Kansas City KS Moving Companies

Kansas City, Kansas

Kansas City is a sophisticated community offering many attractions, from a lyric opera company to five professional sports teams, and from world-class shopping to its famous Kansas City barbeque. A Midwest hotspot, those moving to Kansas City will discover a wonderful place for families and singles to live, work and thrive.

History:
The Kansas Town settlement remained substantial enough, however, to be incorporated in 1850 as the Town of Kansas and then as the city of Kansas in 1853. When the Missouri Pacific Railroad arrived in 1865, the City of Kansas at the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri rivers was found to be the perfect location for a railroad-distributing center. The first stockyards opened in 1870 and, after weathering the grasshopper plagues of 1874, the City of Kansas emerged as a wheat and grain exchange center. In the 1920s, Democrat Thomas J. Pendergast introduced machine politics to Kansas City, with mixed blessings. Although civic improvements were initiated, Kansas City developed a reputation for a corrupt government that functioned under "boss rule," a reputation that continued until 1940 when reformers were voted into office. Since then, Kansas City has prospered through urban redevelopment projects. As of 2005, $4 billion in major infrastructure improvements are planned or in progress. The development affects nearly all areas of Kansas City life: business, entertainment, arts and culture, residential housing and transportation. The local life sciences industry is also increasing Kansas City’s international impact.

Economy:
Kansas City area economy is a diverse one. The trade, transportation, and utilities category is the region's largest employer; government is second, followed by professional and business services, then educational and health services. In addition to the federal and state governments, local employers with more than 5,000 workers include Sprint, Ford Motor Company, Kansas City School District, and the University of Kansas. A number of companies have made recent announcements to relocate significant operations or expand existing operations to the Kansas City metropolitan area. These include Federal Express, Wausau Supply, Procter & Gamble, and H&R Block. The Kansas City area labor force is said to be well educated, motivated and highly productive. Production workers in Kansas City take fewer sick days than workers in 33 major metros. The local economy has managed to remain remarkably steady, largely due to its diversity.

Tourism:
Head over to the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial. The museum is the only American museum solely dedicated to preserving the objects, history and personal experiences of a war whose impact still echoes today. With one of the greatest collections of World War I artifacts anywhere in the world, the state-of-the-art complex uses interactive technology to bring history to life. Next, the Steamboat Arabia Museum is a slice of life from the 1850s, a display of much of the cargo of a sunken steamship that had lain hidden under mud when the river changed course. It is the perfect way to learn what life was like to pioneer in the west. The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum opened in 1991, and is a tribute to some of baseball's finest unknown players. Country Club Plaza (or “The Plaza”) is an upscale shopping district featuring romantic European fountains and sculptures, designer shops and fine restaurants. For family fun, head to Worlds of Fun. A wild amusement park, Worlds of Fun is home to the Mamba, one of the world's tallest and fastest roller coasters. Finally, the Harley Davidson Factory Tour is a must-see. There you will experience how the assembly line works and how long it takes one person to build an entire motorcycle. Don’t forget to stop by the gift shop before you leave.

Colleges/Universities:

• Donnelly Colleges
• Kansas City Kansas Community College
• University of Missouri – Kansas City

Interesting Facts:

• The Kansas City Barbecue Society reports that KC has more barbecue restaurants per capita than any other city in the nation.
• Jazz has been a staple of the KC music scene since the 1920s with artists like Count Basie, Bennie Moton and Jay McShann. Charlie "Bird" Parker, who was born in Kansas City, Kan., grew up during this era.
• KC ignored Prohibition during the 1920s, leading to an abundance of jazz clubs, brothels and gambling halls. This earned KC the moniker “The Paris of the Plains” after one journalist wrote “If you want to see some sin, forget Paris and head to Kansas City.”
• Walt Disney opened his first animation studio in Kansas City, Laugh-O-Gram Studios. He fed a small mouse in the building, which he later said was his inspiration for Mickey Mouse.
• KC is home to the largest maker of boxed chocolates in the world. Based here since 1932, Russell Stover Candies still hand dips more than 25 million pieces of chocolate each year
• The scoreboard at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs, was the first to transmit instant replay.