More than just a Midwestern town, Kansas City stands out for its commerce, industry, and culture- among other aspects of this diverse metropolis.  Located on both banks of the Missouri River and expanding through the states of Kansas and Missouri, Kansas City, known as the "Heartland of America," enjoys a quality of life and standard of living higher than that of most other cities.  Tree-lined boulevards, spacious parks, and lavish fountains (of which only Rome boasts more) show a careful regard for beauty in this, one of the cleanest, friendliest, and fastest-growing cities in the United States.

Kansas City grew from two frontier settlements that developed near the important transportation junction at the Kaw Bend of the Missouri River.  In 1821, French fur trader Francois Chouteau built a post to trade with the Native American peoples who visited the area.  In 1835, businessman John C. McCoy developed Westport, a provisioning point on the Santa Fe Trail, which grew during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) because of its location on the route to the California gold mines.  Meanwhile, the City of Kansas was chartered in 1853, and by 1889, Kansas City, as it was re-christened, grew sufficiently to annex Westport, becoming and remaining one of the most important transportation crossroads in the region.  The Santa Fe, California, and Oregon trails all originated in the Kansas City area, making it a center of activity and the true "gateway to the West".

With a metropolitan population at just over 2 million, Kansas City has become an important center of commerce and industry.  Corporations such as Sprint/Sprint PCS, Hallmark, H&R Block, Farmland, Bayer (agriculture division) and American Century affectionately refer to Kansas City as home.  Although agriculture is a major source of business, non-agricultural manufacturing, storage and distribution, rail transportation, and health care are all important sectors of the city's economy as well.  Important business and education leaders come from the many excellent colleges and universities located on both sides of the state line.Institutes range from the large University of Missouri at Kansas City and the University of Kansas Medical School to smaller schools such as Park University, Rockhurst University, and William Jewell College.  Kansas City is also headquarters of many regional federal offices such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Tenth District of the Federal Reserve System, among others.

A surprise to many, the arts and culture of Kansas City are some of its most impressive attributes.  The city is known for its BBQ and Blues and Jazz, and boasts more than 200 fountains, many of which are located in the Country Club Plaza.  The Plaza was the world's first shopping center concept, built in 1926 and modeled after Kansas City's sister city of Seville, Spain.  Not far from this impressive site is the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, a spectacular gallery featuring one of the world's largest collections of Asian art, particularly Chinese.  Home of the "jazz jam", the city offers many jazz performances on stage and in clubs, particularly in the 18th & Vine jazz district (home of the American Jazz Museum and Negro Leagues Baseball Museum).  Many theatrical performances are put on throughout the year, particularly during the summer in the outdoor Starlight Theater.  In addition, the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library, the Liberty Memorial and World War I Museum (the world's only World War I monument), the Linda Hall Library (the country's only private library designed for scientists and engineers), and the Stowers Institute (a cutting-edge biomedical research facility) all call Kansas City home.

In addition to the world class museums and the blues and jazz that have made Kansas City famous, entertainment is easy to find.  Royals' Baseball, Wizards' Soccer, and Chief's Football make Kansas City home for professional sports.  A bustling art gallery scene is alive in the Crossroads Arts District.  The newly-built Kansas Speedway has also contributed to development and tourism highlights found throughout the metro area.  There is no doubt that the many exciting aspects of Kansas City will spark interest in all people, but perhaps the most attractive feature is the one for which Kansas City is most famous: delicious barbeque and steaks!