A Few of Our Favorite Resources:
If a KC Footnotes tour sparked your curiosity, you’re in good company! Kristina loves Kansas City, loves uncovering its fascinating history, and especially loves sharing it with others. These are just a few of her favorite books, documentaries, and resources for guests who want to dive deeper into the people, places, and stories that make Kansas City so fascinating. Additionally, Kristina is also available as a freelance speaker for groups and organizations.
Articles by Kristina Light
General Kansas City History & Architecture
- The Kansas City Spirit: Stories of Service Above Self by Bruce Mathews, Mamie Hughes, Andrew Kaplan, Christopher Leitch, and others – Inspiring stories of remarkable Kansas Citians who did great things for our city.
- Kansas City Houses, 1885–1938 by Michael C. Kathrens – Beautiful coffee table book with photos of exteriors and interiors, as well as the stories of our city’s grandest homes.
- Historic Photos of Kansas City by Lara Copeland – Collection of photos of downtown Kansas City through the years.
- Kansas City, Missouri: Its History and Its People (Volumes 1–3) by Carrie Westlake Whitney – Anthology of history compiled by the Kansas City Public Library System’s first head librarian.
- Built for the Ages: Kansas City’s Historic Public Buildings by George Ehrlich – Excellent guide to city archeticture.
Kansas City Women’s History
- Kansas City Women of Independent Minds by Jane Fifield Flynn – My favorite resource on the women who made this city great.
- The Golden Lane: How Missouri Women Gained the Vote and Changed History by Margot McMillen – The story of the women who worked to pass the 19th Amendment.
- The Abduction of Nelly Don: Based on a True Story by Patrice Williams Marks – The story behind one of the most famous kidnappings in Kansas City.
- Nelly Don: A Stitch in Time (film) – Fantastic film on the life of fashion mogul and Kansas City businesswoman, Nell Donnelly Reed.
Kansas City Mafia & Political History
- Wide-Open Town: Kansas City in the Pendergast Era by Diane Mutti Burke, Jason Roe, and others
- The Mafia and the Machine: The Story of the Kansas City Mob by Frank Hayde
- Black Hand / Strawman: The History of Organized Crime in Kansas City by Terence Michael O’Malley
- The Pendergast Machine by Lyle W. Dorsett
- The FBI Story film starring Jimmy Stewart, tells the story of the Union Station Massacre.
Border Wars: Missouri & Kansas
- Bleeding Kansas, Bleeding Missouri: The Long Civil War on the Border by Jonathan Earle and Diane Mutti Burke
- War of the Border: The Civil War in Kansas and Missouri by Albert Castel
- George Caleb Bingham and the Border Time West by Paul C. Nagel
Note: All books listed are available through local public libraries. Many are also available on Kindle or through Amazon.
