Yes. One of the most famous of the mountain men that lived here was the legendary Jim Bridger [1]. After years of western exploration and guiding wagon trains, he retired to a farm just south of Kansas City at the old community of Dallas at 103rd and State Line. He died and was buried there on the farm in 1881. Later in 1904, Granville Dodge had Bridger’s body moved to Mount Washington Cemetery in Independence, Missouri, and had a monument [2] built commemorating Bridger.
Bridger was also memorialized in the sculpture in Pioneer Park [3] in the Westport area of Kansas City along with city founder John C. McCoy [4] and freighter Alexander Majors [5].
For more information search the Local History Index [6].
Librarian Sara Nyman
April 2006
Next FAQ >> 7. What companies did political boss Tom Pendergast own? [7]
<< Return to all Kansas City FAQs [8].
Links:
[1] http://localhistory.kclibrary.org/u?/Biographies,96
[2] http://www.kchistory.org/u?/Mrs,990
[3] http://www.kchistory.org/u?/Assorted,900
[4] http://www.kchistory.org/u?/Biographies,232
[5] http://www.kchistory.org/u?/Biographies,243
[6] http://www.kchistory.org/cdm4/explore.php?page=localhistoryindex
[7] http://www.kclibrary.org/kchistory/what-companies-did-political-boss-tom-pendergast-own
[8] http://www.kclibrary.org/kchistory/kansas-city-faqs