Vaile Mansion Stands Proudly As A Kansas City Architectural Gem

If you like old homes and Kansas City history, then Vaile Mansion in Independence, MO is the place to go.

Even better, this Saturday will be the Vaile Strawberry Festival, an annual event held on the mansion grounds, which includes lots of strawberry treats and approximately 100 antique vendors/craft booths set up on the expansive lawn.

I can't stress enough that, if you do visit Vaile Mansion, be sure you take the guided tour of the mansion's interior.  It is like taking an instant and intimate step back into Kansas City's turbulent and affluent history.  

Built in 1881 in the Second Empire Style by Harvey Vaile, the landmark is a 31-room, beautifully restored home with a rich history.  It was home to Vaile's wife, Sophia, until her death in the mansion in 1883 and Mr. Vaile until his death in the home in 1894.  

Vaile Mansion was designed by Kansas City architect Asa Cross with nine marble fireplaces and  a beautiful wood/glass entryway into the home.  

Step through the tiled entryway into the 40-foot long grand hall, and you realize you have entered a different era. 

The tour begins with the drawing room (gentlemen's parlor).  This opulent space contains 14-foot ceilings, 11-foot windows, and is repainted in its original green color.  

Mr. Vaile was an abolitionist, teacher, lawyer, cattle rancher, major player in establishing the Republican party in Kansas City and an entrepreneur who established the Star Mail Routes, which ran mail and other freight between here and Santa Fe, NM.  With such a varied background, imagine the conversations that might have taken place in this room.   

From the drawing room, the house flows into the music room, which contains one of the mansion's original crystal chandeliers, an 1871 Lindeman Grand piano and a working Regina music box.  

The music room was probably one of the busiest rooms in the Vaile household and is adorned with a Vermont marble fireplace.

From there, the music room leads into the dining room, which has an outdoor-themed mural on the ceiling depicting amenities once on the grounds of the estate - including a pond, boathouse and greenhouse.

The table is made from what was once a square grand piano.

Past the dining room is the serving/warming kitchen (the cooking kitchen was in the basement along with some of the servants' quarters and laundry facilities) and the butler's pantry.

The kitchen contains an antique Acorn stove and a German icebox. The butler's pantry has lots of storage room for dishes, silverware and utensils.

To the southwest of the kitchen is the water tower room.  When Vaile Mansion was built, one of its many innovative features was a self-sustaining water supply.  The house had a 6,000 gallon water tower which allowed water to flow to the upper floors.  

Today the mansion is connected to city water and the tank has been removed.  The room is now set up as a breakfast/eating area.

Also on the first floor of the mansion is the informal parlor, which is where the Vailes would have spent their time when they weren't entertaining guests.

The informal parlor has original pocket doors that separate it from the ladies parlor and a red decorative theme.  It is the smallest parlor in the home and also boasts one of the home's original chandeliers.

The formal parlor is the last room open to the public on the first floor.  It has the most expensive mantle in the home, made from Italian marble. 

This is where Mrs. Vaile would have formally entertained ladies who came to the mansion.

Ascending to the second floor, you can see the original skylight in the roof, which lets in lots of natural light.  

The floors on the second story are original to the home, and this level contains a large hallway, a gift shop, two bathrooms, the master bedroom, guest bedrooms, the library and the nature's bower.

The bathrooms were built to have running hot and cold water, flushing toilets, and copper bathtubs, which was quite an extravagance at the time.

The guest bedrooms have a separate bathroom from the main bedroom.  

All the rooms feel cozy and spacious at the same time.

The main bedroom was the location of a scandalous ceiling mural - a mural of a woman who is nude from the waist up.  

Today the woman has a transparent piece of material shrouding her upper body.  It is a common tale that this controversial art kept Mrs. Vaile from being accepted by the "proper" ladies of society and that the woman in the painting is actually her.

The nature's bower (Mr. Vaile's smoking room) is quite an interesting room.  To make it seem as close to nature as possible, Mr. Vaile had dark green carpeting on the floor, and the ceiling is a dark blue with stars like the night sky.

The knotholes and imperfections in the variety of woodwork used in the nature's bower also makes it appear to be full of human and animal faces, and " J.H. Kay October 12, 1881" is mysteriously inscribed above the door.  

The library is where Mr. Vaile often worked when he was home.  

