The largest city in the state of Missouri had modest beginnings but grew into a major metro area, thanks to its location at the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas rivers.
The city’s convenient location had a major impact on westward migration during America’s early years, while also helping the city become a major transportation hub.
During the course of its history, KC has had three distinct “foundings” and three different names: Westport in 1830, the Town of Kansas in later years, and eventually in 1850, settling on Kansas City.
Speaking of settling, plenty of people have chosen to settle in Kansas City. As of 2020, it had a population of 508,090, and ranked 36th on the list of largest cities in America.
Based upon content from the book Missouri 365: This Day in Missouri History by John W. Brown, broadcaster and Missouri historian. Get your copy at Reedy Press.
Image from Unsplash
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