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From a distance, this public art installation appears to be made of bronze, but the work was created using pigmented fiberglass. At night, blue neon lighting transforms the piece. Although the artist does not prescribe deep meaning to the work, viewers might find their own meaning by contemplating on the circular nature of thought when they view this piece, or one of the original casts of Rodin, including the one that is on display at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City

Donald Lipski's Rodin Rodannadanna (2000). streetview

Donald Lipski's Rodin Rodannadanna (2000). detail

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Artist Donald Lipski created "Rodin Rodannadanna" in 2000. The work consists of a circle of 18 life-sized casts of Auguste Rodin's 'The Thinker', with a title that is a tongue-in-cheek reference to Gilder Radner's character in Saturday Night Live Roseanne Roseannadanna. Lipski is known for his sense of humor and tendency to super-size found objects into unexpected settings.

James Martin, Public Art Administrator for Kansas City, shares the story behind this work

Rodin Rodannadanna by Donald Lipski

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This public art walking tour starts at The Box Gallery and winds its way through Kansas City's historic Garment District with stops at several of the city's famous fountains along with murals, sculptures, historic buildings, and other landmarks that are related to the unique history, art, and culture of the city. 

Located on the first floor of the Commerce Bank Building, the Box Gallery offers rotating exhibits related to the history, art, and culture of Kansas City. The gallery offers 830 square feet of exhibit space –just the right size to host exhibits that can be viewed during a lunch hour or over a coffee break. Thanks to underwriting from Commerce Bank, exhibitors are provided exhibit and marketing support, and all shows are free and open the public. This innovative, community exhibition space is a win-win: Financial District regulars discover new KC culture – and KC organizations have an opportunity to reach a new audience. The gallery is open to all at no cost, and visitors can park for free with a validation stamp at the Security office next to the escalators. Visitors should park at the Commerce Bank Building Garage at 1025 Main Street and then take the garage elevator to the 2nd floor to enter the Arcade.

The Box Gallery is an exhibition space located inside the Commerce Bank Building at 1000 Walnut Street in Kansas City. The gallery can be found inside the Arcade on the main floor. For nine years the gallery has served a Downtown audience of residents, workers and visitors, with a wide range of cultural arts and history-themed exhibits. The shows often feature artwork by local artists or collectors, or stem from partnerships with KC art organizations, museums, businesses or universities.

The Box Gallery

The fountain was dedicated in 1999 to honor William T. Kemper (1865-1938) and Charlotte Crosby Kemper (1866-1956). The fountain's location between Commerce Bank, a leading business established by the Kemper family, and the Kansas City Public Library, an institution led and supported by multiple generations of Kemper family members, was selected to reflect the family's commitment to both commercial and civic improvement in Kansas City.

Artists Lori Doolittle and Alvin Holm designed this unique downtown Kansas City fountain to resemble the ancient stone bowl which is on display at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. The fountain was dedicated in 1999 in honor of the Kemper Family and their commitment to Kansas City. The artists added features that preserve energy as part of their effort to reflect themes of conservation, art, and technology into the design of the fountain. The artists also worked to blend aspects of the fountain to match the architecture of nearby buildings, including the Commerce Bank headquarters.

