Westport, Missouri – Legends of America
Nestled within the vibrant tapestry of modern-day Kansas City, Missouri, lies Westport, a neighborhood steeped in history and brimming with tales of pioneers, traders, and tumultuous battles. Once an independent and bustling town, Westport played a pivotal role as the launching point for westward expansion, serving as the gateway to the California, Oregon, and Santa Fe Trails. Its strategic location and thriving commerce also made it the site of one of Missouri’s most significant Civil War engagements.
The Rise of a Frontier Outpost
The story of Westport begins in the early 19th century when the Santa Fe Trail opened in 1821, beckoning traders to venture westward with their goods. Recognizing the potential of the Missouri River as a vital transportation artery, these merchants sought the farthest navigable point to offload their cargo before embarking on the arduous journey to Santa Fe, New Mexico.
As steamboats pushed further upriver, Westport Landing emerged as the preferred disembarkation point in the 1830s. Situated just before the river’s northward bend, this strategic location offered traders a convenient access point to the trails leading west.
The first intrepid settler to establish a foothold in the area was Daniel Yoacham, who migrated with his family from Tennessee. He constructed a humble log house that soon transformed into a welcoming hostelry and tavern. Located at the intersection of present-day Westport Road and Mill Street, Yoacham’s establishment became a popular gathering spot for trappers, hunters, traders, Native Americans, and soldiers, fostering a vibrant atmosphere of cultural exchange and commerce.
In December 1831, Reverend Isaac McCoy and his family arrived, dedicating themselves to serving as Baptist Missionaries to the Native Americans. Reverend McCoy erected a spacious log house on a hill at the present-day intersection of 43rd and Wornall, where St. Luke’s Hospital stands today, further solidifying the area’s growing presence.
The Visionary Founder: John Calvin McCoy
In 1833, Reverend McCoy’s ambitious 22-year-old son, John Calvin McCoy, embarked on a path that would forever shape the destiny of Westport. A surveyor by trade, John Calvin McCoy possessed a keen eye for opportunity and a relentless entrepreneurial spirit. He constructed a two-story log building on the northeast corner of Westport Road and Pennsylvania Avenue, intending it to serve as both a trading post and a residence.
McCoy partnered with J. P. Hickman and J. H. Flourney to trade with the Native Americans and mountain men, also providing essential supplies to wagon trains venturing westward. Merchandise for his store arrived via steamboats on the Missouri River, docking at Wayne City Landing near Independence, Missouri. This necessitated a three-day round trip for McCoy to replenish his store’s inventory.
Driven by a desire to streamline his operations, McCoy identified a rocky ledge outcropping on the Missouri River, approximately four miles north of Westport, in the spring of 1834. He carved a primitive path from his store to the ledge, located between what is now Delaware and Grand Streets, and persuaded Captain John Hancock of a steamboat to unload goods at the new site.
This new delivery point, known as Westport Landing, shortened McCoy’s round trip to a single day, significantly improving his efficiency. McCoy’s persuasive efforts soon convinced more riverboats to unload supplies and settlers closer to the trails, further solidifying Westport’s position as a vital transportation hub. Thomas A. Smart established the first trading house at the landing, marking the beginning of a commercial boom.
That same year, McCoy purchased land from Dr. Johnston Lykins, began laying out streets around his store, and christened the new town Westport, signifying its role as the westernmost entry point to the frontier. A post office was established in May 1834, with McCoy serving as the first Postmaster. In February 1835, a town plat was officially filed, marking the formal establishment of Westport. Initially, mail was carried on horseback from Independence to Westport once a week. Later, in 1839, a road was constructed across the state from St. Louis to Westport, enabling stagecoach mail delivery twice a week.
A Gateway to the West
Westport’s strategic location near the Missouri River and the westward trails quickly transformed it into a bustling hub for travelers and merchants. Outfitters flocked to the town, providing essential supplies such as food, wagons, animals, and other provisions to the countless wagon trains passing through.
The burgeoning town of Westport soon attracted a diverse population, including traders, trappers, missionaries, Native Americans, and gold prospectors. Renowned figures such as Kit Carson, Jim Bridger, and John Sutter frequented Westport, leaving their indelible mark on the town’s history.
