194: Exploring the Industrial History of Kansas City with Scott Brown, Historic West Bottoms Association

Manufacturing Happy Hour

Places like Kansas City’s West Bottoms district make up the foundations of American manufacturing and industry. And in this episode, we head straight to The Ship, a unique bar in the heart of the historic West Bottoms district to meet with Scott Brown of the Historic West Bottoms Association and General Counsel at Faultless Starch.

We take a look back into the history of the area and why West Bottoms was put on the map thanks to its proximity to the Kansas and Missouri Rivers and the early railroads in the 1860s. Scott talks about why the region became such an agricultural hub and played an important role in the livestock industry of Kansas City. Today, the district is undergoing a period of revitalization, with investments in infrastructure being key to attracting new businesses and residents.

Scott highlights some of the area's top businesses, including Faultless Brands, which has been manufacturing starch products in West Bottoms since 1887. We also talk about the legendary American Royal BBQ events and why Kansas City BBQs may give Texas a run for its money…

Check out our Made Here City Series in collaboration with the Industrial Solutions Network.

In this episode, find out:

• How West Bottoms’ industrial history was shaped by the river and railways connecting Kansas City
• How the industrial background and area made Kansas City and the surrounding areas rich in agricultural history
• How Kansas City’s bridges connected different parts of the region, leading to expansion of the industry
• The impact of the stockyards coming to the region in the late 1800s
• The role of West Bottoms neighborhood in Kansas City cattle exchange history
• Where we see remnants of the old industry in Kansas City
• What is the American Royal today?
• The ultimate question: is Kansas City BBQ the best in the world?
• Why West Bottoms became a go-to district for haunted houses in Kansas City
• Why West Bottoms is thriving now and what you can find in the district today
• Why West Bottoms’ development is a model for other cities revitalizing areas

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Tweetable Quotes:

• "You don't give up on an area because it goes into blight, it goes into neglect, some decay. It's again, location, location and if you have the people there and it's cool, it will come about."
• "Before Kansas City came about, this area where we're in now was known as the French Bottoms. And located at the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri River, it was a natural place of trade and people were using the river at that time."

Links & mentions:

• West Bottoms, official site of the West Bottoms Business District Association, the organization dedicated to continued revival of our most historical area in downtown in Kansas City
• Visit KC, guide to the West Bottoms with most of this episode’s restaurant recommendations (and more) included
• The Ship, a simple exterior gives way to this cool speakeasy offering classic cocktails & live entertainment

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.