Missouri Valley

KCQ: Last Chance and State Line

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

This installment of “What’s Your KCQ” is a story of gambling, gangsters, and geography. Reader William Renegar wanted to know, “Was there once a gambling establishment on Southwest Boulevard on the state line that was part in Kansas and part in Missouri?” There’s a story in his family about a relative,...

From Art to Artifacts: Remembering the 1976 Republican National Convention

Friday, August 9, 2019

This week marks 43 years since Ralph Steadman visited a muggy Kansas City to cover the 1976 Republican National Convention for Rolling Stone magazine. Twelve of Steadman’s inimitable drawings ultimately were published alongside John Dean’s first-person story, “Rituals of the Herd.” Six of t...

Children's Book Week: An Illustrated Celebration of Reading

Friday, May 3, 2019

Youth and Family

Missouri Valley

Children's Book Week, an annual celebration of books for youth and the joy of reading, was launched in 1919 and is currently the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. Marking the event's 100th anniversary, the Library shares its history and spotlights a remarkable collection of c...

Did Baseball Fandom Originate in Kansas City?

Thursday, March 28, 2019

Is Kansas City the home of baseball's original fans? The almanac On This Day in America credits a local newspaper, presumably The Star or The Times, with making the first-ever reference to the sport's followers as "fans" in March 1889. We investigated the claim. &nb...

As Kansas City International Airport breaks ground on a new terminal on March 25, 2019, the Library's Missouri Valley Special Collections provides a window seat to the city's aviation past.

Terminal Velocity: Kansas City's Airport History

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Missouri Valley

Local History

KC History

As Kansas City International Airport breaks ground on a new terminal on March 25, 2019,  the Library's Missouri Valley Special Collections provides a window seat to the city's aviation past.  

March is Women's History Month, and there are many ways to commemorate the lives and achievements of women throughout history and share experiences of today's women. Check out the collection of books, movies, and other resources available at the Library.

Celebrating Remarkable Women, Then and Now

Friday, March 8, 2019

March is Women's History Month, and there are many ways to commemorate the lives and achievements of women throughout history and share experiences of today's women. Check out the collection of books, movies, and other resources available at the Library.   

This past week, street signs along Paseo Boulevard began coming down, replaced with new ones proclaiming the street’s new name: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Following a long period of local debate, a mayoral task force, and a measure passed by the city council in October, the historic street is now officially renamed after the civil rights leader. On the occasion of the historic boulevard’s name change, the Library has pulled together a selection of images from the Missouri Valley Special Collections t

The Paseo's Past

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Local History

Missouri Valley

Street signs along Kansas City's Paseo Boulevard began coming down in late February, replaced with new ones proclaiming the street’s new name: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Following a long period of local debate, a mayoral task force, and a measure passed by the city council in Oc...

KCHistory and Civil War websites are undergoing maintenance

KCHistory, Civil War Websites Undergoing Maintenance

Monday, November 12, 2018

Local History

KC History

Civil War on the Western Border

Missouri Valley

The Library is currently migrating its large collection of digital historic images to a new software platform. An unfortunate consequence of our data migration is that we need to take the entire collection offline for about two months while the work is completed.

What’s Your KC Q? Library and KC Star Team Up to Find Answers

Friday, September 28, 2018

Missouri Valley

What's Your KCQ?

What do you want to know about our community? Beginning October 3, the Library and The Kansas City Star are combining resources to find answers to questions about regional topics ranging from the history of barbecue to the stories behind local landmarks. In a new partnership called What’s Your...

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Library showcases the legacies of several remarkable women in Coloring Kansas City: Women Who Made History, a coloring book curated by the Missouri Valley Special Collections.

Drawing From History: Coloring Book Highlights Notable Women of KC’s Past

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Missouri Valley

Local History

Women's History

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Library showcases several remarkable women who have left their mark on the Kansas City region in Coloring Kansas City: Women Who Made History, a special, limited-edition coloring book curated by the Missouri Valley Special Collect...