William Thornton and Charlotte Crosby Kemper Memorial Fountain

The Kansas City Public Library dates back to 1873 when the public school system allowed citizens to browse its only encyclopedia and borrow books from a single shelf of circulating titles. The city's first dedicated library opened in 1899 at 8th and Oak Street. In 1960, the library operated branches through the city and opened a new central library that included the first special collections department and reading room.By the 1980s, the library's collections and programming exceeded the capacity of its 1960 facility. In 1999, a commitment of $50 million in public funding and private donations allowed the Central Library to renovate and move into its present location-the former headquarters of the First National Bank in 2004. The move included a multi-year effort to renovate and restore the bank to its original grandeur, while converting it into an ideal facility for library programming. The remodel also funded updates and modern conveniences such as custom designed-tables that offer power outlets for portable computers. The library maintains a special collection of videos and a small theater in the former bank vault. It also maintains a small café that offers food and drink from local vendors. The First National Bank building was constructed in three separate building campaigns (1904-1906; 1926; and 1964). The concrete and steel building features elements of the Neo-Classical and Chicago School. The original Wilder and Wight three-story building, dominated by colossal Ionic columns and highly embellished double-leaf bronze doors at its main façade, was modified in 1926 when a fourth floor was added and a four-story annex to the east was constructed. The marble-sheathed, five-story expansion to the north occurred in 1964. Edward T. Wilder and Thomas Wight studied architecture under the firm of McKim, Mead and White (the architects of the neighboring New York Life Building). Subsequently, Wight became one of Kansas City's most influential architects. The building was later purchased by Boatman's Bank, prior to it becoming the Central Library in the Kansas City Public Library system.

Located in the historic former headquarters of First National Bank, the Central Library serves as the major resource library for the Kansas City Public Library system. Offering breathtaking galleries and reading rooms, and an ingenious parking garage that looks like a bookshelf, the Central Library is consistently included in lists of the most beautiful public libraries in the United States. The former bank vault is now home to the Stanley H. Durwood film collection, while the old bank's 35-foot ceilings add grandeur to the main reading room. Located on the fifth floor of the Central Library, the Missouri Valley Room is the premiere collection of rare books and one-of-a-kind historical records related to the history of Kansas City. Patrons may use the reading room to view archival and genealogical materials that do not circulate beyond the library.

Central Library, Kansas City Public Library

The Community Bookshelf installation on the south wall of the Central Library parking garage has become a signature attraction of downtown’s Library District. The garage was completed in 2004 and occupies the block of West Ninth Street between Baltimore Avenue and Wyandotte Street. A mural of 22 oversize book spines, standing 25 feet high, adorns the front of the garage. It is called the Community Bookshelf because community members were encouraged to recommend some of their favorite titles for inclusion. From those submissions, the Library’s Board of Trustees made the final selections.Many of the chosen books were uniquely Kansas City-themed, such as Tom’s Town by William M. Reddig and Carrie Westlake Whitney’s Kansas City, Missouri: Its History and Its People, 1808-1908. Other notable works include The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Cien Años de Soledad by Gabriel García Márquez, and Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu. Children’s classics by authors such as Margaret Wise Brown, Dr. Seuss, and Laura Ingalls Wilder are also represented.Dimensional Innovations of Overland Park, Kansas, created the book spine graphics by using digital imaging software to alter scans of rare volumes and printing the images on signboard mylar. The design earned the company first place for unique signs in the 2006 International Sign Contest. Because of the Community Bookshelf’s striking design, the garage is frequently confused as the actual Library and is found on lists of the area’s most interesting structures.The east and west sides of the garage also feature artwork. Over the east entrance is an enlarged version of Bob Price Holloway’s The Kansas City Connection, which features depictions of famous local figures – among them Walt Disney, who lived in the city and opened his first animation studio at 1127 E. 31st Street.On the west side of the garage are two postcard images that have been enlarged and printed on screens. The views show the surrounding Library District in the early 1900s, when it was a bustling downtown center.The site of the Library parking garage was once home to the Sam S. Shubert Theater. Constructed in 1906 and designed by Chicago architect Charles E. Fox, the theater boasted a fireproof design and a seating capacity of 1,625. The venue attracted notable performers of the period, including comedian and actor Eddie Foy, who appeared in the Shubert’s opening night show “The Earl and the Girl.”The Shubert brothers—Samuel S., Jacob J., and Lee—created a theatrical empire during the first half of the 20th century, producing more than 600 plays, revues, and musicals and booking roughly 1,000 shows in theaters throughout the U.S. However, Kansas City’s Shubert Theater struggled through the Great Depression as live performances fell out of fashion with a public that more frequently turned to motion pictures and radio for entertainment. It closed after the 1935 season and was demolished the following year to make room for a two-story parking garage.The property was purchased by First National Bank in the 1950s. Along with the bank building, it was sold to the Library in 2000.

