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Bookmark & sharePre-20th-Century History
Kansas City started life in 1821 as a trading post and expanded rapidly after the arrival of the steamboats and, later, settlers moving from the east to the west (the town was once called Westport). Prior to the Civil War, KC was caught up in the maelstrom of 'Bleeding Kansas', a conflict between pro- and anti-slavery groups.
Modern History
During KC's roaring gangster days in the 1930s, rabble-rousing mayor Tom Pendergast built lovely buildings and winding Brush Creek, while adding to the profits of his own cement company.
Recent History
Today, Kansas City is a very livable (and large) metropolis. Within its sprawl is more space than any other large US city. That extra elbow room comes in handy when chowing down at one of the 90-plus establishments devoted to KC's famous barbecue cooking.
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