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| Title | Fairmount Park |
| Description | Postcard of Fairmount Park |
| Historical Article | For years Fairmount park, at the city's eastern limits, was Kansas City's No. 1 bathing beach and amusement park. An 8-acre lake, fed by Cusenbary's springs and a 2,000-acre watershed, emptied into Sugar creek.
Arthur E. Stilwell, Kansas City railroad builder, master-minded the park in 1897. A branch railroad called the Independence Air-Line stopped at Fairmont on the run from Kansas City. Many traveled to the park by horse-drawn buggy on dusty roads.
The 50-acre recreation area offered Shakespearian stock, Swiss Bell Ringers, aerialists, stirring band music, giant dipper rides, zoo. 9-hole golf course, swimming, boating, horse-racing and horse shows. Loula Long made her riding debut there when still a girl in braids. Elaborate fireworks attracted 53,000 to one Fourth of July celebration
Eight cottages with no cooking facilities were owned by such personages as Walton Holmes, Neal S. Doran, auditor for the Stilwell interests, and A. S. Van Valkenburgh. The guests gathered for meals at a large dining hall and the crowd would include people like William Jennings Bryan, theatrical stars, local Kansas City society and James A. Reed who usually spoke on Labor day.
At the race track there a group of young blades formed a club which later became the Kansas City Athletic club. And actually the horse shows held at Fairmont were forerunners of our present American Royal Horse show.
Water pollution, the depression and fires ended park operation in the mid'30s. A chain grocery occupies the site of the old park entrance at U.S. 24 highway and Willow. The bath house shown in the picture has given place to the Sugar Creek ball park.
Kansas City Star
July 6, 1968
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| Author | Ray, Mrs. Sam (Mildred)
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| Item Type | Postcard |
| Collection | Mrs. Sam Ray Postcard Collection (SC58)
See finding aid: http://localhistory.kclibrary.org/u?/Local,36981 |
| Location | SC58 |
| Local Subject | Parks
Fairmount Park
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| Digital Format | JPEG |
| Barcode | 20000021 |
| Repository | Missouri Valley Special Collections, Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City, Missouri |
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