The Community Bookshelf installation spanning the south façade of the Central Library parking garage has become a frequently photographed downtown landmark. Standing 2½ stories high, it depicts 22 towering book spines that bear the names of 42 classic titles suggested by the public. Another art installation on the east side of the garage, The Kansas City Connection by local artist Bob Price Holloway, features notable figures in the city’s history. In the early 20th century, the garage location on West Ninth Street was home to the Sam S. Shubert Theater, which operated from 1906-1935. It was razed in 1936 to make way for a parking structure.

Community Bookshelf/Parking Garage

Real estate developer, civic visionary, and philanthropist Phil Kirk (1937-2014) is best known for his advocacy in the revival of downtown Kansas City and for his role financing a capital campaign to renovate the First National Bank into the Central Branch of the Kansas City Public Library. The building at this location, 1015 Central, was Kirk’s first downtown real estate investment purchase, as well as the site of his last charitable act. In 1983, Kirk purchased this decrepit building to renovate for use as his business offices. While working with DST Realty for over 30 years, and serving as President for some time, he championed the revitalization of downtown Kansas City, including the acquisition of land for the Kauffman Center for Performing Arts and redevelopment initiatives such as Quality Hill and the South Loop. As a benefactor for the Kansas City Public Central Library, Kirk supported a partnership with Crossroads Academy, a newly proposed charter school. It was agreed that the academy would rent 1015 Central from DST for $1 per month and opened in the fall of 2012. Since then, Crossroads Academy has expanded to include a second elementary location and a high school preparatory school.Mr. Kirk was named the Kansas Citian of the Year in 2013 and passed away the following year. With much respect and appreciation, Crossroads Academy installed a historical marker in dedication to Kirk’s advocacy, as well as to show the building's historical significance. <h3>Kansas City Slide Company</h3>The Kansas City Slide Company was established in 1910 by Arthur Vern “A. V.” Cauger and moved to this location in 1913, around the time it was incorporated. At that time, KC Slide Co. produced glass slide advertisements for local businesses during the “Silent Era” in the film industry. These ads were hand drawn illustrations that were photographed and transferred to small glass slides, or drawn on the slides directly. The 3 ¼ inch by 4 inch slides would be run through developing fluid and washed before being hand colored, then once complete, a second piece of glass was set on top to protect the image. The slides would then be projected anywhere with a screen, typically movie theaters and screened before films like modern day movie trailers or during intermissions.In 1915, the Slide Company started advancing their techniques to produce moving advertisements in the form of stop-motion, pioneered by Cauger himself. The business continued to grow and the Slide Company became a thriving mail order operation with clients from across the nation. To keep up with demand, on January 29, 1920 the Kansas City Star ran a help-wanted ad for the Slide Co.. It read: “ARTIST Cartoon and Wash Drawings: First Class Man Wanted; Steady, Kansas City Slide Co., 1015 Central.”Walt Disney, an amateur at the time, had recently opened up Iwwerks-Disney Commercial Artists with his partner Ubbe Iwwerks. Though the studio had only been running for a month, they were becoming successful. However, knowing that a commercial studio wasn’t necessarily the career they envisioned, Walt responded to the help-wanted ad for the KC Slide Company. He went downtown and introduced himself to Cauger, with hopes to land himself and Ubbe a job. While impressed with his portfolio, A. V. only had room for one on his staff and offered the job to Walt alone for $40 per week. Shortly after hiring Disney, the Kansas City Slide Company moved to a new location and started operating under the name Kansas City Film Ad Service. This name change was important to reflect the new advertising expectations as moviegoers were previously accustomed to still-picture ads. Ubbe continued to run the Iwwerks-Disney studio, but the business soon began to struggle and he was hired by Cauger in March.

