Neighborhood History
In the late 1800s, Pendleton Heights was developed as Kansas City’s first suburb from the original 200 acre Jones Farm. It is bounded by the Paseo to the west, Chestnut Trafficway to the east, Independence Boulevard to the south and Cliff Drive to the north. Recognized by Kansas City as a Historic District, Pendleton Heights has the distinction of being the oldest surviving neighborhood. Pendleton Heights boasts Kansas City’s first boulevard plus two others, two city parks, the original city reservoir, one of only two nationally listed urban scenic byways and the largest collection of Victorian homes in the city. The site of the city’s original Millionaire’s Row, the architectural styles include Traditional Victorian, Craftsman, Italianate, Eastlake, Shingle-Style, Richardson Romanesque, Folk Victorian, Kansas City Shirtwaist, French Beaux Arts and grand Queen Anne. There is even a castle on the bluff overlooking the East Bottoms and Missouri River. Currently only the Philip E. Chappell House (1836 Pendleton Avenue) is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, however, many more are capable of qualification.
During the 1880s, residents of what would later be called Pendleton Heights were rapidly becoming the peak of Kansas City Society. Many mansions were built here, some at the cost of $75,000 or more. These palatial homes were built for the well-to-do businessmen, lumber barons, bankers, lawyers and judges of Kansas City.
Some of Kansas City’s early civic leaders who established residence in this neighborhood were Jemuel C. Gates, owner of a wholesale shoe industry, real estate magnate and donor of the land along Independence Boulevard to be used for the construction of Children’s Mercy Hospital; W. W. Kendall, next door neighbor to and partner with Gates in the wholesale shoe business; Robert Gillham, builder of Kansas City’s early streetcar system; Charles B. Leach and John W. Merrill, both lumber barons; David T. Beals, founder of Union National Bank; and Churchill J. White, judge and founder of Commerce Bank.
The grand days of Pendleton Heights lasted until the late 1910s when, after World War I, the exodus of the wealthy began to move as the City expanded southerly. The area eventually became the gathering spot for Italian immigrants. By the end of World War II, all but a few of the grand mansions had been abandoned, vandalized or demolished, while many of the surviving homes had been sectioned into multi-unit apartments or converted into commercial use. Never again were houses built of such grand design and elaborate ornamentation.
Some of the current residents of Pendleton Heights can trace their heritage back to Italy. Pride in ownership is revitalizing the neighborhood, and many of the homes that had been converted to apartments or were run down from neglect are being restored to their former glory. Pendleton Heights is proud to claim the title of Kansas City’s oldest remaining suburb.
Historic Homes
Whenever you walk in Pendleton Heights, make sure you acknowledge the history as you pass.
At address 508 Garfield Avenue (left), a porte cochere adorns the south side of this Victorian wonder. Victorian architecture finds relevance in today’s urban culture.
Upon your arrival at 308 Garfield Avenue (center), you may not recognize the Jefferson Home for Women — a home for unwed mothers and later, a home for the ambulatory elderly.