**History of Quality Hill, Kansas City:**
– Oldest residential area in Kansas City.
– Established by French fur trappers in the early 18th century.
– Site of the first Euro-American permanent settler’s church in 1822.
– Lewis and Clark Expedition stopped here in 1806.
– Once the most fashionable neighborhood in Kansas City.
– Established as a neighborhood in 1857.
– City’s leaders lived in large houses overlooking West Bottoms.
– Progress Club founded in 1881.
– Tom Pendergast influenced the neighborhood’s rise.
**French Origins of Quality Hill:**
– Signpost erected by Chouteau Society at 11th and Washington streets.
– Site of an early French missionary church.
– Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral located on site.
– Several buildings date back to the pre-Civil War era.
– Chouteau’s church is now the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese.
**Lewis and Clark Expedition at Quality Hill:**
– Expedition stopped at Quality Hill in 1806.
– Meriwether Lewis noted the site’s strategic location.
– Commemorated by a bronze sculpture including York.
– Informational signposts and lookout point at Case Park.
– Sculpture created by Eugene Daub.
**Decline, Redevelopment, and Present Status of Quality Hill:**
– Population decline in Downtown Kansas City from the 1960s.
– Elite residents moved to upscale areas.
– Houses divided into multiple families.
– Extreme disrepair by the 1970s.
– Real estate developer Arnold Garfinkel initiated redevelopment efforts.
– Quality Hill is considered a success in urban renewal in the United States.
– The neighborhood’s appeal lies in its historic beauty and proximity to downtown Kansas City.
– Architecture in Quality Hill reflects 19th-century French and Federal styles.
– Quality Hill’s population has grown rapidly alongside the redevelopment of Downtown Kansas City.
**Quality Hill Features and Development:**
– Quality Hill Playhouse showcases Broadway and off-Broadway shows.
– The River Club, a private city club, is located in Quality Hill.
– The neighborhood includes large, often-unused parking lots and vacant house lots.
– Many properties in Quality Hill are privately owned by residents and businesses.
– The Kauffman Foundation continues to refurbish historic buildings for lease.
– DST Systems and the Kauffman Foundation own most undeveloped land in Quality Hill.
– Redevelopment efforts in Downtown Kansas City have led to population growth in Quality Hill.
– Concerns about the decline of the New Quality Hill portion have been raised by residents.
– Cost of living in Quality Hill has increased as the population has grown.
Quality Hill is a historic neighborhood near downtown Kansas City, Missouri, USA, on a 200-foot-high bluff which overlooks the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri rivers in the West Bottoms below.
Quality Hill | |
 View down Pennsylvania Avenue from the 1910s | |
| Location | Kansas City, MO |
|---|---|
| Architect | Louis S. Curtiss |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001657 |
| Added to NRHP | July 7, 1978 |
It is on the west side of downtown, bounded by Broadway to the east, I-35 to the west, 7th Street to the north, and 14th Street to the south. The Kansas border is half a mile away through the West Bottoms. Since 1978, Quality Hill has been listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, it includes residences, large businesses (including the headquarters of Kansas City Southern Industries and DST Systems and a large branch of the State Street Corporation), retail establishments, entertainment venues, two cathedrals, and private clubs.
Definition from ChatGPT:
Quality Hill, Kansas City:
Quality Hill is a historic neighborhood located in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. It is known for its picturesque views of the city skyline and its proximity to various attractions, restaurants, and entertainment venues. The neighborhood features a mix of historic homes, modern apartments, and office buildings, making it a popular residential area for those who enjoy urban living.