In 1940, the Jackson Country Tax Assessor’s office worked with the Works Progress Administration to record a photographic survey of all standing buildings in Kansas City, Missouri. As a result, the office collected a manifest of thousands of images of residences, businesses, schools, churches and government buildings.
These records were kept as black-and-white prints mounted on cards designated by block at the Tax Assessor’s office. Many of these structures would not have been publicly documented without the photographic survey and, for some buildings, these images are the only remaining evidence that they even existed
1940’s Home Photo from Tax Assessor with Modern Transportation.
How You Can Access These Photos
The images are now kept online by the Kansas City Public Library, and you can view these records by visiting their website here which will take you to a Missouri Digital Heritage Hosted Collections page. This website provides background information and overview of the 40,000 different images in the collection.
Although the images are all kept on the same website, it can be confusing when trying to search the thousands of block cards scattered throughout the city. There are 55 district maps of Jackson County with detailed drawings of land plots and streets.
After finding the district map for your neighborhood, you will need to sort through the hundreds of block folders associated with each district. The best way to do this is to either skim the descriptions on the folders to identify your street, or to do a key-word search on the website to narrow your potential results.
One of the best parts of this photo collection is being able to look through the rich history of the Kansas City area. The fact that most of the photographed residences still stand demonstrates the quality home construction practiced by Kansas City builders of that era.
Speaking of Kansas City homes, when you’re looking to buy or sell your own home in Kansas City, would you prefer a Realtor who understands and cherishes the history behind the homes in these photos? Then Ellen Zetmeir might be a great choice for you! Ellen’s clients appreciate her extensive knowledge of the area as well as her appreciation of its past.
A Brookside Home from 1940 Kansas City Tax Register (District 12).
The same house today!