Here, visitors can read Mr. Vaile's obituary, see a desk which belonged to the home's architect, browse photos of the mansion's restoration, and view a beautiful donated mobile desk on wheels.   






The third floor of the mansion is not open to the public tour.  The original plans called for a billiard room and a ball room on this level, but it was never completed.  The basement of the home is also not open to the public.

Behind the mansion is the only standing outbuilding left on the once expansive property - the carriage house.  Today it is a private residence and not part of the mansion grounds.

After The Vailes passed, the mansion was used for a variety of functions including a women's college, an inn, a private asylum and for many years, a nursing home. 

In the early 1980s, the home was turned over to the Vaile Victorian Society who tirelessly renovated and restored the home and decorated it with vintage furnishings.   

Today, Vaile Mansion is on the National Register of Historic Places and is an Independence Historic Landmark.  

If you would like to see Vaile Mansion for yourself, it is located at 1500 N. Liberty in Independence and is open from April through October and again through the holiday season when it is decorated for a beautiful Victorian Christmas.  

April 1st - End of Oct
Mon-Sat 10 AM - 4 PM
Sun 1 PM - 4 PM

Closed for Decorating Nov 1-25.

Holiday Hours:  Nov 25 - Dec 30
Closed Dec 23-25
Mon - Sat 10 AM - 4 PM
Sun 1 - 4 PM

Admission $6.00
Children/Students $3.00
Seniors/Groups $5.00

If you plan on attending the Strawberry Festival on June 7th, the hours are 9 AM - 4 PM.  

Entrance to the grounds, which at one time included fountains, a 48,000-gallon wine cellar and arbors, is free.  

There will still be a fee for guided mansion tours (which take less than an hour.) 

Call (816) 833-1646 for more information about festival activities or (816) 325-7430 for more information about the mansion.

A Killer Tornado, A Kentucky Derby Winner and A Prominent Businessman Are All Remembered In Kansas City

What do a killer tornado, a Kentucky Derby winner, and the first Chairman of the Jackson County Sports Authority have in common?  They all have memorials located right here in Kansas City.

The Ruskin Heights Tornado Memorial

On May 20, 1957, at approximately 7:50 p.m., an F5 tornado ripped through the Kansas City metropolitan area.  Thirty-nine people died and 531 were injured.

The tornado’s path was approximately 71 miles long and at times more than half-a-mile wide.    It devastated areas of Hickman Mills and Ruskin, killing 25 people in that area alone.

Besides loss of life, property damage was horrific.  The Hickman Mills Bank at 107^th and U.S. 71 Hwy lost its south wall and had to be protected by the National Guard.  Ruskin High School along with more than 100 nearby homes and a busy shopping center took a direct hit, and cars on 71 Hwy were tossed in all directions.

Although it happened more than 50 years ago, the tornado is still one of the worst twisters to ever hit the Kansas City area.  The memorial to this tragedy is on Blue Ridge Blvd at the turnoff to Ruskin High School. 

Dedicated on May 18, 1958, this tall brick structure includes the names of those who perished along with a plaque outlining the path of the deadly twister, a reminder of a dark day in Kansas City weather history.

Video of the Aftermath of Killer Tornados Across The Heartland

Memorial and Gravesite of Lawrin – Winner of the 1938 Kentucky Derby

Located right in the middle of a cul-de-sac at 59 LeMans Ct. in Prairie Village is an unusual memorial and the burial site of Lawrin - the 1938 Kentucky Derby winner and only Kansas-bred horse to ever win the great race.  Buried beside Lawrin is his sire, Insco, who also was an experienced racehorse.

The well-kept graves are surrounded by a black wrought-iron fence, and the “mini-cemetery” even includes a nice informational board with several photos of the majestic Lawrin on the day of his Derby win.

The jockey riding Lawrin that day was none other than Eddie Arcaro, who went on to win four more Kentucky Derby victories.  It was Arcaro who skillfully urged Lawrin across the finish line when the horse started to tire and drift toward the middle of the track with only an eight of a mile left to go.

Lawrin’s memorial site was originally the site of Woolford Farms, which was owned by Herbert Woolf (of the Woolf Bros. clothing store).  Woolf sold the farm in 1955, the year Lawrin died.  The land today is now part of a gated residential community with an unusual memorial to a horse that briefly made Kansas City the talk of the country.