Constructed in 1908, this building is historically known as the location of the Kansas City Slide Company, where famed animator Walt Disney worked as a cartoon artist. The Kansas City Slide Company occupied this site from 1913 to 1920, moving locations shortly after Disney was hired. In 1925 the building was expanded, but like many structures in the area, deferred maintenance caused the building to become dilapidated. As a champion for downtown Kansas City revitalization, local real estate developer Phil Kirk purchased and renovated the building in 1983. Years later, Kirk leased the building at $1 per month for a newly established charter school, Crossroads Academy, which continues to occupy the site since 2012.

Kansas City Slide Company 1913-192); Kirk Building, Crossroads Academy

The sculpture's limestone pedestal holds an inscription that provides insight into the artist's intent. It states, "This sculpture serves as a memorial to the great heros of plains buffalo- A reminder of what was compromised to the development of our great nation and is now lost from the landscape. Marc Swanson, Artist, 2010.Marc Swanson is an American artist who was born in 1969 in New Britain, Connecticut, and lives in Brooklyn, New York. Swanson received his MFA from the Milton Avery Graduate School at Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, and also studied at Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Skowhegan, Maine. Swanson’s work has been the subject of solo exhibitions at the Herbert F. Johnson Museum, at Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York, and the Saint Louis Art Museum, and in 2011 he also had a solo show at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston.

Marc Swanson's bronze sculpture, Descent of Civilization (Bison Memorial), pays tribute to the American buffalo or bison of the American West. Created in 2010, the piece measures 120 x 107 x 36" and is part of the Collection of the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, Missouri. The museum's purchase of the sculpture was made possible by DST Systems, Inc. Reminiscent of a skeleton one might find at a natural history museum, the Bison bones may be an unexpected discovery when walking in Downtown KC.

Descent of Civilization (Bison Memorial) by Marc Swanson  (2010) bronze and limestone

As early as 1898, the historic District supported dry goods manufacturers who shipped their goods to the west. But, it was a Western invention -- blue jeans -- that had a profound effect on the neighborhood. During the California Gold Rush of the 1850s, Jacob Davis and Levi Strauss combined on an idea to create denim pants. The 1873 patent awarded to Davis and Levi Strauss &amp; Company gave birth to blue jeans, which became standard wear among farmers and factory workers during the Gilded Age. Another entrepreneur ready to tap into the blue jean market, H.D. Lee, created a company in 1915 that became one of the first businesses to settle in what would become known as the Kansas City Garment District.In the early 1920s, several garment manufacturers followed Lee by building shops in the now-historic District. The neighborhood's clothing manufacturers were instrumental in developing a unique "section system" for use with women's clothing, a mass production method of assembly of parts to form a finished garment. Its efficiency and success allowed clothing makers to reduce their costs and greatly expand their businesses.By the end of the 1950s, some garment makers saw opportunities to save even more money. They picked up and moved their plants to small towns. Still, the Garment District's peak arrived in the 1960s when more than 7,000 workers earned their livings making clothes in the neighborhood. The garment industry declined steadily after the 1970s. The decline can be tied to several factors, including the emergence of national chain retailers and overseas competition. As a result, the neighborhood slowly lost its identity as the twenty-first century arrived. But, in the last two decades, most of the District's buildings have been renovated to accommodate offices, stylish loft apartments, and various service-industry retailers. Along with the tall needle and thread sculpture on 8th and Broadway, plaques within the district share the history of Kanas City's garment industry and countless employees' significant contributions to the early Kansas City economy. The sculpture is also near the Historic Garment District Museum of Kansas City. The plaques, sculpture, and museum remind visitors and residents that Kansas City, often known for its railroads and cattle yards, produced twenty-five percent of the nation's clothing.

