KANSAS CITY, a city of Jackson county, Missouri, U.S.A., on the Missouri river, at the mouth of the Kansas (locally called the "Kaw"), adjoining Kansas City, Kan.; a port of entry and the second city of the State in size and importance. It is on Fed eral highways 24, 40, 50, 69 and 71; is a station on the air-mail route from Chicago to Dallas; and is served by the Burlington, the Chicago and Alton, the Chicago Great Western, the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific, the Frisco, the Kansas City Southern, the Missouri-Kansas-Texas, the Missouri Pacific, the Quincy, Omaha and Kansas City, the Rock Island, the Santa Fe, the Union Pacific and the Wabash railways, and by inter-urban motor bus and electric trolley lines in every direction. The Kansas City Terminal Railway company operates the Union station and passenger and freight terminals, serving all the steam roads enter ing the city over a system of depressed tracks; and the Kansas City Connecting railroad transfers live stock between all the roads and the stock-yards. The population was 399,746 in 1930, of whom or 7.1% were negroes and 24,278 or 6.1% were foreign-born whites. An increase of 23.2% for the decade enabled the city to retain its position as 19th city in the United States. "Greater Kansas City," including both cities of that name and im mediate suburbs, had a total population of 60806 in 1930.
Near the geographical centre of the United States, "the gateway to the south-west," Kansas City is one of the great markets and transportation centres of the country. Over 7,000,00o passengers enter and leave the city annually by the steam and electric rail ways, which handle over 40,000,00o tons of freight and 5,000,000 express packages. The Union Passenger station, built in 1914 at a cost of $6,000,000, is the largest in the United States, outside of New York and Chicago, and one of the best appointed for the comfort of travellers. The main building is 510 x 15o ft. in area ; the grand lobby has a ceiling 9oft. high ; the main waiting room, 4ioft. long, is built over 32 tracks, by which 30o trains
arrive and leave daily. Facing the station, across a plaza to the south, stands the Liberty Memorial, completed in 1925, the cost of which ($2,500,000) was raised in one week by popular sub scription. A column 28oft. high, with a fire burning continuously at the top, is flanked by two low buildings in classic style, one of which is a hall of records and the other a meeting-place for the veterans. Through the centre of the city extends from north to south for 8.5m. the Paseo Parkway, 25oft. wide, and adjoining it is the Parade, the principal playground. There are over 3,400ac. in public parks (including Swope park, of 1,354ac. lying south of the city limits), all connected by a boulevard system of 1o5 miles. The diversified character of the terrain has made possible drives commanding panoramas of unusual beauty and interest, notably Cliff drive, 3.5m. long. The business section of the city was occupied originally by high bluffs and deep ravines, which were graded down and filled up to the present level. South and west of this high land, along the Kansas river, is a low, level tract, occupied chiefly by railway yards, stock-yards, wholesale houses and manufacturing establishments. North and east is the Missouri river bottomland, which has more railway yards and factories, and also grain elevators and districts of wage-earners homes. Much high and dry "made" land has been reclaimed from the river flood-plain. Three great railway bridges cross the Mis souri, and in 5927 the city and Clay county (on the other side of the river) jointly bought a highway bridge and opened it free to the public. Across the valley of the Kaw, from bluff to bluff, extends a great inter-State viaduct, also free of toll charges. The area within the corporate limits of the city is 58.55 sq.m., and the assessed valuation of property for 1936 was $492,435,380. A city plan was adopted in 1922, and a comprehensive zoning ordi nance was enacted in 1923.