Timeline of Kansas City, Missouri

The following is a timeline of the history of Kansas City, Missouri, United States.

19th century

 * 1838 - Settlement named Town of Kansas.
 * 1840 - City Market active.
 * 1846 - Population: 700.
 * 1850 - June 3: Town of Kansas formally organized municipality in Jackson County.
 * 1853 - March 28: City of Kansas incorporated by Missouri.
 * 1854 - Bleeding Kansas
 * 1857
 * Chamber of Commerce established.
 * November 9 - Union Cemetery founded by a special act of the Missouri General Assembly, as the private corporation Union Cemetery Assembly
 * 1860 - Population: 4,418.
 * 1863 - August 13: The collapse of the Union Women's Prison kills four and maims several other women, which the pro-Confederate bushwhackers will cite revenge as a justification for the Sacking of Lawrence.
 * 1864 - October 23: Battle of Westport.
 * 1867 - March 1: First meeting of the Kansas City Public Schools Board of Education.
 * 1869 - July 3: Hannibal Bridge over the Missouri River opens, first railroad bridge across the river.
 * 1870 - Population: 32,260.
 * 1871 - Kansas City Bar Library Assoc. formed.
 * 1872 - Elmwood Cemetery established.
 * 1875 - Fetterman Circulating Library in business.
 * 1880 - Population: 55,785.
 * 1882
 * Kansas City Club founded.
 * First electric lights used in KC; implemented by KCP&L
 * 1885
 * Kansas City Art Institute founded, later attended by Walt Disney
 * First overhead electric trolleys in the US used here.
 * 1889
 * The city of Kansas City formed by merger of Westport and City of Kansas.
 * Kansas City Public Library building opens.
 * 1890 - Population: 132,716.
 * 1892 - Court House built.
 * 1893
 * City Hall built.
 * Kansas City Athletic Club active.
 * 1895 - Kansas City School of Law founded.
 * 1897 - December 20: City workhouse castle opened, old workhouse abandoned.
 * 1900
 * July 4: 1900 Democratic National Convention held.
 * Federal Building constructed.
 * Population: 163,752.

1900s-1940s

 * 1903 - Automobile Club of Kansas City active.
 * 1904 - Children's Mercy Hospital active.
 * 1908 - City Hospital built.
 * 1909 - Kansas City Zoo opens in Swope Park
 * 1910
 * Hall Brothers in business.
 * Population: 248,381.
 * 1913 - Cook Paint and Varnish Company in business.
 * 1914
 * Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and Paseo YMCA open.
 * Union Station rebuilt.
 * 1915 - Kansas City Polytechnic Institute established.
 * 1917 - Rockhurst College opens.
 * 1919 - Truman and Jacobson's haberdashery in business.
 * 1920 - Population: 324,410.
 * 1921 - Laugh-O-Gram Studio founded by Walt Disney
 * 1922 - WPE radio begins broadcasting.
 * 1923
 * Fairyland Amusement Park opens at 7501 Prospect
 * Laugh-O-Gram Studio files bankruptcy and closes
 * 1926
 * Ararat Shrine Temple and Bagdad Theatre open.
 * Liberty Memorial dedicated to World War I veterans, opens
 * 1927 - Downtown Airport opens, dedicated by Charles Lindbergh
 * 1928
 * June: 1928 Republican National Convention.
 * F. W. Woolworth Building constructed.
 * 1931 - Kansas City Power and Light Building constructed.
 * 1933 - June 17: Kansas City massacre.
 * 1936 - Holy Land Christian Mission founded.
 * 1937 - Kansas City City Hall rebuilt.
 * 1945 - K.C. native Harry S Truman sworn in as President of the United States after President Franklin Roosevelt's sudden death
 * 1946
 * Linda Hall Library established.
 * William E. Kemp becomes mayor.
 * 1948
 * Harry S Truman wins Presidential election
 * First national leadership conference of the Future Homemakers of America (FHA), now Family Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA).
 * 1949
 * Crest Drive-In cinema active (approximate date).
 * Richard Walker Bolling becomes U.S. representative for Missouri's 5th congressional district.
 * Industrial Bearings Transmission, now IBT, Inc. founded at 1625 Grand

