Jackson County (Mo.) Historical Society

Historical Perspective

by David W. Jackson

History lives in archives

 

          If you are half way interested in history, don’t miss a visit to the new Midwest Genealogy Center in Independence. And, on May 22, the National Archives at Kansas City will open in the Crossroads District adjacent to Union Station (relocating from the Bannister Road Federal Complex in the southland, where it has been since 1969).

          The National Archives at Kansas City is one of 13 regional archives across the country. They preserve Federal records from Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, along with select material from Minnesota and the Dakotas. Included among 50,000 cubic feed of records are many of the nation’s most significant artifacts like those relating to the milestone Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka decision, Wild West showman “Buffalo Bill” Cody, President Ulysses S. Grant, and Walt Disney. 

          This historical agency is moving into an historic building. The General Services Administration has spent months restoring the former Adams Express Building, which will be leased to the archives. The Adams Express Building was constructed between 1912-1914 after designs drawn by Jarvis Hunt, who also conceived of Union Station Kansas City, elegantly restored in recent memory and the Kansas City Star building. The Adams Express Building is just north behind the Induction Services Building (Liberty Lofts) along Pershing, and directly west of the recently renovated Railway Express Building, where the United States Postal Service has “stamped” out 160,000 square feet of office space.

          Three separate public spaces will launch simultaneous exhibits: The 1,000 sq/ft. Welcome Center answers the question, “What is the National Archives?” with interactive exhibits and audio-visual presentations including, “Take a Ride Through History,” “Democracy Starts Here,” and “Name Dropping,” featuring signatures of famous folks from historical documents. Another 1,000 sq/ft. Regional History Gallery opens with the Kansas-Nebraska Act, on loan from Washington D.C. And, a third, 3,000 sq/ft. Concourse Gallery focuses on temporary, national exhibits, starting with, “It’s Big: 75th Anniversary of the National Archives,” featuring big documents, big ideas, big personalities, and big events from our region. All exhibits showcase documents, maps, and photographs from the archives holdings that tell stories of human and historical interest.

          State-of-the-art textual and microfilm research rooms using the latest computer tools will support the work of historians and genealogists, educators and other researchers. National Archives staff are also busy with public programs, lectures, author talks, as well as specific activities geared towards children and educators.  These spaces will accommodate approximately 150 people.

          But, what you don’t see is the massive 5,000 square feet of “behind the scenes” stacks where approximately half of the historical materials are stored under state-of-the-art environmental conditions. The balance of the historical records are stored offsite in leased storage space in area caves in Lee’s Summit, MO and Lenexa, KS.

          The Kansas City Star under an agreement with the National Archives is expected to operate The Kansas City Store at the National Archives gift shop. Visitors will have the opportunity to take home souvenirs like books, publications and other history-themed items about the region and this unique facility.

  Beginning March 17, the research rooms at the new facility, 400 West Pershing, Kansas City, MO, are available free from T-F, 8 a.m.- 4 p.m.  The gift shop will open in late April. Contact Regional Administrator Reed Whitaker at 816-268-8000.

Further information about the National Archives at Kansas City can be found online at http://www.archives.gov/central-plains/kansas-city/.

 

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