Dedicated in 2002, this public art installation by the artist Dave Stevens depicts a button and sewing needle in honor of the neighborhood's history as the second-largest garment district in the United States. The tall needle symbolizes the district's buildings, which was second only to New York City in terms of total garment production in the 1930s. Several of the nation's largest clothing manufacturers operated businesses in the District from the 1920s through the 1970s. Today, many of the former factories are home to loft apartments, offices, and restaurants, but this sixteen-foot needle and thread sculpture on 8th and Broadway, along with several plaques, serve as a reminder of the district's garment-making past.

The Needle (Public Art) and Kansas City Garment District

For half a century the Garment District was the center of a thriving clothing industry; at one point it was the second largest industry in Kansas City, and the second largest garment industry in the nation, next to New York City’s Garment District. The garment boom began in earnest following the end of World War I, when thousands of Eastern Europeans immigrated to the city through a new entry port in Galveston, Texas. Many of these immigrants had backgrounds as tailors and seamstresses, and they utilized these skills to open their own small clothing businesses. At the same time, many clothing manufacturers from the Eastern United States were moving to Kansas City to escape increasing labor costs and higher taxes. These immigrants and businesses set up shop in an area spanning from Sixth Street to 11th Street.Soon there were numerous small and medium businesses in the Garment District employing hundreds of people to design, manufacture, and sell clothing. Companies included Donnelly, Mayfair Playwear, Mary-Lane Coats and Suits, and Gay Gibson Junior Dresses. Many of these produced dresses or work clothes for laborers. The garment industry continued to grow, peaking in the 1950s; at this point there were as many as 150 local garment businesses employing 8,000 people. Clothing manufacturing began to decline in the 1960s, and was virtually eliminated from the Garment District by the early 1980s. Reasons behind the collapse include the closure of small specialty dress shops in favor of chain stores; a decrease in demand for farm clothes; and the importation of cheaper clothing from overseas. Many of the former warehouses and factories in the Garment District were converted into residential apartments and commercial spaces in the 1980s, giving the neighborhood a new purpose.With the conversion of the Garment District from an industrial to a residential area in the 1980s came efforts to preserve and celebrate the district’s garment manufacturing past. In 1989 the Historic Garment District Group commissioned a fountain to be built at the Godfrey and Blanche Jones Plaza on Broadway Boulevard and West 8th Street. It was designed by Theis Sickbert Associates and funded by the Jules and Doris Stein Foundation along with Proctor &amp; Gamble, which was celebrating its sesquicentennial. The fountain features a brick wall dividing it in half, creating two separate designs. One side has water pouring down the brick wall, while the other side has water pouring through five spouts into a basin. The fountain serves as a gateway into the Garment District.

In the decades after World War I, this section of downtown Kansas City, known as the Garment District, became a major clothing manufacturing site. Dozens of garment companies employed thousands of workers here until the domestic garment industry declined rapidly 1970s and 1980s. Today the Garment District is now primarily a residential and commercial area. The Eighth Street Fountain was erected in 1989 by the Historic Garment District Group to commemorate this important part of the city's history.

Eighth Street Fountain

Kansas City’s Garment District was one of the nation’s largest garment districts, second only to New York City’s, which earned it the moniker “Paris of the Plains.” In the 1930’s, one in seven women in the U.S. owned a garment made in Kansas City. Located in buildings dating back to the 1870’s, the Garment District grew immensely in the early - to - mid twentieth century.The Garment District allowed women to take on work as seamstresses, which was considered a respectable job during a time when women were expected to work within the home. One of the largest labor unions of the 1930’s in the United States came out of the Garment District: the Ladies’ Garments Workers’ Union. Nelly Don, Kansas City’s pioneer in fashion, even offered its employees benefits and childcare.Nelly Don was founded by Nell Donnelly and became the largest dress manufacturer of the 20th century with 75 million dresses made between 1916 and 1978.The Garment District became one of the largest employers of women, immigrants, and Jewish refugees. It allowed even those with little knowledge on making an entire garment to find employment in the industry. A streamline process known as the “section system” was created and functioned much like an assembly line. Each person would sew just one part of the garment and could focus on just learning how to sew that section - such as sewing on buttons for example.The Garment District was heavily influential over Kansas City’s economy for decades. It experienced its prime in the 1950’s and 1960’s, but its decline began during the 1960’s and became worse during the 1970’s. This was caused by the decline in farming since many of the garments were sold to the agricultural market. Because of this, rural markets began closing their department stores and the district lost its market. The decline was also caused by the increase in overseas manufacturing.

