In The Loop: December 4, 2022
Your connection to Downtown Kansas City
Happy Holidays!
It’s good to be back at work on The Loop, researching stories that send me down seemingly infinite rabbit holes that unearth new ideas for our Downtown readers here, and for readers of my companion publication, the Pure Missouri Post. In fact, I touch on Jesse James’s death in the Almanac story below about former Kansas City mayor and department store icon Thomas Bullene, but I’ll be writing more about the outlaw’s assassination in a future issue of the monthly Pure Missouri Post.
#TheLoopWantsToKnow
Did you see this week’s question? If not, your chance to chime is here.
And now, on to the The Loop….
Mr. Bullene dies suddenly
On today’s date in 1894, former Kansas City mayor and retired business icon Thomas Bullene passed away, somewhat unexpectedly, at his daughter and son-in-law’s home at 3632 McGee. He was 66. A native New Yorker who struggled as a storekeeper in Iowa and Kansas before becoming a partner with Kersey Coates in Kansas City, Mo., Bullene would excel in our town and help build what is likely considered to be Kansas City’s most famous department store: Emery, Bird, Thayer (EBT).
Also known for his work as a public servant, Bullene campaigned for mayor in 1882 during a time when bitterness over the Civil War still lingered in the region. So, on the day before the election, when news from St. Joseph reached our town that Jesse James had been murdered, the city was thrown into a tizzy. Add to that the unrelated murder of a Kansas City police officer — and subsequent lynching of a man later believed to be the wrong suspect — and election officials took extra measures to protect voters and voting centers. Amidst the chaos, Bullene, a Republican, won the race.
Years later, at Bullene’s funeral, his pallbearers’ and honorary pallbearers’ names included a who’s who of Kansas City businessmen: Van Horn, Armour, Case, Jones, Bird, Thayer, and Lathrop, among others. He is buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Kansas City.
Origins of the Kansas City Public Library take flight
On tomorrow’s date in 1873, the Kansas City Public Library was founded when the school board adopted a resolution to establish a “Public School Library of Kansas City.”
A series of public lectures was organized to support a library fund. Among the speakers in the program (open to the public for 25 cents or $1 for the whole series) were St. Louisans Phoebe Couzins, one of America’s first female lawyers; William Torrey Harris, renowned educator and philosopher; and Albert Todd, champion of the women’s suffrage movement; from the Ozarks, John Monteith, progressive Missouri State Superintendent of Schools and author; and from Columbia, University of Missouri entomology professor E.V. Riley; and the "Father of the University of Missouri," James S. Rollins.
One Light starts a trend
This Thursday marks the date seven years ago that One Light Luxury Apartments opened in the Power & Light District. The 25-story, market-rate apartment building was the first residential high-rise built Downtown since the San Francisco Tower opened in 1976, and it has sparked a number of new or conversion residential projects in the Downtown loop. In fact, when One Light opened on Dec. 8, 2015, plans were already in place for Two Light, the 24-story tower completed in 2018. Three Light, 25 stories now under construction near Main and Truman Road, is expected to be completed in fall of 2023.
From Downtown KC to the Greatest Show on Earth
This Friday marks the date in 1898 when the world’s most famous clown, Emmett Kelly, was born in Sedan, Kan. His family would move to a farm in southern Missouri before Emmett would leave to find work in Kansas City in 1917. His connection to Downtown incudes his time working at the Meriden Creamery Co. at 21st and Central — a building that remains standing today in the modern Crossroads Arts District.
Controversial post sparks Twitter activity
During my “vacation,” St. Louis’s new MLS team, St. Louis City SC, opened a beautiful, new downtown soccer stadium. Wishing KC had its own Downtown MLS stadium and thinking about the amenity-barren atmosphere surrounding (not inside) Children’s Mercy Park, I tweeted the following:
Whew, boy, was that poking a hornet’s nest. Next thing I knew, St. Louisans were taking jabs at Kansas City and vice versa; Kansans were talking trash about Missouri and likewise for Missourians trashing Kansas; football fans were taking digs at soccer; parking champions were debating public transit enthusiasts; and I was being accused of cropping the Sporting KC photo to not include Kansas Speedway (which, by the way, is not a game-day amenity for soccer fans). Over the next few days, the post garnered the most likes, retweets, and comments of any Downtown Loop post ever.
