Local

Discover Kansas City's rich legacy with these bites of local history

Stories by Kansas City Star journalists, with AI summarization

The curated articles uncover Kansas City's multifaceted history, emphasizing its musical and transit heritage. They share stories of key landmarks and influential figures that shaped the city's cultural landscape.

Memorial Hall in Kansas City holds a special place in music history, hosting legendary acts such as Led Zeppelin and Patsy Cline. Jenkins Music Company, once the largest music retailer globally, began as a small shop in Kansas City and grew into a significant cultural staple in the music industry.

Decades ago, Robert Gillham led efforts to modernize Kansas City's public transit through the introduction of streetcars, which greatly influenced the city's development and connected people across neighborhoods. Now, Kansas Citian is reinvesting in public transportation.

No image found
An event Friday will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas. By Emily Curiel

NO. 1: KCK’S MEMORIAL HALL TURNS 100. ITS PLACE IN MUSIC HISTORY IS LEGENDARY

The road to 100 hasn’t been easy for Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall in downtown Kansas City, Kansas. | Published September 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by Randy Mason

J.W. Jenkins’ Sons store at seen at 921-923 Main Street in around 1890.

NO. 2: THIS COMPANY GREW FROM TINY KC SHOP TO THE LARGEST MUSIC RETAILER IN THE WORLD

For almost a century, the Jenkins Music Company was a major force in the music retail industry. | Published September 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Sarah Biegelsen

An illustration demonstrates how powerhouse steam engines drove the underground cables that pulled early streetcars.

NO. 3: LONG BEFORE MAIN STREET EXTENSION, HE BUILT STREETCARS TO TAKE KC SOUTHWARD

The KC Streetcar’s Main Street extension opens Friday, and Kansas Citians are once again thinking about transit. | Published October 22, 2025 | Read Full Story by Michael Wells

Members of the Show Me Riders, a local saddle club, waved to the crowd during the American Royal parade Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. The parade, which featured "A Star Spangled Salute," was moved to the Truman Sports Complex in 2015 to be held during the American Royal's World Series of Barbecue. By Tammy Ljungblad

NO. 4: THIS PARADE TOOK OVER THE STREETS OF KC FOR 90 YEARS. WHY DID IT END?

The morning of Saturday, Oct. | Published November 7, 2025 | Read Full Story by Patrick Salland

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.