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Linwood Boulevard (Kansas City, Missouri)

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Coordinates: 39°4′3.86″N 94°33′37.37″W / 39.0677389°N 94.5603806°W / 39.0677389; -94.5603806
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Linwood Boulevard
NamesakeLinden trees[1]
Length3.8 mi (6.1 km)
Coordinates39°4′3.86″N 94°33′37.37″W / 39.0677389°N 94.5603806°W / 39.0677389; -94.5603806
EastVan Brunt Boulevard[2]
WestBroadway Boulevard
Other
Known forCity Beautiful movement[3]
Map
TypeBoulevard
LocationKansas City, Missouri, United States
Coordinates39°04′04″N 94°32′37″W / 39.067737°N 94.543712°W / 39.067737; -94.543712
Area51.19 acres (0.2072 km2; 0.07998 sq mi)[2]
DesignerGeorge Kessler[3]
Owned byCity of Kansas City, Missouri
Websitekcparks.org
Coordinates39°4′4.1″N 94°32′57.7″W / 39.067806°N 94.549361°W / 39.067806; -94.549361
Area694.2 acres (2.809 km2; 1.0847 sq mi)
Built1899
ArchitectGeorge Kessler[3]
Architectural styleCity Beautiful
Landscape architecture
Beaux-Arts
Part ofKansas City Parks and Boulevard System (ID14000931[4])
Added to NRHPJune 17, 2016

Linwood Boulevard is a boulevard and major east–west street in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. Linwood begins at Broadway Boulevard in the Valentine and Old Hyde Park neighborhoods and travels 3.8 miles east through Midtown to Van Brunt Boulevard near Interstate 70 in the Kansas City East Side. For much of its length, it creates a high-density corridor with 31st Street, another major street running parallel one block north. It continues west of Broadway Boulevard as 33rd Street past Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley. Linwood Boulevard is one of the few named east–west streets in the Kansas City grid south of the Missouri River.[5]

History

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The portion of Linwood Boulevard between The Paseo and Benton Boulevard was originally designated in George Kessler's 1893 City Beautiful proposal for the Kansas City Parks and Boulevard System, serving as part of the route from Penn Valley Park to The Grove.[3][6][7] It is named after a stand of linden trees which stood near a school house at Woodland Avenue in the late 19th century.[1] Designed to closely follow the southern boundary of the City of Kansas City, Missouri, Linwood Boulevard was then rapidly annexed into the growing city. In 1897, the portion from State Line Road to Indiana Avenue was annexed with much of modern-day Midtown followed by the remainder of the East Side in 1909.[8]

In keeping with its importance to and intentional plans from the city, Linwood Boulevard became a balanced center of commerce, worship, and residence for Midtown. Many prominent social societies also chose to build their meeting places on the boulevard for the sites of their headquarters, leading to a dense patchwork of history including two districts and 13 properties on the National Register of Historic Places.[9]

The Old Hyde Park West Historic District predates the establishment of Linwood Boulevard as a part of the Parks and Boulevard System. It has been a residential area since 1887, and most buildings date to World War I and the Interwar period.[10]: 6  The Santa Fe Place Historic District, built on a portion of the Santa Fe Trail, was established in 1902 as the first local attempt at an architecturally controlled residential neighborhood. Most homes were built prior to 1925.[11]: 86 

The Kansas City Athenaeum was built as a meeting hall for the women's social club of the same name in 1915. At the time, it was the fifth-largest women's club in the United States. It is now used primarily as an event space.[12] The Ivanhoe Masonic Temple, dedicated in 1922 and demolished in 1999, served as the primary meeting hall for and monument to the local Masonic order, Ivanhoe Masonic Lodge No. 446. When construction completed, the seven-story structure befit the largest order of Freemasons west of the Mississippi River.[13][14][15] The Kansas City Scottish Rite Temple was built in 1930 by another local Masonic order, the Scottish Rite. After the Great Depression, the order merged with the larger Ivanhoe Masonic Lodge and sold the building. It is now an event space.[16]

A traffic signal marks at the intersection of Linwood Boulevard and The Paseo was designed by Edward Buehler Delk and installed in 1931. It was the first controlled intersection in Kansas City, marking the coming reliance on the automobile and has become a local icon due to its unique structure and placement.[7]

Walt Bodine (1940 – 2012), a fixture of talk radio on Kansas City's NPR member station KCUR, grew up at the corner of Linwood Boulevard and Troost Avenue.[17] He often referenced memories of his boyhood home on his radio program.

In 1955, Ray Lamar opened a donut shop in a converted gas station on Linwood Boulevard. The LaMar's Donuts store remained a simple, low-tech landmark on the boulevard even as branches expanded through the Midwest and it drew national attention from Jay Leno and Calvin Trillin.[18][19][20]

Linwood Boulevard west of Gillham Road first appears on maps published by the Missouri State Highway Commission in 1926.[21] From 1934 to 1966, U.S. Route 40 and several of its special routes ran concurrent to the 31st Street / Linwood Boulevard corridor. Through 1963, Linwood Boulevard was bannered as U.S. Route 40 from Van Brunt Boulevard west to The Paseo and as U.S. Route 40 Optional ("OPT 40" on maps and road signs) between The Paseo and Main Street.[22][23] 31st Street was bannered as U.S. Route 40 City between Troost Avenue and The Paseo in 1936 and 1937, and as U.S. Route 40 Alternate ("ALT 40") between McGee Street and Van Brunt Boulevard from 1938 to 1965.[24][25][26][27] U.S. 40 was transitioned away from Linwood Boulevard in 1964 and from 31st Street in 1966 in favor of the newly completed I-70.[28][29] As a result, the boulevard lost much of its greenspace "in keeping with the stewardship of the boulevards and to meet contemporary needs," reflecting the transition from carriages to automobiles foreseen by George Kessler.[3]: 27  However, many original trees and plantings remain.