1950s-1990s

 * 1951 - July: Great Flood of 1951.
 * 1954
 * U.S. Weather Bureau Severe Local Storms Unit relocated to Kansas City.
 * Paseo Bridge opens
 * 1955
 * The city gains its first major professional sports team when the Philadelphia Athletics of the American League relocate to Kansas City
 * H. Roe Bartle becomes mayor.
 * 1956 - First runway opens at Kansas City Industrial Airport, now KCI
 * 1957
 * Kansas City Ballet founded.
 * Ruskin Heights Tornado (F-5).
 * 1959 - Five KC firefighters killed in gas tank explosion on Southwest Blvd.
 * 1963
 * The Dallas Texans of the American Football League relocate to Kansas City and become the Chiefs
 * University of Missouri–Kansas City established.
 * Ilus W. Davis becomes mayor.
 * 1964 - Kansas City Repertory Theatre founded
 * 1967
 * Kansas City Chiefs win American Football League championship and play in first Super Bowl, losing to Green Bay Packers
 * Sister city relationship established with Seville, Spain.
 * Athletics relocate to Oakland at the conclusion of the season
 * 1968 - April: 1968 Kansas City, Missouri riot.
 * 1969
 * Kansas City Royals baseball team formed.,
 * Kansas City Chiefs win Super Bowl IV
 * 1970 - Population: 507,330.
 * 1971
 * Crown Center opens.
 * Charles Wheeler becomes mayor.
 * 1972
 * Sister city relationship established with Kurashiki, Japan.
 * Arrowhead Stadium opens
 * NBA comes to Kansas City when the Cincinnati Royals relocate and become the Kings
 * Kansas City International Airport becomes the city's primary passenger airport
 * 1973
 * Sister city relationship established with Morelia, Mexico.
 * Worlds of Fun opens.
 * Kauffman Stadium opens as Royals Stadium.
 * 1974
 * Kemper Arena opens.
 * NHL comes to Kansas City with the establishment of the Scouts as an expansion team
 * Sister city relationship established with Freetown, Sierra Leone.
 * 1976 - World Science Fiction Convention held.
 * 1977 - Fairyland Amusement Park closes after extensive damage by windstorm
 * 1978 - Sister city relationship established with Tainan, Taiwan.
 * 1979 - Richard L. Berkley becomes mayor.
 * 1980
 * Hyatt Regency hotel opens.
 * The Kansas City Royals win the American League pennant before losing in World Series to the Philadelphia Phillies
 * 1981 - July 17: Hyatt Regency walkway collapse.
 * 1982
 * Kansas City Symphony active.
 * Oceans of Fun opens
 * 1985 - World Series won by Kansas City Royals with Manager Dick Howser
 * 1986 - Town Pavilion hi-rise built.
 * 1988
 * ACT UP chapter founded.
 * One Kansas City Place built.
 * Serial killer Bob Berdella apprehended as "Kansas City Butcher"
 * 1989 - Sister city relationship established with Xi'an, China.
 * 1990 - Population: 435,146.
 * 1991
 * Kansas City Stockyards close.
 * Emanuel Cleaver becomes mayor.
 * Firefighters' Memorial Fountain dedicated at 31st & Broadway
 * Sister city relationship established with Guadalajara, Mexico.
 * 1993
 * Sister city relationships established with Hannover, Germany and Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
 * Great Flood of 1993
 * 1994 - Bartle Hall Convention Center opens.
 * 1995 - Sister city relationship established with Arusha, Tanzania.
 * 1997
 * City website goes online (approximate date).
 * Sister city relationship established with San Nicolás de los Garza, Mexico.
 * 1998 - Sister city relationship established with Ramla, Israel.
 * 1999 - Kay Barnes becomes mayor.
 * 2000 - Population: 441,545.

21st century

 * 2001 - Regional Kansas City SmartPort economic development group established.
 * 2004 - Sister city relationship established with Metz, France.
 * 2005
 * Penn Valley skatepark opens.
 * Emanuel Cleaver becomes U.S. representative for Missouri's 5th congressional district.
 * 2007
 * Sprint Center (arena) opens.
 * Irish Museum and Cultural Center active.
 * Mark Funkhouser becomes mayor.
 * 2010
 * Population: 459,787.
 * Paseo Bridge closed, demolished
 * Christopher S. Bond Bridge opens, replacing Paseo Bridge
 * 2011
 * Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts opens.
 * Sly James becomes mayor.
 * Population: 463,202; metro 2,052,676.
 * 2012
 * Google Fiber service begins.
 * Kansas City Startup Village established.
 * 2014 - Liberty Memorial designated National World War I Monument.
 * 2015 - World Series won by Kansas City Royals
 * 2019 - Quinton Lucas elected mayor
 * 2020 - Kansas City Chiefs win Super Bowl LIV
 * 2021 - Chiefs lose Super Bowl LV
 * 2023 - Chiefs win Super Bowl LVII
 * 2024 - Chiefs win Super Bowl LVIII

19th century publications

 * Business directory, 1866