Jackson County (Mo.) Historical Society

Historical Perspective

by David W. Jackson

Hard work shattered a barrier

Our Nov. 22 column was an eye-opener, especially for those who were born or grew up after the civil rights of the early- to mid-1960s. Considering the historical significance of next month’s Presidential inauguration, it seemed appropriate to re-introduce you to JoeLouis Mattox, and share another insight into how our area began to walk the walk of nondiscrimination and equality.

Mattox, Kansas City Landmarks Commission member, and others are beginning a survey that could lead to the Sheraton Estates subdivision being nominated to both the Kansas City and National registers of historic places. My own neighbor and native Kansas Citian, Dewey E. Alexander, Jr., was one of the founders of Sheraton Estates. I visited with Alexander, who shared details about his role in the historic, 50-year-old development.

Sheraton Estates represents Kansas City’s first suburban neighborhood marketed to African Americans beyond the confines of what was then called the “Central Negro District,” which, up to 1956, did not extend south of 27^th Street.

Alexander graduated Kansas City’s Lincoln High School, earned a degree from Central State University in Ohio, and in 1949 began working part-time as a sales representative with his friend, Isadore Gross, Jr., at Gross Real Estate Co. (2224 Vine Street). Their clientele was predominantly middle-class African Americans seeking to upgrade the standard of living for their growing families in the midst of the civil rights era with desegregation, elimination of restrictive covenants, and the Fair Housing Act. “About the only thing that we could find to sell were older homes in older neighborhoods where whites had moved out,” said Alexander. “I had an incentive to find something new. One day I was driving out 50 Highway and came to an area where housing and development seemed to have skipped. It was a tract that appeared ‘out in the country.’ There was a steep hill, partially wooded at its base. I drove up the hill and a farmer was tending to crops near the crest. There was some quarrying going on and there were a couple of caves at the back edge of the tract near the Missouri Pacific Railroad.”

Alexander and his ended up platting Sheraton Estates. “We contracted with The Tuttle-Ayers-Woodward Co., Engineers, to survey for the plat. And, the Kansas City-based, nationally acclaimed landscape architecture firm Hare and Hare were contracted with to stake off lots and design landscaping,” said Alexander.

Ultimately, Sheraton Estates’s 70-acres included 232 residences between Parkway and 51st Street on the north, 53rd Street on the south, Jackson Avenue on the west, and the Missouri Pacific Railroad right of way on the east.

When asked what architect designed the homes, Alexander said, “We researched and found Scholz Homes, Inc. [Scholz Design, Inc. today] in Toldeo, Ohio. We went there to see the pre-fabricated, luxury, model show houses designed by the founder Don Scholz, Sr., and chose his designs.” In all, there were 12 completely different, ranch, bi- and tri-level design model homes (with one and two baths). Newspaper articles promoting the “new homes for modern living,” were eventually listed from $13,500 to $22,500.

The Kansas City Star reported on Sunday, July 14, 1957, that a crowd of 12,000 people visited the 12 model homes on the day of the grand opening. By 1969, most all of the lots in Sheraton Estates were built upon. “Many of Kansas City’s most celebrated black leaders made-- and still make--their home in Sheraton Estates. Sheraton Estates residents continue to be leaders in affecting social and political policy changes that support and improve our community and Kansas City as a whole,” said Glenda A. Russell, Community Organizer for Swope Community Builders .

Above all else, Sheraton Estates paved the way for additional, new “open concept,” “non-restricted ownership” subdivisions in Kansas City and Jackson County, Missouri.

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