In 1974, Linwood Boulevard was included in the American Society of Civil Engineers' selection of the Kansas City Park and Boulevard System as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.[30] It was also honored in part when the entire system was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.[3][31]

Points of interest

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References

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  1. ^ a b The Kansas City Public Library. "Linwood Boulevard". KC History. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Kansas City Parks and Recreation. "Linwood Boulevard". KC Parks and Rec. The City of Kansas City, Missouri. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Prawl, Toni M. (June 17, 2016). "The Kansas City Parks and Boulevards Historic District, Jackson County, Missouri" (National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form). Jefferson City, MO: Missouri Department of Natural Resources. PDF
  4. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
  5. ^ City of Kansas City, Missouri (August 16, 2023). Parcel Viewer (GIS) (Map). Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  6. ^ Walls, Deme (January 6, 2017). "VIDEO: The history behind Linwood Boulevard". KSHB41 Kansas City. Kansas City, MO. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Hogan, Suzanne (May 23, 2017). "The History Behind The Paseo, One Of Kansas City's First Boulevards". KCUR 89.3FM. Kansas City, MO. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  8. ^ City Planning & Development Department, Kansas City, Missouri (January 31, 2013). Kansas City, Missouri Annexation History 1853 - 2013 (PDF) (Map). Kansas City, MO: City of Kansas City, MO. Retrieved August 11, 2023.{{cite map}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ National Park Service. "National Register of Historic Places". National Register Information System. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  10. ^ Gardner, Tony (April 9, 2004). "Old Hyde Park West Historic District" (National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form). Jefferson City, MO: Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Archive (May 29, 2010)
  11. ^ Jackson-Evans, Priscilla (April 7, 1986). "The Santa Fe Place Historic District/Santa Fe Place/Lockridge "Home Farm"" (National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Inventory–Nomination Form). Jefferson City, MO: Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Archive (May 29, 2010)
  12. ^ Piland, Sherry (April 2, 1979). "Kansas City Athenaeum / Athenaeum Club, Jackson County, Missouri" (National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Inventory--Nomination Form). Jefferson City, MO: Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Archive (March 6, 2021)
  13. ^ Uguccioni, Ellen J. (March 21, 1985). "Ivanhoe Masonic Temple, Jackson County, Missouri" (National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Inventory–Nomination Form). Jefferson City, MO: Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Archive (September 20, 2018)
  14. ^ "About Us". Ivanhoe Masonic Lodge No. 446 AF&AM. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  15. ^ Martin, Anne (September 26, 2015). "Linwood Boulevard|Park Ave to Wabash Ave". Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  16. ^ "Our History in Kansas City". Kansas City Scottish Rite Temple.
  17. ^ "Early Years | Linwood and Troost". KCUR 89.3FM. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  18. ^ a b The Kansas City Public Library. "LaMar's Donuts". KC History. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  19. ^ "Founder Ray Lamar Passes Away - LaMar's Donuts". Archived from the original on September 8, 2008. Retrieved January 14, 2009.
  20. ^ "In the news at LaMar's Donuts". Archived from the original on December 19, 2008. Retrieved January 14, 2009.
  21. ^ Missouri State Highway Commission (1926). Official Road Map of Missouri (PDF) (Map). Missouri Highway Map. Jefferson City, MO. Kansas City inset. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  22. ^ Missouri State Highway Commission (1934). Map of Missouri showing State Road System (PDF) (Map). Missouri Highway Map. Jefferson City, MO. Kansas City and Vicinity inset. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  23. ^ Missouri State Highway Commission (1963). State Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Missouri Highway Map. Jefferson City, MO. Kansas City Area inset. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  24. ^ Missouri State Highway Commission (1936). Map of Missouri showing State Road System (PDF) (Map). Missouri Highway Map. Jefferson City, MO. Kansas City and Vicinity inset. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  25. ^ Missouri State Highway Commission (1937). 1937 Missouri Road Map (PDF) (Map). Missouri Highway Map. Jefferson City, MO. Kansas City and Vicinity inset. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  26. ^ Missouri State Highway Commission (1938). Missouri Official Highway Map 1938 (PDF) (Map). Missouri Highway Map. Jefferson City, MO. Kansas City and Vicinity inset. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  27. ^ Missouri State Highway Commission (1965). Missouri 1965 Official Mighway Map (PDF) (Map). Missouri Highway Map. Jefferson City, MO. Kansas City Area inset. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  28. ^ Missouri State Highway Commission (1964). Missouri Highway Map 1964 (PDF) (Map). Missouri Highway Map. Jefferson City, MO. Kansas City Area inset. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  29. ^ Missouri State Highway Commission (1966). 1966 Official Highway Map 1964 (PDF) (Map). Missouri Highway Map. Jefferson City, MO. Kansas City Area inset. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  30. ^ "Kansas City Park and Boulevard System". ASCE. The American Society of Civil Engineers. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  31. ^ Spencer, Laura (August 17, 2016). "Kansas City's Parks and Boulevard System gets National Recognition". KCUR 89.3FM. Kansas City, MO. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  32. ^ U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. "Kansas City VA Medical Center | VA Kansas City Health Care". VA Kansas City Health Care. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
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