Kansas City’s history is rich with immigration and city planning efforts. Today, those influences remain on metro street signs.
Chouteau | “Shoo-tow.” | François Chouteau came from a St. Louis fur trading family. François married Bernice — daughter of an Illinois lieutenant governor — and they honeymooned in KC by setting up a trade camp along the Missouri River. Chouteau Trafficway now runs from the Indian Mound Neighborhood over the river to the Antioch Crossing shopping center. Most people today pronounce the name “Show-tow.”
Guinotte | “Gee-NOTE” | Joseph Guinotte was a French-speaking Belgian who moved to Kansas City in 1848. He was a farmer + realtor who purchased 1,200 acres in the area now known as the East Bottoms. It makes sense why Guinotte Avenue runs from General Mills in the east to the River Market in the west.
Pflumm | “Fluhm” | Norbert Pflumm came to Shawnee from Prussia with his family for fruit farming. Bought in 1881, the Pflumm Farm — at the southwest corner of Pflumm Drive and Johnson Drive — gave name to the north-south road it was on. The Germanic name’s pronunciation likely used more of an “oo” vowel (and a soft “p”), but that has since changed.
Gillham | “GILL-ihm” | Robert Gillham was considered “the father of Kansas City’s cable railway system.” The 24-year-old engineered the 9th Street Incline — a cable car running from Quality Hill to the West Bottoms — and the 8th Street Tunnels. Robert was on the Park Board when he died at age 44. Gillham Road goes from 22nd Street to the Plaza.
Paseo | “Pah-SEH-oh” | The Paseo was proposed in 1893 as a road from 9th Street to 17th Street modeled after the Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City. The road was known for its fountains, statues, and landscaping. Architect George Kessler designed the Paseo, which now runs from Cliff Drive at Kessler Park to 85th Street.
