why is Kansas City in both Missouri and Kansas?
Related Posts
Copyright © 2024 ShotOnMac Inc.