Travelers departing from Westport followed a common trail that led to Santa Fe, Oregon, and California until they crossed the state line. They traversed Shawnee Mission, Kansas, and other landmarks before diverging at the trail junction west of present-day Gardner, Kansas, each embarking on their distinct journeys.
In 1836, William Chick, an early settler in Westport, built a brick house, a block from the Albert Boone home. Chick served as a postmaster and founded the Methodist church with his son-in-law, Reverend Nathan Scarritt.
In 1838, a group of 14 men, including John McCoy, William M. Chick, and mountain man William L. Sublette, purchased a 257-acre parcel encompassing Westport Landing for $4,220. They established a town company and founded the Town of Kansas, the precursor to modern Kansas City. In 1839, McCoy platted a 15-acre townsite. Over the subsequent years, McCoy diligently improved the rough road connecting Westport to the river, attracting Santa Fe traders who increasingly favored Westport Landing over those farther east. By 1843, the town boasted a tavern, a warehouse, and two houses, but further expansion was hindered by a legal dispute over the sale of the Prudhomme estate.
The Boone and Hamilton Era
In 1843, Albert G. Boone, grandson of the legendary Daniel Boone, and his brother-in-law James Gillespie Hamilton formed a partnership in a general merchandising operation at the corner of Westport Road and Pennsylvania Avenue. The building, constructed in 1851, had previously been operated as a store by the Ewing Brothers until Boone and Hamilton acquired it for $7,000. Their outfitting business thrived, supplying travelers with everything they needed for their westward journeys.
By the 1850s, Boone’s partners included frontiersman Robert Campbell, Charles A. Warfield, and William Bernard. With the opening of the Kansas Territory in 1854, Boone became an agent for Southern pro-slavery interests, and his store became a gathering place for Border Ruffians. However, as the political tides shifted in favor of Kansas becoming a Free-State, Boone’s reputation suffered. In 1859, he sold his business to Robert Campbell, his home to James Bridger, and relocated to Colorado. Today, Boone’s building still stands at 500 Westport Road, now home to Kelly’s Westport Inn, a popular tavern in the Westport neighborhood.
Growth and Prosperity
Commerce flourished during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) with increased Santa Fe, Oregon, and California trade. The California Gold Rush of 1848 brought thousands of emigrants through Westport Landing, the town of Kansas, and Westport, all eager to strike it rich in the West.
In 1846, Allen B. H. McGee, a young entrepreneur, built a Sac and Fox Indian Agency in Westport. After three years of successful trading, he sold his interest, purchased John McCoy’s mercantile store, and expanded it. He then used the building as a hotel, unofficially known as the "Catfish House" due to the chef’s specialty of fresh-fried catfish. However, after just over a year, he sold his interest to Colonel John Harris for a substantial profit in 1847.
By 1848, McGee focused on the outfitting business, collaborating with prominent figures such as California Gold Rush pioneer John Sutter, explorer and soldier John Fremont, and mountain man Robert Campbell. McGee’s outfitting business thrived for over a decade until the outbreak of the Civil War. By age 45, he retired, living off his investments.
An estimated 10,000 immigrants purchased outfits in Westport in 1849 and 1850. Companies from all parts of the country came to Westport to organize caravans for journeys across the plains. Westport became a market for cattle, mules, horses, harnesses, tents, saddles, and all other equipment needed for travel.
Outfitting establishments lined Westport Avenue from east of Broadway to Mill Street, and similar stores and shops were located on Pennsylvania Avenue from 40th to 43rd Streets. Gold and silver bullion could be seen piled on the streets, being re-consigned and re-shipped, and money was plentiful. During this period, Westport was dotted with tents and wagons, resembling a vast army camp.
In 1850, Cyprien Chouteau of the renowned Chouteau family of fur traders built a trading post in Westport at 504 Westport Road, attached to Albert G. Boone’s supply store at 500 Westport Road. Chouteau, a slave owner, was eventually driven out during the Bleeding Kansas struggle before the Civil War. He fled to Kansas and later sold his supply store to Jim Bridger in 1866. The Chouteau-Bridger building still stands in Westport, though heavily modified.
