Kansas City Pictoral History
The book, Kansas City Then & Now, is a fascinating collection of historical photographs of Kansas City dating back to the 1860s. The book sets these historical images next to that of the same scene in the year 2000. According to the author, “this book aims to evoke the world of the past and set it in today’s context.”
I have this book myself, and I seem to never tire of it. Every time I pick it up I seem to see something different, even if I have viewed the photo before. I love to look at the photos of downtown Kansas City and try to figure out where it is and what direction it’s facing. Also, there is a striking image of a Brookside intersection that looks so barren – like freshly cleared farmland! It’s hard to imagine my neighborhood before these homes were built.
This is a great coffee table book – it has an attractive cover, and one can sit and flip through the photographs without having to read too much text. It’s an excellent conversation starter.
