Jackson County (Mo.) Historical Society

“Portals to the Past”

&

“Historical Perspective”

Local newspaper columns

 

by David W. Jackson

 

Beginning May 24, 2006, The Kansas City Star newspaper features, as space allows, a bi-monthly local history series called Portals to the Past, provided by the Jackson County (Mo.) Historical Society. The Star provides our series only to selected, zoned, neighborhood editions in Jackson County [Blue Springs/Independence/Raytown zone on Wednesdays, indicated below with the two letter designation (BS and a page number); and, the Lee’s Summit/South Kansas City zone on Saturdays, indicated below with (LS and a page number)].

 

Portals to the Past columns are not regularly published in the main, or City Edition of the paper [only when space allows, indicated below with (CI and a page number)]. For those in downtown, midtown, and surrounding Kansas City zip codes, we hope the pages linked below will provide access to the text we provided to The Star (printed editions may vary). Meanwhile, we hope you may encourage the editor(s) of the City Edition to pick up our Portals to the Past series.

 

Beginning April 12, 2008, the Independence Examiner and Blue Springs Examiner newspapers feature a bi-weekly local history column called Historical Perspective, provided by the Jackson County (Mo.) Historical Society. In January 2009, the column became monthly.

 

 

Tower Adorables were KCs answer to Rockettes, for 24, 27, and 31 May 2006

 

Walt Disney nurtured his creativity in KC, for 7 & 10 June 2006

 

Renowned parks system faced early struggles, for 21 & 24 June 2006

 

Area used to be nation's cattle capital, for 12 & 15 July 2006

 

Little Blue Valley holds vistas and history, for 26 & 29 July 2006

 

In Civil War, area saw rise of martial law, for 9 & 12 August 2006

 

Natural springs drew early pioneers, for 23 & 26 August 2006

 

Priests of Pallas event was an extravanganza, for 6 & 9 September, 2006

 

Book chronicles colorful life of Nelly Don, for 27 & 30 September, and 25 October 2006

 

Generosity was this man's hallmark, for 11 & 14 October 2006

 

Westport Steptoe neighborhood stepping into history, for 25 & 28 October 2006

 

Among vets stories are tales of POW camps, for 8 & 11 November 2006

 

Missouri River was once this area’s superhighway, for 22 November 2006

 

County's early years were tumultuous, for 6 & 9 December 2006

 

Designing the face of KC, for 27 December 2006, and 6 January 2007

 

We all stand as witness to historic events, for 24 & 27 January 2007

 

Bridge over Blue River marks historic crossing, for 7 & 10 February 2007

 

The principle prevailed for Harry Truman, for 21 & 23 February 20007

 

Civilian Conservation Corps meant job, home, for 21 & 24 March 2007

 

Help collect everyday history about women, for 28 & 31 March 2007

 

Concerning Kansas City theater history [about Folly Theater], for 11 & 13 April 2007

 

Call goes out: give us your stories of WWII life, for 25 & 28 April 2007

 

Share your stories one by one, for 9 & 12 May 2007

 

Union Cemetery Final Resting Place for More than 55,000, Marks 150th Year, for 23 & 26 May 2007

 

Pioneer Men Weren't The Only Ones to Take Law Into Their Own Hands [about Rebecca Hawkins], for 6 & 9 June 2007

 

Kansas City Has Long Known How to Sizzle on the Fourth, for 27 & 30 June 2007

 

County Has History of Caring for the Poor [about Truman Medical Center], for 11 & 14 July 2007

 

How Did We Get,"'Everything's Up to Date' in Kansas City?", for 18 & 21 July 2007

 

"Wind the Clock" Back on Jackson County[about historic Jackson County Courthouses], for 29 August and 1 September 2007

 

Courthouse Restoration Nurtures Soul of the County, for 5 & 8 September 2007

 

Daughters of Old Westport Filled a Void, for 19 and 22 September 2007

 

Original Priest of Pallas Host Still a Mystery, for 17 and 20 October 2007

 

Remember Telephone Exchanges?

Printed separately as, Hello Central, Have Any Old Telephone Directories?

for 13, 16 & 17 November 2007

 

First Call for Kansas City Zoo Came in November 1907 (or, There’s Plenty New at the Zoo, Now Closing in on the Century Mark)

for 7, 10 & 21 November 2007

 

1899 and Now: Electric Cars "Up to Date" for 27, 28 & 29 November 2007

 

Log Courthouse Was County's First Seat of Justice (Jackson County Circuit Court Records processing project) for The Kansas City Star, (BS3) 9 January and (LS3) 12 January 2008

 

Family's History Intertwined With County's (or, 1834 Bible Has Miraculous History) (about the Hudspeth family and Order No. 11) for The Kansas City Star (BS3) 30 January and (LS8) 2 February 2008

 

Check in with KC History in Hotel Guest Book (or, Gilliss House guest register provides snapshot of KC history) for The Kansas City Star (BS3) 13 and (LS3) 16 February 2008

 

Pony Express Was Just One Stop on Alexander Majors' Up-and-Down Journey for the Kansas City Star (BS7) 26, (BS8) 27 February and (LS3) 1 March 2008

 

Trees have a home on the Square for The Examiner 12-13 April, 2008, A5

 

Abuse and murder on the frontier for The Examiner 26-27 April 2008, A5

 

Cattle led the area’s growth for The Examiner 10-11 May 2008, A5

 

Mulkey Square offers views of past, present for The Kansas City Star (CI5) 14 and (LS23) 24 May 2008

 

Prisoners on the homefront for The Examiner 24-25 May 2008, A5

 

Natural gems need to be kept for The Examiner 7-8 June 2008, A5

 

Drumm Institute and the Power of Giving for The Kansas City Star (BS2) 11 and (LS2) 14 June 2008

 

Springs brought pioneers for The Examiner 21-22 June 2008, A5

 

Sheraton Estates Paved Way for Other Subdivisions for The Kansas City Star (CI3) 2, (LS18) 5, and (BS4) 16 July 2008

 

In 1901, the Fourth was hot for The Examiner 5-6 July 2008

 

Medical center has long history for The Examiner 19-20 July 2008

 

Jackson County’s ‘mother’ for The Examiner 2-3 August 2008

 

Society celebrating anniversary for The Examiner 16-17 August 2008

 

High-end retailer had style for The Examiner 30-31 August 2008

 

Visit Fort Osage, see our past for The Examiner 13-14 September 2008

 

Miracle saved a piece of history for The Examiner 27-28 September 2008

 

Indian Now on Private Sentry Duty in Kansas City for The Kansas City Star (BS3) 8 & (LS3) 11 October 2008

 

Celebrate Westport anniversary for The Examiner 11-12 October 2008

 

Swope Park's Lake of the Woods ripples to 100 for The Kansas City Star (BS7) 15 October 2008

 

Celebrate Westport's 175th anniversary (or At 175, Westport is Filled with History) for The Kansas City Star (BS3; CI1) 22 October 2008

 

 

 

 

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