IN THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE OF JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI
Title
A RESOLUTION celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Kansas City Public Library's Westport Branch.
Intro
RESOLUTION NO. 21188, March 7, 2023
INTRODUCED BY Manuel Abarca IV, County Legislator
Body
WHEREAS, in the late 1800s, the Westport community recognized the importance of having a library for the public and led a campaign to establish a library; and,
WHEREAS, Arthur M. Allen, a former Jackson County presiding judge, and his associates pushed a bill through the Missouri General Assembly to provide funds for the construction of such a library; and,
WHEREAS, a plot of land was purchased for $1,800, and construction of the library began in 1896; and,
WHEREAS, the library opened its doors on February 22, 1898, becoming the first branch of the Kansas City Public Library system; and,
WHEREAS, the Westport Branch is celebrating its 125th anniversary, marking it as the oldest library facility in Kansas City, a significant milestone in the history of the Westport area; and,
WHEREAS, the Westport Branch has served as a cornerstone of the Westport neighborhood, anchoring the historic trading post and becoming a treasure of the community; and,
WHEREAS, the Legislature acknowledges and recognizes the Westport Branch's prominent historical significance in this area of the County as one of the oldest buildings left in Westport; and,
WHEREAS, preservation, education, and celebration, could not be done without the work of organizations like the Historic Kansas City Foundation; and,
WHEREAS, the Westport Branch survived a period of uncertainty in the mid- to late-1980s and underwent extensive renovation in 1998, maintaining its historic significance and continuing to serve as a vital resource to the community; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the County Legislature of Jackson County, Missouri, that the Legislature recognizes the 125th anniversary of the Westport Branch of the Kansas City Public L...
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