This KC place was hub for publishing millions of church documents for more than a century

This unimposing building at the corner of 29th Street and Troost Avenue played an outsized role in the world of religious literature for over a century.

The Nazarene Publishing House dates back to 1912, when the Church of the Nazarene built it to house its publishing arm. The church was headquartered in Kansas City at the time. It’s now based in Lenexa.

From the beginning, the church kept the place hopping. At its peak, the operation published 25 million pieces a year—everything from Sunday School lessons for use by churches around the world to books, magazines and weekly newspapers like the Herald of Holiness.

In later years, its imprint, the Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, published dozens of books annually about theological matters and Wesleyan thought.

It was a constant presence along Troost Avenue at a time when many businesses had left the area behind.

But the Digital Age eventually took its toll. In 2014, citing massive financial issues, the Nazarene Publishing House suddenly ceased operations.

After the plug was pulled, the publishing house underwent restructuring and emerged, with a considerably smaller staff, as The Foundry Publishing.

In 2016, the Kansas City Board of Education purchased the premises for consolidating its administrative offices, maintenance and engineering staffs into a location more accessible than their downtown plant.

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Looking for more Kansas City history?

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This story was originally published August 14, 2024 at 5:00 AM.