Northeast Mansions Volume 8, Charles A. Smith Home

 Charles Ashley Smith, 1867 - 1948, was a prolific Kansas City architect who designed more than 50 of the Kansas City School Districts' Schools including Northeast High School.   He also created  the three Heim Brothers' homes on Benton Boulevard.  His residence, above, which he also designed, is at 810 Benton Boulevard and is still standing!   These photos were probably taken between 1895 and 1905.

 I made copy-negs of photos in a Hughes Book 20 years ago and then forgot I had them.  These three are from that book and show the Smith living room above, and living and dining rooms, below.

 Mr. Smith was born in Ohio, moved to Iowa and thence to Kansas City.  He was a draftsman with William Hackney in 1887 prior to becoming his partner. Hackney was the architect for the Kansas city School District and, upon his death, Smith took that position.      Schools in addition to Northeast that he designed include Woodland School, 711 Woodland,  and Attucks Elementary School at 18th and Woodland.  He also designed the Fine Arts Building on the UMKC campus, the Unity Temple at 47th and Jefferson, the YMCA building at 18th and Paseo, the Kansas City Club at 12th and Baltimore, and the Firestone Building at 2001 Grand.  .   Below, the home today.

Biographical information came from a profile by Susan Jezak Ford found in  the Missouri Valley Room of the Kansas City Public Library

                                                 Charles Ashley Smith, Northeast Architect

Thacher School 1993

 Thacher School was last on the chopping block in 1993.  The District wanted to tear it down to create a soccer field.    It was spared then and actually reopened as a functioning facility.   At that time our Save Thacher Committee was allowed inside to take pictures.   I've included the external shots I took at the time too.     We should mothball the southern portion until such time as a use can be determined.
I think it would make an excellent Community Center for the Northeast.  

 This was back in the film days.  I used a Nikon F4 with T-Max 400 film and developed it normally.

                      Incidentally my Father, Aunt and Uncle went through all the grades here.  

                                         I think the different heights of the coat hooks are cute.......