Hmmmm … did anyone hear the Chiefs may be moving to Kansas?
I need to go post a tweet. 😈
P.S. — The Kansas City Current will be playing in an awesome Downtown riverfront stadium served by the KC Streetcar and surrounded by restaurants, bars, and other amenities by 2024, and we can’t wait!
Skies reopens as a pop-up — and sells out December
If you don’t already have tickets to “Winter Skies,” well, better luck next year (and don’t buy from strangers on the Internet, kids). Still, we thought you might like to see a glimpse from the @skieskansascity Instagram page:
Ferroequinologists unite!
One of America’ largest model train exhibits is on display in Downtown Kansas City at Union Station. KCUR, 89.3 FM takes a closer look at the people who keep the locomotives rolling during the holidays:
LINK: Meet the Union Station volunteers who keep these tiny trains on track during the holidays
1964
Artful City: One weekly selection with a Downtown connection
Downtown Lens: A single image depicting the urban aesthetic
Who are all these people?
Answering the question “Who are all these people and where are they going?”, The Loop brings you a list of some of the biggest events happening Downtown each week. Please give a friendly Downtown-Kansas City welcome to audiences and attendees of….
TODAY
Big Balloon Build KC festival today from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m at Gregg/Klice Community Center, 18th & Vine
Canadian Pacific Holiday Train at Union Station
’Tis the Season: A Holiday Spectacular presented by the Heartland Men's Chorus at the Folly
Christmas in Song 2022, through Dec. 24 at Quality Hill Playhouse
Merry Market: Gifts, Giving & Good Cheer, weekends through Christmas at City Market
Disney Princess: The Concert at the Midland
The American Royal Arabian and Open Breed Horse Show at Hale Arena
MONDAY the 5th
The Piano Guys at the Midland
Holiday choirs from regional schools and organizations through Dec. 18 at Crown Center
TUESDAY the 6th
Kansas City Jazz Orchestra presents The Family feat. Lonnie & Chloe McFadden at Kauffman Center
The House without a Christmas Tree presented by Kansas City Chamber Orchestra at the Folly
Pretty Woman: The Musical, Dec. 6-11 at the Music Hall
WEDNESDAY the 7th
Kansas City Ballet presents The Nutcracker through Dec. 24 at Kauffman Center
THURSDAY the 8th
A Spectacular Christmas, Dec. 8-23 at Music Theater Heritage
FRIDAY the 9th
Kansas City Symphony presents Handel’s Messiah Dec. 9-11 at Kauffman Center
Jurassic World Live Tour, Dec. 9-11 at T-Mobile Center
Voctave vocal ensemble at the Folly
SATURDAY the 10th
Kansas State Wildcats vs. South Dakota State Jackrabbits women’s basketball at Municipal Auditorium
Holiday Harmonies a cappella choruses at the Folly
ONGOING
Holiday Reflections through Jan. 1 at Union Station
Maya the Exhibition: The Great Jaguar Rises, most days through January 1, at Union Station
For a more exhaustive list of everything happening Downtown, go to the VisitKC events page and use the “regions” function to search for Downtown, Westside/Southwest Blvd, West Bottoms, River Market, Power & Light, Crown Center, Crossroads, 18th & Vine — or anywhere you want to go in the KC Metro
For live Kansas City Jazz performances, visit LiveJazzKC.com
Got a tip or question about Downtown KC?
Write to: tips@kcdowntownloop.com or contact The Loop via social media
Kevin Worley, Co-Publisher/Editorial
Joe Nichols, Co-Publisher/Business
Give The Loop a boost: Become a Founding Subscriber
In addition to having access to all content, and receiving invitations to The Loop’s Downtown events, Founders Level subscribers ($200 annually, or any amount above) receive a Downtown Loop sticker, a T-shirt in their choice of fit, size, and color, and recognition on the website.
THANK YOU TO THESE FOUNDING SUBSCRIBERS….
Karin (Erickson) Bradford
Henna and Steve Fuller
Chris Gahagan
The Kiwinda-Tinsley Family
Todd and Donna Martin
Jane Reed and Mark Patterson
Anonymous