A History Lover's Guide to Kansas City

Book excerpt: Discover the sights, sounds, and rich history of Kansas City—from ancient burial mounds to a world-class jazz museum. Kansas City is often seen as a “cow town” with great barbecue and steaks. But it’s also a city with more boulevards than Paris and more working fountains than Rome. There are burial mounds that date back more than two thousand years. The National World War I Museum and Memorial, opened in 1926, stands more than two hundred feet tall. Leila’s Hair Museum has a collection that brings tourists from all over the nation. The Kansas City Jazz Museum features a historic district and world-class museum that document a time when dance halls, cabarets, speakeasies, and even honky-tonks and juke joints fostered the development of a new musical style. Join Missouri historian Paul Kirkman as he cuts a trail past the stockyards and takes you on a tour into the heart of America—Kansas City. Includes photos and information on Kansas City landmarks