Hidden Quivira
By Eric R. Johnson
In 1928 the center of population for Kansas City was far to the east of this area, and in early planning this fact must have weighed heavily on the minds of the principals of the Quivira Development Company, incorporated in 1928. Their promotional literature of the day stretched credulity in some cases to minimize this issue. The development was promoted as A restricted summer home, country club, and suburban residence section, ten miles southwest of the Kansas City Union Station, eight miles west of the Country Club Plaza, and only thirty minutes from the downtown business section of Kansas City.
In truth, Union Station is about 10.5 miles and the Plaza about 10. But that is on a straight line, and in 1928 there were no straight routes to these locations. A promotional map entitled, “How to Get There,” shows a proposed County Line Road extension connecting with Lake Quivira (then called the Quivira Lakes Project). This never happened. Methods of transportation were also promoted in the 1928 brochure–a trolley line plus train and bus service to downtown. None of these occurred.
However, these promotional excesses pale when compared to an ad and article in the July 14, 1929, Kansas City Star. Expansive thinking or promotional hype, you be the judge. After reading these items, all I can say
is Mama pack up the kids and jump in the Boston Whaler we’re going to Chicago.
1929 KC Star Article
