What’s in a name? As it turns out, quite a lot.
We’re indulging in some Kansas City history today, specifically with a look at local toponymy, the study of place names.
City of Fountains
Our claim to fame wasn’t always so pretty. Kansas City’s earliest water fountains were created for more practical purposes — mostly as water troughs for passing horses in the late 19th century. Eventually, local landscaper George Kessler designed + opened the first city-built fountain in 1899 at 15th Street and The Paseo (which has since been destroyed).
More fountains popped up, years passed, and Hallmark executive Harold Rice took a trip with his wife to Rome in 1973. The couple noticed the city’s numerous ruined fountains and didn’t want their beloved hometown to suffer the same fate. Thus, the City of Fountains Foundation was born, and the nonprofit has since worked with KC’s Parks and Rec Department to advocate for our most notable namesake.
Today, Kansas City is believed to have more working fountains than even Rome.
Barbecue Capital of the World
Henry Perry, the “father of Kansas City barbecue,” helped set the blazing path for the rise of KC’s world-famous cuisine. In 1908, Perry started selling smoked meats from a pushcart in the city’s Garment District. The meats he cooked included possums, hogs + raccoons. Psst — the popularity of these meats was why Kansas City, MO was almost named “Possum Trot” and “Rabbitville.”
After Perry’s passing, Charlie Bryant took over the business + eventually sold it to Arthur Bryant. The business was renamed to his namesake, the barbecue sauce was changed to please more taste buds, and the rest is history. Visit the oldest barbecue spots in the city for a taste of local Kansas City.
Heart of America
In 1914, local lawyer Edward J. Shannahan dreamed up the “Heart of America” slogan for advertising purposes — a phrase the then-Chamber of Commerce adopted for a campaign persuading tourists to stop in KC on their way to the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition World’s Fair.
“Heart of America” eventually became the city’s official slogan in 1915, and its still honored today through metro-wide celebrations like the Parade of Hearts and the most popular piece of KC merch ever: the KC Heart tee.
Paris of the Plains
Kansas City’s dynamic cocktail scene has its origins in the Prohibition era. In the early 1920s, alcohol still flowed freely in Kansas City saloons and speakeasies. Tom Pendergast’s control over the city meant that officials were ordered to ignore prohibition laws in parts of KC, allowing clubs and bars to become spots for drinking and partying.
A journalist from the Omaha World Herald wrote, “If you want to see some sin, forget about Paris and go to Kansas City,” marking the start of the nickname.
Cradle of Jazz
Another area that swelled during the Prohibition era? Kansas City Jazz. Loose liquor laws meant nightclubs, and the music that filled them, could flourish. At one point in time, there were over 100 nightclubs in the city that featuring jazz cats of all stripes and styles — allowing musicians like Charlie Parker to truly make their mark on the city. Today, you can experience the cradle of jazz at spots like The Blue Room.
Crown Town
Crown iconography is everywhere in KC, and its not just from our newly minted NFL dynasty. It seems to have started with KC-based Hallmark adding the crown to its logo in 1954, then eventually breaking ground on Crown Center in 1968. Nowadays, the biggest crown in KC sits atop Kauffman Stadium’s jumbotron.