Video of Lawrin Winning the 1938 Kentucky Derby

The Dutton Brookfield Memorial

The Dutton Brookfield Memorial has a prime real estate space in Kansas City - on Blue Ridge Cutoff overlooking Kauffman and Arrowhead Stadiums.  

Dutton Brookfield was the chairman of the Jackson County Sports Authority in 1966 when he helped successfully convince Kansas City to approve a $43 million plan to build new baseball and football stadiums – which went on to become the Truman Sports Complex.  Brookfield claimed he took the job because “They came to me and said I was the only one who could get it done.”   He was right.

Brookfield was born in Kansas City and graduated from the University of Missouri.  In 1955 when his father passed, Brookfield took over the Unitog Co., which manufactures work uniforms.  

He also ran unsuccessfully for mayor twice – in 1963 and 1971 - and was a former president of the Chamber of Commerce.

Sadly, Brookfield died in 1979 from burns/complications he suffered in a tragic house fire.  He was visiting his summer home in Minnesota when a fire broke out in the kitchen.  Brookfield was severely burned.  His wife was also injured.  Henry Bloch (of H & R Block) and his wife, who were staying with the Brookfields at the time, escaped injury.

Today, Brookfield’s memorial proudly watches over the sports complex he helped create for Kansas City, a perfect place for his memory to enjoy the city that he guided and loved.

Little Known Pitcher Cemetery Is Rich In Kansas City History

Historic Pitcher Cemetery

Established in 1830, Pitcher Cemetery is not just a family burial plot, it is also the final resting place for pioneers, a Revolutionary War soldier, and the site of two mass graves.

Located at 3306 Blue Ridge Blvd. in south Kansas City, this small half-acre graveyard was originally established for the Colonel Thomas Pitcher family and is possibly the burial site of up to 200 people.  

Mystery Grave

Colonel Pitcher was a local pioneer and Civil War veteran who is believed to be buried in the cemetery's "mystery grave" along with his wife, Nancy,  and their young son, William. 

Ledstone Noland Gravesite

Not far from the mystery grave is the final resting place of Ledstone Noland, the lone Revolutionary War soldier in the cemetery.  Noland served as a Private in the North Carolina Militia from 1776-1783 and passed away in 1839.

Pioneer Headstone

Scattered throughout the graveyard are many unmarked stones.  These are the burial sites of pioneers who passed away from illness while traveling through the area.  Pioneers often could not afford carved headstones, so their graves were marked with simple stones.

Cholera Epidemic Mass Grave

The cemetery's two mass graves are located close together at the back of the property.  The first site holds the remains of cholera victims who died when an epidemic swept through the area between 1849 and 1851.  The second one contains those killed in a Civil War skirmish near the old Pitcher School House on October 21, 1864.  It is rumored that the grave contains both soldiers and civilians, but it is unclear exactly who is buried there.

Civil War Mass Grave

At one time, Pitcher Cemetery was in dire shape, but in 1990 it was restored by a group of caring volunteers and remains in good condition today for anyone who would like to explore it.  It is open to the public and has no set hours.  There is a small shelter house with a picnic table nearby and a small parking lot directly in front of the cemetery.

A bulletin board stands at the entrance of the cemetery with bits and pieces of odd and interesting information.  The graveyard itself feels secluded and is surrounded on three sides by thick woods.  This is important to know because if you don't use bug repellant here, the chiggers and mosquitoes will eat you alive!

As far as the overall feeling of Pitcher Cemetery, it emits somewhat of a heavy, sad aura combined with an old, historical vibe.  There are reports of strange lights, odd sounds, and mysterious shapes floating throughout the cemetery, but while I was there, I did not see anything out of the ordinary. 

If you decide to stroll through this hidden little historic gem, it should take no more than an hour and is a great little lesson in Kansas City history - definitely worth checking out!

Inside Historic Pitcher Cemetery

Kansas City's Spirit of Freedom Fountain Needs Expensive Repairs

Spirit of Freedom Fountain

Kansas City is known as the "City of Fountains" for a reason.  Except for Rome, it has more operational fountains than any other city in the world, including the Spirit of Freedom Fountain located at 4700 Cleveland Avenue.

