Kansas City region

This Month in Kansas City History

This Month in Kansas City History highlights local history people and events, with links to related special collections materials.

Biographies

The famous - and infamous - and not so famous but important deceased Kansas Citians are featured in these locally written biographies. Actors and actresses, artists and architects, politicians and philanthropists, sports figures and settlers, criminals and community leaders, and others all either lived or worked in Kansas City at one time. New biographies are added regularly, so check back frequently.

City Directories

A list of city directories for Kansas City, Missouri, and nearby cities and counties available at the Special Collections Department, Kansas City Public Library.

Kansas City FAQs

View frequently asked questions about the Kansas City area.

Kansas City Stories

There are a thousand stories in any city waiting to be told. These eight reminiscences written by Kansas Citians begin our quest for some of these stories. This sampling comes from participants in the Kansas City Stories project where they learned how to craft their memories into true stories by professional writer and writing coach Michael Humphrey in the Spring of 2008.

Local History on the Internet

Follow the annotated links to Kansas City area general, specialized, and county histories. Area archives, libraries, historical societies, etc. is a separate list.

For more current city links see the Library's Resources by Topic for Kansas City government related sites and area organizations, groups, and information for new residents.

Newspapers & Clips

Learn more about the extensive collection of newspapers & clips, one of the unique resources in the Missouri Valley Room selectively chosen from Kansas City's major metropolitan dailies of the twentieth century. These cover topics of local and regional interest. Arranged by subject, articles can be searched in the 43-volume index. These are not available online.