Local History

On December 2, 1905, Kansas City lost its lead proponent of the park and boulevard movement, August Meyer.

On the evening of November 24, 1927, the Pla-Mor Ballroom opened at 3142 Main Street to a crowd of 4,100 who reveled at its unprecedented size and modern style.

In 1838, the town of Westport stood near the western edge of the American frontier. To reach Westport from the east, traders traveled by river to a rock landing.

On November 8, 1917, Mary Tiera Farrow and 20 other female lawyers formed the Women's Bar Association of Kansas City.

On Oct. 12, the Heartland Book Festival celebrates the written word – and continues a Library tradition. 

Continuing with the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Kansas City Public Library, the Missouri Valley Special Collections highlights the card catalog system, which was adopted in 1887.

A gallery space near the entrance to 'Disney100: The Exhibition' at Union Station, which opened May 24, highlights items from the Library's Missouri Valley Special Collections.

With Kansas City International Airport's new single terminal now scheduled to open on February 28, 2023,  the Library's Missouri Valley Special Collections gives you a window seat to the city's aviation past with a collection of images and historical background.  

The Kansas City Public Library has purchased the digitized archives of The Kansas City Star and Kansas City Times’...

In celebration of KC Oktoberfest, the Library's Missouri Valley Special Collections highlights the city’s German American and beer brewing history. Learn about two prominent families who made names for themselves in the brewing industry -- the Muehlebachs and the Heims -- and about how...