Dedicated to the city on September 13, 1981, and erected from the dream of former Kansas City Council member and community/civic leader Bruce R. Watkins,  the Spirit of Freedom Fountain celebrates African American contributions to Kansas City and includes a 5,000-pound metallic free-form sculpture sitting atop a pedestal of cascading water which flows into a basin equipped with six clusters of water jets spraying directly into the air.  

The Spirit of Freedom sculpture was designed by Chicago sculptor Richard Hunt and is meant to capture the improvisational jazz feel of Kansas City.  The fountain was funded with money and donations raised through the Spirit of Kansas City Foundation, an organization set up by Bruce R. Watkins.  

A close-up of the Spirit of Freedom Fountain

Although still currently operational and available for for weddings, the Spirit of Freedom Fountain is on Kansas City's list of fountains in need of critical repair.  The iron base supports of the pedestal are visibly beginning to bulge out, and the cost to repair the fountain is $135,000.

According to Mark McHenry, the Director of Parks and Recreation, in a recent interview with Fox 4 News, Kansas City's capital improvement budget allots approximately $250,000 a year to maintain and repair fountains, which is not nearly enough to fix the city's multiple fountain problems.  

That is where the City of Fountains Foundation comes into play.  They are a nonprofit organization working to raise the needed funds to bring all of Kansas City's 48 publicly-owned fountains back to pristine working condition.  They believe that  Kansas City's fountains symbolize our world-class status and are a visual display of community pride. 

So, next time you are in the Midtown/Plaza area, stop by and check out the Spirit of Freedom Fountain and soak up a bit of Kansas City history.  

There is no parking available at the fountain itself, but you can park on a close-by neighborhood street or in the parking lot of the nearby Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Center and then easily walk to the fountain, which is just off of the Brush Creek Trail. 

A snow-covered Spirit of Freedom Fountain

Is Everyone In Kansas City Irish?

Browne's Irish Market - A K.C. Treasure

What is one of the biggest holidays in Kansas City?  Anyone who lives here will tell you it's St. Patrick's Day.  With a huge parade through the heart of town and big celebrations throughout the city, the entire area turns into a sea of frenzied green on that festive day.

If one of your favorite parts of St. Patrick's Day in Kansas City is eating Irish food, consider trying Browne's Irish Marketplace.  Through St. Patty's Day, they are offering a traditional Irish breakfast for $12.95 which includes rashers (bacon), bangers (sausages), eggs, potatoes, tomatoes, Irish soda bread, toast, coffee, Bewley's tea, and orange juice.  They also have several yummy holiday lunch choices like corned beef and Irish potato soup.  

Located at 3300 Pennsylvania, Browne's is only a block away from the St. Patrick's Day parade route, so it is a perfect place to start your holiday fun or to grab a bite to eat after the parade.  Even better, on St. Patrick's Day, Browne's is providing a large outdoor heated tent, live Irish music and dancers, bagpipers, a children's Irish village with inflatables, games, vendors and a bar for the crowds that are sure to be in the area. They will also be open expanded hours on Saturday, March 16, and Sunday, March 17.

Opened in 1887, Browne's Irish Marketplace is a Kansas City cultural and historical treasure.  Walk through their doors, and it feels like you have stepped back in time a hundred years (in a charming way).  At its current location since 1901 and still run by the family of the original owners, the worn oak planks on the floor creak as you step inside and try to absorb everything crammed into the store and on its walls (even in the bathroom).

The main room consists of an old-fashioned meat counter, tables and chairs for dining, and shelves of various Irish gifts and packaged foods.  If you decide to pop in at Browne's you will notice many "regulars" occupying seats in the eating area.  That's because their deli has such tasty food - and by the way, their egg salad sandwiches and chocolate chip cookies are delicious.  

Besides the main room, Browne's has expanded so there are now several more rooms stuffed to the rafters with Irish hats, home decor goods, kilts, hoodies, scarves, baby clothing, and so much more for the person who wants or needs anything Irish!

Browne's Irish Marketplace is usually only open through lunch, but once a month, they host "Third Thursday" and offer an Irish dinner, cold beer and live music from 5-9 p.m.  In June, they also host a street fair event.  

Whatever you decide to do for St. Patrick's Day, be safe, have fun, and consider checking out Browne's Irish Marketplace for a fun, tasty and traditional Irish holiday experience.