The Kansas City Garment District Museum is housed in the former office space for Poindexter Dry Goods, built in 1901. It was founded by Ann Brownfield and Harvey Fried in 2002. As former employees in the Garment District, the museum heavily relied upon their firsthand reflections and knowledge of the district. Ownership and management of the collection was transferred to the Kansas City Museum in 2015. Beginning in 2022, the museum is co-owned by the Kansas City Museum Foundation and Union Station.

Kansas City Historic Garment District Museum

The stain glass above the entryway to the jazz club is over a century old and includes the name of early 19h century proprietor Frank Valerius who operated one of the many drinking establishments that would call this building home.

This mural of Kansas City jazz musicians is located on the east wall of the historic Phoenix Building which was constructed in 1888 and a contributing property within the Garment District which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The most striking feature of this historic three-story Neo-Romanesque building is the cast iron arch at the 8th street entryway. Since 1990 the first level of the former hotel has been home to The Phoenix, a live music venue that offers nightly jazz. In 2002, the city named the section of 8th Street from Broadway to Central as “Scamps Alley" in honor of an iconic jazz band with Kansas City roots dating back to the Great Depression.

The Phoenix Hotel (1888) and Mural

The Savoy Hotel and Savoy Grill was constructed in four phases between 1890 and 1906 and featured a neoclassic design. The building was initially completed as a five-story structure, with a sixth story added along with rear extensions. From 1905 to 1906, a western addition was added, reaching seven stories. In the earliest years, the Savoy Grill was only open to male patrons while the hotel's dining room was open to all guests. Harry S. Truman was a frequent patron of the Savoy Grill when he operated a nearby clothing store prior to his entrance into politics, a career that was initially aided by Tom Pendergast. Truman ate at the Savoy so often that a plaque was later placed in booth number four, designating the preferred table of the former haberdashery owner who went on to become President of the United States.The Savoy Grill maintained a turn of the century feeling up throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The hotel and grill have passed through many different owners, including the Savoy Investment Company which bought the building in 1962. Donald F. Lee purchased the restaurant in 1960 and acquired the hotel five years later. The Savoy Grill was the oldest restaurant in the city and the longest continuously-operated restaurant in the western half of the United States until a 2014 fire led to its closure. In 2016, work on renovating and reopening the historic hotel began under the auspices of the 21c Museum Hotels group and the historic dining room reopened in 2018. In that same year, the museum added a work by artist Brad Kahlhamer within the Savoy Grill that was inspired by Native American dream catchers and intended to help balance the historic murals that celebrate European-American expansion.

This historic Kansas City building was home to the Savoy Hotel starting in 1888. Five years later, the hotel added the Savoy Grill, the longest-operating restaurant west of the Mississippi River. The restaurant and hotel closed following a 2014 fire, but the building was later renovated and reopened by the 21c hotel chain to include a contemporary art museum along with many tributes to the history of the former historic establishment. Soon after the hotel reopened, the former dining room of the Savoy Grill reopened as the Savoy at 21c Restaurant. Visitors to the restaurant can sit in a booth that was the preferred location of Harry S. Truman and view a series of historically significant murals that were created as part of the restaurant's 1903 opening. These murals by Edward Holslag depict early Kansas City history from pioneers departing Westport on the Sante Fe Trail to the arrival of steamboats on the Missouri River. A short hallway connects these historical works to a contemporary art museum that is open to the public 24 hours a day within the new hotel's lobby. A virtual tour of the hotel's art gallery and restaurant, including the murals by Edward Holsalg, is available within this entry.

