Kansas City Facts

Overview

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Kansas City

Kansas City

Still at a Crossroads, but with a New Focus

From the time it was carved out of Kaw Indian territory and incorporated in 1850, Kansas City has been at the crossroads of American culture and economy. It was on the borderline of North and South during the Civil War, was the hub of the nation's cattle industry in the 1880s, and had become a major manufacturing center by the early 20th century.

In the 1950s and 1960s, however, central city neighborhoods began to decline. Highways cut swaths through the city, while the white population fled to ranch houses in the suburbs. African Americans remained inside a city that was losing population even as it expanded from 81 square miles in 1950 to 130 square miles in 1960. The meat industry took much of its business elsewhere. By 1970, poorer neighborhoods in the center city had gone from white to virtually 100 percent black.

In 1993, residents of Kansas City took matters into their own hands. FOCUS, a citywide group of thousands of concerned citizens, called for restoration of the city's historical monuments, including the 18th and Vine jazz district and Union Station. Revitalization has taken off since then: over $500 million reinvested in central city neighborhoods has helped community development corporations create over 5,000 jobs. Progress has been slow but steady, and the city's new vitality and stability are attracting the attention of business.