PERSPECTIVES IN LANDSCAPE HISTORY DANIELNADENICEK EDITORS Stephanie A. Rolley, Kansas State University Introduction continuing across the state line westward (BPBCKMO 1990). Development in these George Kessler's 1893 parks and boulevard Kansas communities was inspired by plan for Kansas City, Missouri shaped a Kessler's vision. city known today for tree lined streets connecting distinctive neighborhoods. This paper examines the visual and physi- Kessler's boulevards and parkways ensured cal impact of Kessler's work at the Kansas/ that Kansas City would stand apart fiom Missouri state line. The green and gray of the mosaic of more than eighty municipali- five possible extensions of the system ties that became the contemporary metro- illuminate the importance of the context in politan area. The impact of his work is which he worked. The influence of the most notable at the Kansas-Missouri state long term practice of a landsca~earchitect, line. There, a transformation (often abrupt aggressive economic development, a city though sometimes gradual, from graceful planning strategy, and luck all contributed boulevards and parkways to ordinary to the unique Kansas City, Missouri plan residential streets and commercial strips) is and the successful or unsuccessful exten- most obvious. Many of the roads go, quite sion of that plan into Kansas. literally, fiom green to gray. As one travels out of Missouri and into Kansas on some of the roadways planned by Kessler, one is Kansas City, Missouri's Parks And struck by a sudden change in roadway and Boulevard Plan community character. In these locations, immediately dramatic differences in land The 1893 Kansas City Parks and Boulevard use, roadway design, and plant material Commissioners plan laid the groundwork reflect the long term visual and physical for a new city. Until that time, the area was impact of the Kessler Plan. Other Kessler composed of small scattered settlements 5 1 boulevards transition smoothly to roadways which developed in the area because of the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas vard systems at the turn of the century, I Rivers (Oficial State Atlas of Kansas Kansas City, Missouri's plan remained the 52 1887). While each settlement was thriving, foundation for future long term planning business and civic leaders envisioned efforts. something greater for the larger commu- nity. They visited other cities like New Four criteria guided Kessler's design of York, Chicago and Minneapolis and came the Kansas City, Missouri system. All back with pictures and stories to tell. The boulevards were to have "a maximum three potential economic, social and aesthetic percent grade providing ... good locations value of a parks and boulevard system for high quality residences.. without inspired August Meyer, an industrialist, and natural or artificial obstacles to remove" William Rockhill Nelson, a newspaper (BPBCKCMO 1883). The result was a editor, to lobby fiercely for such a system system that connected the existing settle- in Kansas City, Missouri. Their efforts ments and promoted the development of resulted in formation of a Parks and Boule- new areas. It was a system that promoted vard Commission and retention of George low density development surrounding Kessler's design services. Kessler arrived central locations. Today those central in Kansas City in 1892 at the age of thirty locations include Westport, a high density to become the superintendent of parks for a residential, retail and restaurant area; the small railroad. While working for the Plaza, a neighborhood, and later a regional, railroad, he established an office and was shopping district located on Brush Creek; employed as Secretary and Engineer of the and, w rook side, a quiet neighborhood newly formed Kansas City Board of Parks shopping and residential district. This and Recreation (Wilson 1989, p. 108). His decentralized plan is suited to an automo- plans for Kansas City became the founda- bile dependent community. While it is an tion of a successful landscape architecture easy fit with today's society, it was an practice. unusual concept for a horse and carriage city at the turn of the century. First pro- The original plan called for ten miles of duction of the automobile came in 1902, boulevards with one hundred foot rights-of- after construction was completed on the way and three parks. By 191 5, the plan first legs of the Kansas City system. Kan- was expanded to include a total of eighty sas City, Missouri grew with the automo- miles of boulevards and additional parks. bile industry and the growth of each was The system was constructed quite quickly surely a catalyst for the other. after planning was completed. The two decades following adoption of Kessler's August Meyer presented four rationales for plan were marked by rapid development construction of a comprehensive boulevard guided by the boulevard and parkway system in the 1893 Report of the Board of system. After the parks and boulevards