Kansas City, KS will bring out the history buff in you! Travel back in time and discover our rich history as you make your way through the city visiting local museums and historical sites.
DAY 1
- Embark on a full day of visiting some of Kansas City, KS’s most touching war memorials. Start at the Rosedale Memorial Arch, based on the Paris’ Arc de Triomphe, the arch honors our soldiers who fought in WWI and WWII and the Korean and Vietnam conflicts.
- The Korean-Vietnam War Memorial is the nation’s first dual-war memorial of the Korean and Vietnam conflicts and can be found at the front entrance of the Wyandotte County Lake.
- The World War II Bomber Builders Monument honors employees who built 6,608 B-25 bombers in Kansas City, KS during World War II.
DAY 2
- Learn the stories of these Native women pioneers of Kansas City, KS starting with Anna Grinter, married to Moses Grinter, operated a trading post and the first ferry across the Kansas River. Visit the Grinter Place State Historic Site, the oldest farmhouse in Kansas to learn more.
- Nancy Quindaro Brown was the Chief’s daughter and married Abelard Guthrie who founded the town named Quindaro, named after Nancy. The town was the first free port on the Missouri River and an underground railroad site. Learn more by visiting the Quindaro Underground Railroad Museum.
- Stand on the same grounds where the brave Conley Sisters served as the champions of the Wyandot National Burying Ground. Sisters, Lyda, Helena and Ida erected a tiny fort on the grounds to protect their parents’ graves from developers. Lyda Conley eventually became the first women of Native American to appear before the high court and argue a case.
DAY 3
- Bookworms will love digging through archives and browsing through these historic collections. Start at the Sumner High School, the only legislated African-American High School in the state of Kansas. The Sumner High School Alumni Room features photos, trophies, school newspapers and books written by alumni.
- Head over to Wyandotte High School Alumni Center and see six generations of archives, photographs, old school newspapers and memorabilia of the school.
- The Kansas Room Special Collections at the Kansas City Kansas Public Library houses a variety of materials related to the history of the county and city. The mass collection includes historic books, maps, photographs, documents and newspapers. This is the place to go for genealogy research!
PHOTO OP
Get a pic with famed explorers Lewis and Clark at the Lewis & Clark Park at Kaw Point.
TREAT YOURSELF
Splitlog Coffee: Grab a cup of joe at Kansas City, KS’s newest coffee shop paying homage to Splitlog Hill now known as Strawberry Hill.
Strawberry Hill Museum & Cultural Center: Stop in for an afternoon of tea and Povitica in this 1887 Victorian Queen Anne style architecture home.
Boulevard Drive-In Swap ‘n’ Shop: On the weekends, this drive-in turns into a flea market where you can find great deals on trinkets and treasures.
See here for more historical sites, monuments and museums in Kansas City, KS
