Back in January 2019, I posted “Finding Waldo’s Shadier Side,” my attempt to talk about the period when Waldo south of 77th Street was outside the city limits. The city limit reached 77th by 1909, but it would be almost 40 years until that changed. My Waldo research included mentions of a lot of shadyContinue reading “The True(r) Story of Mary’s Place”
Category Archives: Waldo
Dr. David Waldo – Part 2: The Later Years
(originally published 5/7/20) Last week introduced us to the colorful figure that is Dr. David Waldo, original owner of the property around 75th and Wornall, and the man whose name was adopted for the community in that area. Having established himself financially and professionally in the eastern part of Missouri in his twenties, he movedContinue reading “Dr. David Waldo – Part 2: The Later Years”
Dr. David Waldo – Part 1: The Early Years
(originally published 4/30/20) The one thousand acres that Dr. David Waldo purchased in 1841 might have been any one other thousand acres in the area. Had anyone else bought it, the area obviously would not be known today as “Waldo,” a unique corner of Kansas City’s urban landscape. But location was central to Waldo’s objectives.Continue reading “Dr. David Waldo – Part 1: The Early Years”
Napoleon Dible’s Magnificent Homes
(originally published 2/27/20) While J.C. Nichols’ name is apparent all over town even seventy years after his death, the name of Napoleon Dible is generally only known in parts of town, particularly the Waldo area. Both men put their own stamp on the housing character of Kansas City during the first half of the 20thContinue reading “Napoleon Dible’s Magnificent Homes”
Silver Screens and Curtain Calls: The Waldo Theatre Building
(originally published 2/6/20) This is from my 2012 book The Waldo Story. It’s a segment on the many lives of one corner in Waldo that holds a lot of memories for a lot of folks. At the time of the book, that corner was still healing from a major fire five years earlier. Having livedContinue reading “Silver Screens and Curtain Calls: The Waldo Theatre Building”
The Train Out of Westport: Part 1 – The Waldo “Dummy” Line
(originally published 11/7/19) Younger or newer Kansas Citians may only know it as the Trolley Track Trail. Long-time residents know it as the Country Club District street car line, south Kansas City’s connection to the early local rail system. And to those long gone, it was a reason to speculate on land, or build aContinue reading “The Train Out of Westport: Part 1 – The Waldo “Dummy” Line”
Kiddieland – Waldo’s Magical Corner
(originally published 10/24/19) Much of what I use for these posts results from research into other related topics. Last spring, I posted two separate pieces, one on amusement parks, the other on the racier side of Waldo’s history, Both of those were recycled research in service of today’s post, an excerpt from The Waldo Story.Continue reading “Kiddieland – Waldo’s Magical Corner”
Kansas City Parks Series – #1: Waldo’s Tower Park
(originally published 8/1/2019) Tower Park in Waldo has always held a special place in my heart. Through much of the 1980s and 1990s I lived just blocks from it. Sitting on the southwest corner of 75th Street and Holmes Road, the Tower Park tower was a landmark for giving directions to my house. It wasContinue reading “Kansas City Parks Series – #1: Waldo’s Tower Park”
Remembering Betty Tillotson
(originally published 7/4/19 In June 2019, I posted an excerpt from The Waldo Story, a piece on Betty Tillotson, a Waldo icon. In May 2020, passed away May 19, having reached her 97th year. That’s all I know, and all I need to know. The causes of death are never as interesting as the livesContinue reading “Remembering Betty Tillotson”
Wide Spots in the Road: Watt’s Mill, New Santa Fe and Dodson
(originally published 5/9/19) History can be fickle when it comes to what is remembered and what is forgotten. When I wrote the book on Waldo’s history, I realized what a quirk of fate it was that the name Waldo should have survived when there were plenty of other places like Waldo, that didn’t. They allContinue reading “Wide Spots in the Road: Watt’s Mill, New Santa Fe and Dodson”
The Gillis Home and Armour Oaks
(originally published 2/28/19) In 1869, the completion of the Hannibal Bridge connected Kansas City to the nation’s expanding rail system. The rail brought so much to Kansas City. In general, it brought much prosperity to the town, and for a select few, it brought untold wealth. For far too many, it brought privations of everyContinue reading “The Gillis Home and Armour Oaks”
KC Backstories 