brief history of troost avenue
DESCRIPTION
A brief history of Troost Avenue, historically referred to as the racial dividing line in Kansas City.TRANSCRIPT
• TROOST is Dutch for Comforter, ‘Paraclete’. The same root gives us the words: “tree, trust, true.”
• Troost Avenue: former canoe trail of 18th century Osage Nation.
• In 1808, most of the Osage lands were sold to the U.S, including present day Troost Avenue.
Dr. Benoist Troost (1786-1859) First Resident Physician in KC Founding Father; Dutch Slave Owner
Porter Slave Plantation: 1832-1865 • 365 acre plantation owned by
Rev. James Porter • 40-100 slaves, including
Simon (bought in 1829), Aunt Ann, and ‘Fiddlin’ Dick’
• Stretched from 23rd to 31st Streets, Locust Ave. to Vine St.
• Big House at 2709 Tracy • Slave Quarters surrounded
the house in a semi-circle, west of Tracy
• Forests cleared to become housing, crops, orchard, and pasture land
1911 Drawing of 1833 Porter Home
The Big House: 2709 Tracy
Map of Porter Plantation
The forests on Porter land were cleared by the slaves
Missouri Forest 1888
The Porter land, north of 27th Street, became grazing pasture for livestock
Missouri Pasture Land on Leunen Farm
The Porter cornfield was between 30th - 31st on Troost
Common Cornfield
The Porter Fruit Orchard was between 27th & 28th, and Forest & Troost
Missouri Fruit Orchard
Water Supply was Troost Lake (a natural spring)
Troost Lake with Boat House & Boats: 1890
Plantation Became Millionaire’s Row: 1865-1912
• Home of Mrs. W. Ewing Hall (granddaughter of Rev. James Porter) at former site of “big house”.
• After Civil War, Porter family began to sell lots • Porter and Hall made a fortune in Real Estate
2709 Tracy Ave.
“Millionaires’ Row”: 1890’s
R.W. Hocker: 2425 Troost
“Millionaire's Row” (cont): 1890s
Dr. Flavel & Mrs. Tiffany: 2457 Troost
“Millionaire's Row” (cont): 1890s
F. L. Kaufman: 2817 Troost
“Millionaire’s Row” (cont): 1890s
W. J. Smith: 3000 Troost
3100 block of Troost: 1890
Home of L.V. Harkness (richest man in KC) in foreground; Home of Webster Withers in background
3101 Troost: 1890
Residence of Webster Withers
Evolution of 3101 Troost: 1916
Paul L. Westover Bldg; 2nd Church of Christ Science
Evolution of 3101 Troost: 1926
Price’s Candies; Isis Theater; 2nd Church/Christ Science (looking north)
Evolution of 3101 Troost: 1929
Price’s Candies; Isis Theater (looking south)
Evolution of 3101 Troost: 1935
Looking South from 31st and Troost
Evolution of 3101 Troost: 1954
PARADE: KC BLUES (farm team for NY Yankees) Sponsored by S. Central Business Assn.
Evolution of 3101 Troost: 1955
North view from Woolworth's Building
3101 Troost: TODAY
Friendship Dance: Troost Festival 2006
Overview of Troost (cont) • Millionaire’s Row: 1865 -1912 • City in a city: 1912 -1950 • Walt Disney: 1920-1922 • Jazz District: 1917-1939 • Immigrant Center: 1912-1950
– Jewish, Greek, Irish, African American • White Flight: 1950s - 1980s • Civil Rights: 1954 - 1968 • MLK and Riots: 1968 • Urban Redevelopment: 1968 -1985 • Ghost Town: 1985 – 2000 • Gentrification: 2000 – Present • Troost Folks: 2004 - Present • Future: TROOST VILLAGE -
Development without Displacement
References DeAngelo, D. (1995) What about kansas city! a historical handbook. Kansas City:
Two Lane Press, Inc.
Photos and Illustrations
Claymore-Osage Indian (2006, May 23). Courtesy of Osage Nation in Pawhuska, OK.
Cornfield. Retrieved April 12, 2008 from http://image02.webshots.com/2/6/91/84/81869184OTdXKJ_fs.jpg
Missouri Fruit Orchard. Retrieved April 12, 2008 from http://www.bakerealty.com/missouri%20ozark%20photos.htm
Missouri Grazing. Retrieved April 12, 2008 from http://www.angelfire.com/mo3/leunenfarms/Photo%20Gallery.htm
Missouri Forest. Courtesy of the Missouri State Archives. Missouri Valley Special Collection Room of the Kansas City Public Library.
Articles and photos from The Kansas City Star and The Kansas City Journal. Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. George Caleb Bingham, American, 1811-1879"
Dr. Benoist Troost, ca. 1859. Weblink: http://www.nelson-atkins.org/art/CollectionDatabase.cfm? Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. George Caleb Bingham, American, Mary Ann
Troost, ca. 1859. http://www.nelson-atkins.org/art/CollectionDatabase_ImageView.cfm?id=28964
theme=American