Exploration and settlement Kansas City, Missouri

kansas city pioneer square monument in westport features pony express founder alexander majors, westport/kansas city founder john calvin mccoy, , mountain-man jim bridger owned chouteau s store.

the first documented european visitor kansas city Étienne de veniard, sieur de bourgmont, first european explore lower missouri river. criticized response native american attack on fort détroit, had deserted post fort commander , avoiding french authorities. bourgmont lived native american wife in village 90 miles (140 km) east near brunswick, missouri, illegally traded furs.

to clear name, wrote exact description of louisiana, of harbors, lands , rivers, , names of indian tribes occupy it, , commerce , advantages derived therefrom establishment of colony in 1713 followed in 1714 route taken ascend missouri river. in documents, describes junction of grande riv[ière] des cansez , missouri river, making him first adopt names. french cartographer guillaume delisle used descriptions make area s first reasonably accurate map.

the spanish took on region in treaty of paris in 1763, not play major role other taxing , licensing missouri river ship traffic. french continued fur trade under spanish license. chouteau family operated under spanish license @ st. louis in lower missouri valley 1765 , in 1821 chouteaus reached kansas city, françois chouteau established chouteau s landing.

after 1804 louisiana purchase, lewis , clark visited confluence of kansas , missouri rivers, noting place build fort. in 1831, group of mormons new york settled in become city. built first school within kansas city s current boundaries, forced out mob violence in 1833 , settlement remained vacant.

in 1833 john mccoy established west port along santa fe trail, 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) away river. in 1834 mccoy established westport landing on bend in missouri serve landing point west port. after, kansas town company, group of investors, began settle area, taking name english spelling of cansez. in 1850, landing area incorporated town of kansas.

by time, town of kansas, westport , nearby independence, had become critical points in united states westward expansion. 3 major trails – santa fe, california, , oregon – passed through jackson county.

on february 22, 1853, city of kansas created newly elected mayor. had area of 0.70 square miles (1.8 km) , population of 2,500. boundary lines @ time extended middle of missouri river south ninth street, , bluff street on west point between holmes road , charlotte street on east.