We Came Close in '93

Kansas City came close in 1993 to major flooding... the Missouri crested at 48.9 feet on July 27th.  The picture on the left and other "aerials" I took on that day from the top of City Hall.  

 Above, the old Paseo Bridge.  Below, during the flood period an old paddle wheel the William S. Mitchell broke away from its moorings and headed down river from Kansas City, Kansas..  Despite the best efforts of a lone tugboat, the vessel crashed into three bridges.  Wreckage shown in some photos below.

Above, under the Paseo Bridge.

 Above photo taken on July 12th shows the bank-full Missouri with the ASB Bridge in the background.

 Above, the water is almost level with the Downtown Airport.

 Above and below, more shots take on July 12, 15 days before crest. 

Elmwood

 I'm not going into a lot of history about Elmwood Cemetery here.  If you desire more information you can visit their most excellent website:  http://www.elmwoodcem-kc.org

Suffice it to say it's one of the oldest in the city and contains the remains of many famous citizens... from mayors to madams.   I occasionally like to walk through the grounds and look for pictures.  Today I was also looking for a deer that has taken up residence.  I did find her, but not until I got home and looked at the pictures.  See if you can find her.  

 The grounds were designed by George Kessler who also did Cliff Drive, Kessler Park and many, many of our Parks and Boulevards.   His original design is somewhat intact... although it included a lake which is gone.

 Above, all nationalities are buried here.  Below, lambs guard a child's grave.

 Elmwood is very well maintained considering it's age.  And Armour (the meat family) Chapel still functions for funerals and weddings.

 Many Civil War Veterans are  interred here.

 Above, the tomb of Jacob Loose (Loose Park).. founder of the Loose Viles Biscuit Co.   Below, we now know where he is....  :  WALDO

 Mr. and Mrs. Stevens now separated by tree.

 Above, a bit if irony for Sean.  Changes on a crypt.  

Northeast Homes Tour Part 3

 Edgar & Katherine Kern Residence (earliest owners of record)

Joyce Schleisman current owner

All three of our homes today are found in the Indian Mound Neighborhood where Hyper lives.

 This one-and-a-half story Bungalow home was built in 1945. It was built by the Northeast Building Company and Jack Merriman.  The earliest value found for the home was $5,400. Above, the dining room.

 Spacious kitchen.

 Above and below, the great room was added in 1961.

 Two bedrooms on the first floor.

 Above and below, artist Joyce enjoys the view out her north facing window.  Her home overlooks Cliff Drive's eastern entrance.

 Above, second floor hallway, below, another view of the dining room and front entrance.

 Below, front porch.

 Rex A. Wright Residence

Current Owners, Dorri and Michael Partain

 The style of this 1910 home is vernacular Arts and Crafts with prominent stone columns and chimney. The original siding is cedar shake shingles, seen above on the porch walls.  The rest of the house is covered in asbestos shingles installed in the 1950s.

 Above, Migratory Gargoyle roosting unmolested.

 Above the living room, below, the dining room.

 This home is one of several on the block designed by the prominent Kansas City architectural firm Shepard & Farrar which also designed the President Hotel.

 Dorri and Michael purchased the home in 1998.  They are in the process of updating the house while maintaining as much of the original architectural detail as possible.

 John F. Mitchell Residence

Current Owner, Shannon Whobrey

 This classic American Foursquare with Colonial and Prairie elements was built in 1910 in the Abbington Park subdivision by architect Andrew B. Anderson for John E. Mitchell who owned Mitchell's Restaurant at 712 Walnut Street in Downtown KC.  

 In 1913 Mitchell's wife won $7.50 for placing fourth in the Lawns Fifty Feet Wide or More category of a contest sponsored by the Northeast Improvement Association.  Mr. Mitchell died of food poisoning in the home in 1925.  His daughter continued to live in the home until 1964.

Above, the mostly original entryway.  Below, the dining room. 

 Shannon is in the process of restoring this masterpiece as closely as possible to it's original condition.

 Above, original artifacts found during the restoration process, below the entryway from the front porch.

 Below, the living room.  During the restoration Shannon discovered the original servants' staircase which had been sealed behind walls during previous remodellings.