Savoy Hotel and Savoy Grill (1888-2014); The Savoy at 21c and 21c Museum Hotel Kansas City

From 1880 to 1890, Kansas City's population grew from 55,000 to 132,000. By the decade's end, Kansas City ranked as the nation's tenth largest metropolitan center. The city benefited from the opening of the stockyards (1870), the arrival of the railroad, and the city's role as a launching point for the Santa Fe Trail. During the 1880s, Kansas City enjoyed expansive downtown construction and the robust growth of cable roads (trailing only San Francisco and Chicago in numbers), indicating the number of workers moving through downtown Kansas City. One of the buildings that emerged during that time was the Old New England Building, which stood as the home to the New England Mutual Life Insurance Co. of Boston; the New England Safe Deposit &amp; Trust Co. and the New England National Bank rented space in the building, as well. The New England building existed as one of numerous Kansas City buildings built during the 1880s financed by Eastern U.S. businesses. Further demonstrating the building's connection to New England, the unique architectural design includes ornamental carved stone seals of five New England states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The most recognized feature of the late nineteenth-century Renaissance Revival commercial structure involves its two-story high oriel bay window, but its most significant feature might be its likely place as Kansas City's first fireproof building.In 1944 the New England Mutual Life Insurance Company sold the building. One of the companies that leased office spaces was Trans World Airlines (TWA), which used it as a training school and for offices. For a time, the federal government's Social Security department leased offices in the building. Today, it functions as a residential building (lofts) known as "The New England."

The Old New England Building was the tallest building in Kansas City when it was completed in 1888. The last few decades of the 19th century were a time of immense population growth and the area saw an influx of investors, architects, and builders who had previously created some of the leading buildings in cities like New York, Boston, and Chicago. The completion of buildings like this signaled Kansas City's growth into a regional powerhouse. The building was the original home of the New England Mutual Life Insurance Company and featured fifty-seven fireplaces, two elevators, and two walk-in safes on each floor. The architectural design includes a two-story high oriel bay window and five unique ornamental carved stone seals of five New England states. The building was later used by Trans World Airlines and now serves as residential loft-style apartments.

Old New England Building

<h4>History of the New York Life Building</h4>The New York Life building represents one of the high points in the growth and development of Kansas City. Throughout the 1880s, the city was experiencing unprecedented growth in terms of trade, production, industry, population, and real estate transfers. Therefore, Kansas City was attracting a lot of attention in that time as an area for investment potential. Commissioned by the New York Life Insurance Company, who felt that Kansas City was to be the future center of western commerce, the New York Life building was designed in 1885 by the New York City architecture firm of McKim, Mead &amp; White. When completed in 1890, it was the city’s tallest and largest building and represented the city’s transition from “cow town” to a city of importance. Along with the building was substantial downtown development.1 The building was in use until 1988, when it was abandoned. Fortunately, in 1996, a $35 million restoration gave the building modern energy, environmental, and communications features. In 2010, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph purchased the building and renamed it the “Catholic Center.”2<h4>Transcription on the Historical Marker</h4>Architects: McKim, Mead and WhiteConstructed: 1887-90This Neo-Renaissance Style office building symbolizes the faith of the moneyed East in Kansas City during the unprecedented prosperity of the 1880s. The bronze eagle was cast in the studio of Augustus Saint Gaudens. The barrel-vaulted, skylighted lobby, mosaic floors and lavish use of marble and cherry-wood characterize the fine design. Entered on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.3

The New York Life building is a high-rise in the Library District of Kansas City. Built in a Neo-Renaissance style between 1887-90 by famous New York City architects McKim, Mead and White, it was a symbol of Kansas City’s prosperity in the late 19th-century as well as its reliance and faith in the money coming from the East, as Kansas City stood as a gateway to the West. The New York Life building is also considered to be Kansas City’s first skyscraper. The building mirrored the potential and investment coming to the area from all over the country, and it was the first manifestation of this prosperity. Today, the New York Life building is a centerpiece of the Library District neighborhood, and in 1970, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

