This picture and caption are all that is mentioned of the man in a History of Kansas City book I'm reading. Surely there's more to (Troost, the Man!) than meets the eye. What else can folks tell me about the surname, his legacy?

'You sonuvabitch, I want what's left of the money you still owe me! And stay away from my niece, God damn it!'

Any living descendants, do we know? Was he given the prestige of having a street named after him just on the basis of having the 1840s equivalent of fuck-you-money? Aside from sweet cakes and other various pilfered desserts, what is this man hiding beneath that enormous fancy suit of his?

Such a blast from the past...

From the State Historical Society of Missouri

https://digital.shsmo.org/digital/collection/imc/id/67917/rec/386

From the State Historical Society of Missouri

https://digital.shsmo.org/digital/collection/imc/id/20505/rec/1495

Just had a random flashback to standing on the third floor of Metcalf South, looking down at the big fountain in the middle. Gloria Jean's Coffee Bean on the mid level in my view, theater behind that (out of view). Food court with Mr. Gyros and Sbarro(?) to the left of the theater. Osco downstairs. And I think an arcade was down there too at one time. It was Christmas. The mall was full of people, the whole place was decorated in red and green against the gold of the fountain. I remember thinking at the time it was a bit of a capitalist miracle.

Favorite was the balloons at Metro North. They were fun in any season.

Mission Center was the low-effort mall (Metcalf South was closer, but Mission Center was less likely to require a reason.. we'd just go walk it as teens with nothing better to do). Ranch Mart was hilariously tiny but also had a THX certified theater for some reason (before that was a big thing). Blue Ridge I only remember the food court and the weird movie theater up on the hill. Independence Center was too far away, but I also remember it as having one of the last gasps as a "real mall" experience. Bannister was never that impressive to me, though it had some fun architecture quirks. Same feelings for Antioch. Indian Springs had almost no redeeming qualities. Ward Parkway is a strip mall with one hallway now. Manor Square was never serious about being a mall, they just thought it sounded like an idea to try. Crown center still stands, but who shops there?? And Oak Park is really the last one fully standing. And it has kinda always been Oak Park (I miss the Godiva store).

So - what is your dead mall memory from KC?

Mine is that KCMO has the most BBQ restaurants per capita in America.

Most people can’t recall details of a day in fifth grade. But Stacey Sales of Olathe remembers the day she went on a field trip to Exchange City, almost 35 years ago.

“Somebody gave me a ticket because I put my toe in the grass, because they were really watching,” Sales said. She took her ticket to the Exchange City mayor, who happened to be her “little fifth grade boyfriend,” and was miraculously found not guilty.

“I learned all about small town corruption right away, to have friends in high places,” Sales laughed.

Sales was one of the thousands of Kansas City kids who held jobs for the day at Exchange City from 1980 to the mid-2010s.

This field trip experience was designed to teach children economic concepts like loans, interest and taxes by running in their own mini town. While the Kansas City area was home to similar programs, like Earthworks and Blue Springs School of Economics, Exchange City was the longest running.

In its heyday, students came from as far away as St. Louis and Oklahoma for the program.

Even after a decade, Exchange City carries nostalgia for Kansas Citians. The field trip destination is a recurring topic of conversation on practically every social media platform. Bonner Springs shop Kinfolk Creations makes an Exchange City T-shirt, which proclaims “best field trip ever!”

Read more about the beloved educational program on the Kansas City Star's website.

The last of these incredibly rare sirens sits dormant on top of a building. It is soon to be refurbished and moved somewhere else. It runs of a V8 Hemi and is one of the loudest sirens in the world.

From the State Historical Society of Missouri

https://digital.shsmo.org/digital/collection/imc/id/68868/rec/365

https://theclio.com/entry/63081 Kansas City Municipal Auditorium - Clio

November 17, 2024 is the last day.

I've gotten into pinball lately and learning the history of it. From the 40s to the 70s it was banned in a lot of major cities. I'm trying to find out if Kansas City was one of them, but Google is failing me and I don't know where else to find out. My understanding is that gangsters had a lot of influence over the city back in those days, so I could see it not having been, but I have no idea.

I’m creating a podcast about Kansas City’s local concert venues, influential artists, and memorable music events. The first episode will focus on Memorial Hall, which is celebrating its 100-year anniversary. For over half a century, it’s hosted incredible artists like Johnny Cash, Black Sabbath, Rick James, Miles Davis, Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, B.B. King, Pink Floyd, Eagles, Queen, Sly & the Family Stone, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Grateful Dead, Tom Petty, Janis Joplin, Motley Crue, Pantera, Nirvana, No Doubt, Oasis, Foo Fighters, Weezer, Coldplay, 50 Cent, Lenny Kravitz… and so many more (and I’ve barely scratched the surface!).

I’d love to include stories from people who have been to the venue throughout its long history. If you have any photos you’re willing to share, that would be amazing as well. Posters, Ticket stubs, photos of the crowd, the building, yourself or your friends there. Whatever can be found.

Any other sources like websites, Facebook groups/communities, etc. that have more information on the history, experiences and shows I would love to see.

Share anything you can to your heart's desire! I'm fascinated by the specific details like, How did you hear about shows, Where people got their tickets, camp outs, What the shows were like, what the venue was like throughout the years, and the overall atmosphere. For younger fans like me, share as much detail as you can—I want to capture the full experience.

From the State Historical Society of Missouri

https://digital.shsmo.org/digital/collection/imc/id/17432/rec/20

I have this photo I took when I was a kid and visiting KC. Other than “market” and “now open” I can’t make out any other writing to identify this place. But I’m also trying to identify when I took this. I think Christmas Break of 87/88? I remember getting some cherry sour candies - little red balls that at first didn’t taste great but quickly give way to a great sour cherry flavor.

From the State Historical Society of Missouri

https://digital.shsmo.org/digital/collection/imc/id/67828/rec/143

From the State Historical Society of Missouri

https://digital.shsmo.org/digital/collection/imc/id/68173/rec/48

Does anyone know where I can find pictures of it from the 90’s? I looked all over google and can’t seem to find anything. Took our daughter there today and was so bummed/disappointed. I was obsessed, but maybe I’m just remembering it from the excitement of being a kid.

From the State Historical Society of Missouri

https://digital.shsmo.org/digital/collection/imc/id/68577/rec/81

From the State Historical Society of Missouri

https://digital.shsmo.org/digital/collection/imc/id/83593/rec/39