• Folly Theater - This is the Folly Theater, another of Kansas City’s historic theaters. But unlike the Newman and Gayety, this one is still standing!

NOTE: This 1.7-mile-long tour covers the essentials of Kansas City in 1-1.5 hours.

• City hall - Curious about the history of this Art Deco landmark? Well, the story starts back in the 1920s. The improvisational sounds of bebop jazz filled Kansas City’s streets. Construction crews broke ground on new buildings almost every day.

• Jackson County Courthouse - This is the Jackson County Courthouse, built in 1934. Notice any resemblance between the courthouse and City Hall? You might, given that the same architecture firm designed both structures!

• City of Fountains CrossFit - In the decades after the Civil War, the population of Kansas City exploded. You’ll hear a lot more about the city’s role in the Civil War later on in the tour. As the population grew, more and more horses clopped through the dusty roads and broad avenues of Kansas City.

• Hotel Phillips Kansas City, Curio Collection by Hilton - In the early 1900s, the Glennon Hotel sat on this same corner. Inside the Glennon, you could shop at a small haberdashery. You might be asking, “Wait, what’s a haberdashery?” Basically, it’s a fancy word for a men’s clothing store. But today, we remember the Glennon Hotel haberdashery for its famous owner… Harry Truman!

• Barney Allis Plaza - When Allis took over the Gayety to expand his hotel, Kansas City lost one of its premier jazz clubs. And jazz was very important to the residents of Kansas City!

• Folly Theater - In the early 1900s, Kansas City residents could take a stroll down 12th Street and visit all three theaters! They could catch a movie at the Newman, see a jazz show at the Gayety, and enjoy a dramatic production at the Folly. You might recognize some of the actors and performers who graced the stage at the Folly: Shirley Booth, Humphrey Bogart, and even the Marx Brothers!

• KCK Fire Department Headquarters - When this station opened in 1906, it was considered one of the best fire stations in the whole country! This makes sense, because Kansas City actually has a long history of stellar firefighting.

• Mark Twain Statue - The statue honors one of Missouri’s most famous writers. Twain grew up in the small city of Hannibal, Missouri. Although Twain’s family remained fairly poor, he looked back on his childhood with a great deal of nostalgia.

• Majestic - The bar first opened in 1911, when James Fitzpatrick decided that the Quality Hill neighborhood needed a quality place to have a drink. You’ll recognize the name of Fitzpatrick’s most important business ally… our old friend, Tom Pendergast!

• Garment District - Kansas City’s Garment District was one of the largest in the country, second only to NIn the 1930s, ew York. Dedicated workers bustled through the streets, rushing to various factories where they would sew all manner of shirts, pants, and dresses. During this time, nearly a quarter of all clothing in the United States came from Kansas City. Pretty cool!

• 21c Museum Hotel Kansas City - In the early 1900s, the Savoy became one of the city’s fanciest steakhouses. Remember the Glennon Hotel, where Harry Truman owned a haberdashery? Well, when Truman got hungry after selling hats and ties, he would walk the few blocks to the Savoy Hotel for lunch. He always sat in Booth No. 4, where he liked to order a well-done steak with light vegetables.

• New England Building - The beautiful brownstone apartment building on our left is the New England Building. It might be hard to believe, but the New England Building was once the tallest building in the whole city! How times have changed!

• New York Life Building - This stately brick-and-brownstone building is the New York Life Building. When construction finished in 1890, the New York Life Building became Kansas City’s first skyscraper! If you’d like more about the construction of this skyscraper, click Learn More.

• Muse of The Missouri Fountain - That’s the Muse of the Missouri. Kansas City banker James Kemper commissioned this statue in 1962 in honor of his son, who was killed in action while fighting the Nazis during World War II. The statue depicts one of the Greek Muses carrying a fishing net. And, like so many of Kansas City’s statues, it’s also a fountain!

• Commerce Trust Building - As you admire Kansas City’s second-oldest skyscraper, let me tell you a little more about one of the most famous Confederate bushwhackers in Missouri history: William Anderson, also known as “Bloody Bill.”

• Ilus W. Davis Park - Mayor Davis first won election in 1963, in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement. One of Davis’ most significant challenges came on April 9th, 1968. Just five days earlier, Martin Luther King Jr. had been murdered in Memphis, Tennessee.

• Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone
• Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
• Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
• Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
• Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
• Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
• Learn more: dive deeper into any story you enjoyed with extra stories.
• Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!

• Folly Theater Parking fee is $10.