As someone who was born and raised in Kansas City, I’ve never called any other place home! Many of my college friends and classmates that moved to Kansas City from bigger cities struggled to initially see the charm that KC has. Kansas City was founded almost 200 years ago and is full of history. Whether you’re from around here or not, there are many fun facts and stories that KC has to offer. I’ve tried to compile some of my favorites to share with you!
- The City of Fountains
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Since we celebrated Greater Kansas City Fountain Day on April 19th, I felt it was only fitting that we start with how Kansas City is known as the City of Fountains. Kansas City has over 200 fountains throughout the greater KC area. In fact, the only city with more fountains than Kansas City is Rome, Italy. They’re all over town and it’s rare to come across a KC attraction or hotel that doesn’t have at least one fountain.
- The Country Club Plaza was Modeled After Seville, Spain
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The Country Club Plaza is one of the most popular shopping districts around KC and is only a couple of blocks away from the University Missouri-Kansas City Volker campus. It’s a mix of stores, restaurants, fountains (of course) and art. It first opened in 1922 and became the nation’s first-ever outdoor shopping district. This distinct architecture still stands today, adding an old-world flair to Kansas City.
While we’re talking about the Country Club Plaza, I’m sure you’ve heard about the Plaza Lighting that happens every year on Thanksgiving Evening! It’s quite a spectacle to witness more than 200,000 lights turn on simultaneously and always puts me in the Christmas spirit. This tradition started in 1925 with only 16 lights over a doorway. Little did they know that this would turn into a grand tradition that is beloved by many.
- Nelson Atkins Museum of Art Shuttlecocks
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The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art opened in 1933 and is home to over 35,000 different works that span back in time at least 5,000 years. It’s a free-to-visit museum that is just two blocks away from the UMKC Volker campus. If you’ve ever looked at it from the top floor of the Student Union or by driving by it, you’ve probably noticed that there are shuttlecocks both in the front and the back of the museum. But did you know that this is because the museum itself serves as the “net” to this badminton game from an aerial view?
- Kansas City Barbeque
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I’m sure you’ve heard all the buzz about KC BBQ. If you haven’t, let me tell you just how much we love our BBQ around here. Kansas City has more barbeque restaurants per capita than anywhere else in the world with over 100 barbeque restaurants throughout the city. Arthur Bryant, the legendary King-of-Ribs, actually created KC-BBQ by adding molasses to another BBQ sauce in order to sweeten it. KC BBQ is so popular that four U.S. presidents have come to the original Arthur Bryant BBQ restaurant to experience it for themselves.
- Inspired the Cartoon Character Mickey Mouse
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Walt Disney moved to Kansas City when he was nine years old. While he was in elementary school, Walt Disney took drawing classes on the weekends at the Kansas City Art Institute. He later opened up his first animation company here in Kansas City called Laugh-O-Gram Studio. He soon discovered that the building he had purchased was home to a little mouse that he fed and kept around. This small rodent inspired Walt Disney and became immortalized in the character of Mickey Mouse.
Whether you’re new to Kansas City or have been here your entire life, it’s undeniable that it is a city with quite a bit of history. Hopefully next time you’re out and about in the city, you stop to think about how much this city has to offer. No matter where life takes me, KC will always hold a special place in my heart, and I hope that you love it as much as I do.