The Harris House Hotel
In 1852, the original McCoy building, which Colonel John Harris had bought from Allen McGee, burned down. Harris, who had migrated from Kentucky to Westport in 1832, built the Harris House Hotel on the same site. The three-story brick hotel became a famous landmark on the Santa Fe Trail, hosting distinguished guests such as General John C. Fremont, Kit Carson, Albert G. Boone, Seth M. Hays, Colonel Alexander W. Doniphan, Jim Bridger, and General Stephen Kearny. The building, a historical asset and living monument to the overland trails, was unfortunately razed in 1922.
Jim Bridger’s Connection
While Jim Bridger had long been a prominent figure in Westport, he became more involved in 1853 when he bought a farm near 103rd Street and State Line and brought his family to the area. Though the fur business was declining, he continued to work as a guide and scout, returning to Missouri whenever possible.
Alexander Majors and Russell, Majors, and Waddell
In 1854, Alexander Majors, managing partner of the freighting firm Russell, Majors, and Waddell, established offices in Westport and bought property. In 1856, he built a two-story home and freighting office at 8201 State Line Road. His farm ran alongside State Line Road, the boundary between Kansas and Missouri, allowing him to conduct business on leased property in the Kansas Territory. Majors also operated a meat-packing plant. However, his investment in the Pony Express in 1860 led to losses that eventually crippled his freighting and stagecoach operations. By 1865, Majors sold his remaining assets and moved to Colorado. His home has been restored and serves as a museum.
The Harris-Kearney House
In 1855, John Harris built a home on a five-acre tract east of town. The two-story, all-brick, Greek revival house, known as the "Mansion House," overlooked the Santa Fe, California, and Oregon Trails.
After John Harris’s death in 1873, his daughter Josephine and her husband, Colonel Charles Kearney, moved into the house. The Harris-Kearney House was moved to 4000 Baltimore Avenue in Kansas City in 1922 and now serves as a public museum and the office headquarters for the Westport Historical Society.
Westport’s Incorporation and Early Governance
Westport was incorporated in February 1857, and Major Thomas J. Goforth was elected as the town’s first mayor. Goforth, who had moved to Jackson County from Ohio, served as a Justice of the Peace before becoming mayor.
The Shadow of Conflict: Bleeding Kansas and the Civil War
By 1858, Westport’s population was approximately 2,000.
During this time, the Kansas Territory, just a mile to the west, was embroiled in a fierce struggle over whether it would become a Free State or a pro-slavery state. This conflict spilled over into Missouri, with Westport often caught in the crossfire between abolitionists and pro-slavery sympathizers.
The violent border fighting before and during the Civil War led Westport businessmen, traders, and residents to seek safety in St. Joseph, Missouri, and Leavenworth, Kansas, which became the primary jumping-off points for trade and emigration.
In 1860, Jim Bridger reportedly purchased A.G. Boone’s two-story home, dismantled it, and reassembled it on his farm near New Santa Fe.
The Battle of Westport
The Civil War brought a new level of activity to Westport. From 1861 to 1862, Colonel Charles Jennison of the 7th Kansas Calvary commandeered the Harris mansion for his headquarters, forcing the family to relocate to the Harris House Hotel.
On October 23, 1864, the Battle of Westport, known as the "Gettysburg of the West," ended the Civil War in the West. Cannon fire damaged or destroyed many Westport buildings. Union Major General Samuel Ryan Curtis had his field command post on top of the Harris House Hotel to view the battle. The Wornall House served as a field hospital for both Union and Confederate troops.
The battle site is located two miles south of Westport’s center at Loose Park, where monuments commemorate the event.
Post-War Decline and Annexation
After the war, Westport never regained its former economic prosperity. The rise of the railroad signaled the end of the overland trails, and the once-thriving trade center became a small rural town.
In 1866, Jim Bridger purchased Cyprien Chouteau’s supply store, which his son-in-law operated.
By 1870, Kansas City’s population had exploded, reaching 32,260, while Westport’s Landing had become obsolete. The town of Westport was annexed to Kansas City in 1897.
Westport Today
Despite the changes over time, Westport’s legacy as a vital frontier outpost remains. Today, it is a thriving entertainment and shopping district, blending historical remnants with modern attractions. The area boasts unique restaurants, charming boutiques, and vibrant nightlife, all interwoven with the echoes of its storied past. Old-style lampposts, tree-lined boulevards, historic buildings, and a walking trail with historical markers recount Westport’s rich history, ensuring that its legends live on.