Parks and Boulevards Commission. He delineated in the 19 15 plan were con- cited the value of beauty, the city's duty, structed, the boulevard system remained the effect of parkways or boulevards on largely unchanged until the late 1980s and real estate and the experience of other cities even today continues to serve as the frame- as motivation for building the city's future work for the city's development. Unlike on Kessler's simple framework. Economic many cities that developed park and boule- development formed the backbone of Meyer's persuasive argument as three of his four rationales relied upon the appeal of The boulevard fiamework that facilitated financial gain. He noted that Kansas City, Missouri's growth was limited by the broad Missouri River to the north we are but just beginning to realize and wooded slopes to the east. However, it that by beautifying our city, making might easily have extended across the state our city beautifid to the eye, and a line into Kansas. Physical opportunities delightful place of residence, existed and expansion was supported by abounding in provisions that add to community sentiment. Campaigns were the enjoyment of life, we not only mounted in the late 1800s and early 1900s will do our duty to our citizens, but as business and property owners attempted we shall create among our people to connect with and expand upon Kansas warm attachments to the city and City, Missouri's success. For example, the promote civic pride, thereby supple- Kansas City Star often referred to the West menting and emphasizing our Side and the East Side instead of identify- business advantages and increasing ing the Kansas Cities by theirstates (Kan- their power to draw business and sas City Star 1907, May 7). Editorials and population (BPBCKC 1893, p. 9). columns appeared regularly in the paper calling for unification of the two into one The possibility that the system might result municipality. Despite support from many, in an improved quality of life was one the political and physical barriers were too objective of the proposal but the primary great. Surmounting a state line, three motivation was increased revenue, both county governments, multiple local govern- individual and civic. ments and the Kansas River was too much. The boundaries between the jurisdictions became quite visible as the metropolitan What Kansas City Became area developed. Kansas City, Missouri was the impetus for what has become a sprawling metropolitan area. Today there are 1.5 million people living in the five county area known as the Opportunities Missed And Advan- Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The dy- tages Gained namic booming development of Kansas City, Missouri at the turn of the century Examination of the five opportunities might have initiated a cohesive metropoli- presented by Kessler's designs in Missouri tan area. However, despite many possibili- for extensions across the state line reveal a ties, turn of the century proposals for one range of factors influencing development. Kansas City united through government, Moving north to south, these potential economic development andlor physical connections are with Kessler's Kansas City, connections went unheeded. Kessler's plan Kansas plans, Valentine Road, Roanoke offered several opportunities for connec- Parkway, Ward Parkway and Meyer Boule- tions but very few extensions were actually vard. This review examines the influence 53 made. of Kessler's design criteria on the visual I and physical character of adjacent land the limited system Kessler proposed never I use, roadway design, and plant materials materialized and by 19 13 the city had 54 use and the continuation, or lack thereof, retained another landscape architect (Hare across the state line. and Hare, 1913; Kansas City Star 1908, February 19). Kessler's Plan for Kansas City, Valentine Road in Roanoke Park Kansas Moving south, the second opportunity for a The first opportunity for continuation of boulevard connection between Missouri the Kessler plan into Kansas came in and Kansas, Valentine Road, was devel- Kansas City, Kansas where he was em- oped and advertised as a parkway within a ployed to prepare plans for a park and park. To enhance this image, the develop- boulevard system for the West Side (Kan- ers added 1,500 shade trees to the already sas City Star 1907, May 23). The intent wooded area (Kansas City Star 1907, June was to follow one general scheme for both 30). Valentine Road and other boulevards the East and the West Sides and "then, the wind through Roanoke Park. Today, perfected harmonious park scheme of the Roanoke Park is a little bedraggled and East Side and the West Side, connected by some of the adjacent homes are a little the two channels of communication, will be worn, but the rustic stonework, the spread- in reality one system, encompassing the ing shade trees, and the dramatic rolling one city" (Kansas City Star 1907, April 29, topography still provide a graceful setting p.