**Historical Background**:
– Kansas City, Missouri, was incorporated as a town on June 1, 1850, and as a city on March 28, 1853.
– The area straddles the border between Missouri and Kansas at the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri rivers.
– Antioch Christian Church, Dr. James Compton House, and Woodneath are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
– Étienne de Veniard, Sieur de Bourgmont, was the first documented European visitor, leading to the first accurate map of the area.
– Tribal inhabitants included the Hopewell tradition, Mississippian culture, Kansa, Osage, Otoe, and Missouri.
**Development and Growth**:
– Kansas City grew rapidly after the Civil War, with significant population growth following the opening of the Hannibal Bridge in 1869.
– The city changed its name to Kansas City in 1889, and Westport became part of Kansas City in 1897.
– The Pendergast era saw significant political influence and infrastructure development, shaping the city’s landscape.
– Extensive redevelopment in the 21st century, with over $6 billion in improvements, transformed the city’s downtown area.
– Transportation projects, such as the streetcar system and commuter rail plan, have played a crucial role in the city’s development.
**Geography and Climate**:
– Kansas City is the largest city in Missouri by population and area, lying within Jackson County with parts extending into other counties.
– The city is bowl-shaped, surrounded by limestone cliffs, and covers 319.03 sq miles, with 4.08 sq miles as water.
– The city experiences a temperate climate with hot, humid summers and cold winters, with tornadoes being a potential natural disaster.
– The city is in USDA plant hardiness zones 5b and 6a, with average annual precipitation of 39.2 inches.
– The region experiences extreme hot and cold swings, with notable weather patterns and natural disaster risks.
**Cityscape and Urban Development**:
– Kansas City boasts over 240 neighborhoods, notable architecture like the Community Christian Church, and more than 200 fountains.
– City Market is a historic public farmers market, and the downtown area features diverse districts and entertainment complexes.
– Economic development in downtown Kansas City has seen over $6 billion in development since 2000, with various architectural landmarks contributing to growth.
– The city’s population has steadily increased over the decades, with diverse communities and concentrations of different ethnic groups in various neighborhoods.
– Urban development has seen expansions, declines in population, and racial distribution shifts over the years, reflected in U.S. Decennial Census data.
**Transportation and Infrastructure**:
– Kansas City has seen significant developments in transportation, including the streetcar system, bus rapid transit lines, and commuter rail plans.
– The city aggressively annexed surrounding suburbs to prevent severe population loss and continues to support various rail projects.
– Notable transportation projects include the new single terminal at Kansas City International Airport and ongoing expansions of bus routes and streetcar lines.
– The city is strategically located at the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas rivers, with transportation improvements playing a significant role in its growth and development.
– The region’s transportation developments have reshaped the city’s skyline and infrastructure, contributing to its overall economic vitality.
Kansas City, Missouri (KC or KCMO) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri by population and area. Most of the city lies within Jackson County, with portions spilling into Clay, Platte, and Cass counties. It is the central city of the Kansas City metropolitan area, which straddles the Missouri–Kansas state line and has a population of 2,392,035. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090, making it the 37th most-populous city in the United States, as well as the sixth-most populous city in the Midwest. Kansas City was founded in the 1830s as a port on the Missouri River at its confluence with the Kansas River from the west. On June 1, 1850, the town of Kansas was incorporated; shortly after came the establishment of the Kansas Territory. Confusion between the two ensued, and the name Kansas City was assigned to distinguish them soon after.
Kansas City, Missouri | |
|---|---|
 Logo | |
| Nicknames: "KC", "KCMO", the "City of Fountains", "Paris of the Plains", and the "Heart of America" | |
 Interactive map of Kansas City | |
| Coordinates: 39°05′59″N 94°34′42″W / 39.09972°N 94.57833°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| Counties | Jackson, Clay, Platte, Cass |
| Incorporated (Town) | June 1, 1850 |
| Incorporated (City) | March 28, 1853 |
| Named for | Kansas River |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-manager |
| • Body | Kansas City, Missouri City Council |
| • Mayor | Quinton Lucas (D) |
| • City Manager | Brian Platt |
| • City Clerk | Marilyn Sanders |
| Area | |
| • City | 318.80 sq mi (825.69 km2) |
| • Land | 314.73 sq mi (815.14 km2) |
| • Water | 4.07 sq mi (10.55 km2) 1.28% |
| • Urban | 714.10 sq mi (1,849.5 km2) |
| • Metro | 7,952.16 sq mi (20,596 km2) |
| Elevation | 910 ft (277 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • City | 508,090 |
| • Rank | 37th in the United States 1st in Missouri |
| • Density | 1,614.38/sq mi (623.31/km2) |
| • Urban | 1,674,218 (US: 34th) |
| • Urban density | 2,344.5/sq mi (905.2/km2) |
| • Metro | 2,392,035 (US: 31st) |
| Demonym | Kansas Citian |
| GDP | |
| • Kansas City (MSA) | $169.5 billion (2022) |
| Time zone | UTC−06:00 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−05:00 (CDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 64XXX |
| Area codes | 816, 975 |
| FIPS code | 29000–38000 |
| GNIS feature ID | 748198 |
| Website | kcmo |
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Sitting on Missouri's western boundary with Kansas, with Downtown near the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers, the city encompasses about 319.03 square miles (826.3 km2), making it the 25th largest city by total area in the United States. It serves as one of the two county seats of Jackson County, along with the major satellite city of Independence. Other major suburbs include the Missouri cities of Blue Springs and Lee's Summit and the Kansas cities of Overland Park, Olathe, Lenexa, and Kansas City, Kansas.
The city is composed of several neighborhoods, including the River Market District in the north, the 18th and Vine District in the east, and the Country Club Plaza in the south. Celebrated cultural traditions include Kansas City jazz; theater, as a center of the Vaudevillian Orpheum circuit in the 1920s; the Chiefs and Royals sports franchises; and famous cuisine based on Kansas City–style barbecue, strip steak, and craft breweries.
Definition from ChatGPT:
Kansas City, Missouri:
Kansas City, Missouri is a city located in the state of Missouri in the United States. It is known for its barbecue, jazz music, and fountains. Kansas City is the largest city in Missouri and is situated on the western border of the state, near the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri rivers.