From collection General Photograph Collection
Kansas City River Scene, 1855
Early Kansas City Riverfront. From the scrapbook of James M. Anderson, ca. 1917. "This is the earliest accepted picture of Kansas City. The town was on the river front, and for some twelve years past had been the landing for Westport. The cut in the hill is Main Street. To the left you see one of the early "Chick" stores. To the right is the Gillis House, the early hotel of the town. Notice the six and eight mule teams that climbed the hill by going round it on the East, on a road which is now lower Grand Avenue. With a glass you can read the names of the boats at the landing. They belonged to competition river companies. The residences show themselves spotted on the hills. At Southeast Main and Front, was the great Shannon Store." For more details, see the Kansas City Star for 16 July 1939 and4 June 1950 found in the Society's Kansas City Centennial scrapbook of Mary (Conrad) Fitten.