New York Life Building of Kansas City

David Woods Kemper was born in 1919 to James Sr. and Gladys Woods Kemper. The Kempers were a very prominent and influential banking family in the Kansas City and St. Louis area; for decades they have led Commerce Bancshares Inc. and its subsidiary Commerce Bank of Kansas City. Today they are still active in both the banking industry and philanthropy. David attended school at both Harvard and Stanford before enlisting in the Army in 1942. He was sent overseas to Italy where he eventually became a platoon leader with the rank of lieutenant. David was killed on April 25, 1945 just days before the end of the Second World War in Europe. In 1946 David’s father James Kemper Sr. and his brother James Kemper Jr. founded the David Woods Kemper Memorial Foundation in his honor. It has awarded grants to many organizations and projects in Kansas City. In 2016 James Kemper Jr. established a second group, the David Woods Kemper Veterans Foundation, to provide financial support for veterans’ organizations in Kansas and Missouri.In 1962 David’s family commissioned a sculpture and fountain in his honor. The David Woods Kemper Memorial Fountain, more commonly known as the Muse of Missouri, was designed and sculpted by artist Wheeler Williams. It is meant to depict a Greek goddess known as a muse guiding the Missouri River. In Greek mythology, a muse was a female deity that provided inspiration and presided over arts and sciences. The fountain consists of 200 water spouts; rising above it is a nude statue of the goddess wielding a fishing net and surrounded by fish. Williams originally wanted to incorporate native Missouri River fish into the sculpture, such as carp and catfish, but he found them to be too ugly. Instead he created a carp and bluefish hybrid for the sculpture.The Muse of Missouri was dedicated and presented to the citizens of Kansas City on December 2, 1962. It is located on the median of 8th and 9th Street on Main Street. Maintenance of the fountain is handled by the City of Fountains Foundation, which holds an endowment for its upkeep. The Foundation is a non-profit group dedicated to conserving historic fountains and sculptures in Kansas City. The fountain and sculpture underwent an extensive restoration in 2005.

Also known as the David Woods Kemper Memorial, the Muse of the Missouri sculpture and fountain was dedicated in 1962 to the memory of David Woods Kemper, who was killed in action during World War II in Italy. It was a gift to the city by his parents Mr. and Mrs. James Kemper. Artist Wheeler Williams created the sculpture and designed the fountains. The sculpture depicts a muse, a Greek goddess of arts and sciences, with a fishing net from which fish fall to the the pool below. The water fountain consists of three pools that are filled by two hundred water spouts.

Muse of the Missouri

After researching in Kansas City, the 10’ and 8’ tall bronze jazz musician sculptures were cast, under the supervision of the artist, at the Bearzi shop in Italy using the lost wax process, where a wax model is used to create a mold. The trumpet player was modeled on a sketch of Emmett Finney, a trumpet player, vocalist, and bandleader from Kansas City. The bass player is modeled after Milt Abel, who played in several Kansas City clubs in addition to touring nationally with his wife, Betty Miller.

In 1964 the Kemper Foundation commissioned artist Elizabeth Powers to create “Jazz Musicians,” an outdoor public art installation for the north facade of the 811 Main Street building. Artist Elizabeth Powers was a Kansas City native who earned a degree at the Kansas City Art Institute and exhibited at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. At the time of the commission, the artist was living and working in her sculpture studio in Florence, Italy.In preparation of the commission, Powers sketched Kansas City jazz musicians playing in local night clubs. The trumpet man was inspired by watching and listening to Emmett Finney, and the bass player was inspired by Milt Abel, although neither are formal portraits. While the commission is symbolic of Kansas City’s strong jazz tradition, it also serves as a memorial to Lt. David Woods Kemper, James M. Kemper’s son, who passed away in World War II.

Art and Architecture of Downtown Kansas City Walking Tour

Rodin Rodannadanna by Donald Lipski

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information