On this day, Robert McClure Snyder, one of the wealthiest men in Kansas City and the builder of Ha Ha Tonka in Camden County was out for a drive. He was one of the first people in Kansas City to have an automobile. His driver swerved to miss a child and Snyder became one of the first to be killed in an auto accident.
This post was contributed by Ross Malone. A historian and a retired school teacher, Ross has authored many books about Missouri’s history, weird facts, and folk tales. He has also written children’s historical fiction. Visit his website, and buy his books in the Missouri Life store.