CLIFF DRIVE, NORTH TERRACE PARK. 
SWOPE PARK, WILD CAT HOLLOW DRIVE. 
TWO VIEWS IN PENN VALLEY PARK. 
parkways on easy natural lines and grades. These 
connecting links have become the centers for the 
best residential sections, tying them closely to- 
gether along easy, natural lines, supplying not 
only fine pleasure drives, but establishing perma- 
nent residential properties with increasing values, 
and — an equally important result — a stability of 
values. 
The principle, which was adopted by George E. 
Kessler, landscape architect for the Board of Park 
Commissioners since the inception of the work 
ness of the system taking advantage of natural 
conditions, all connected in one harmonious whole, 
has made it unique, and has spread its fame world 
wide. 
The main body of the book is given to a 
condensed, readable description of the in- 
teresting features of each park. The fol- 
lowing, referring to Penn Valley Park, is 
typical : 
landing, to Westport, passed through the park. 
The operating plant for the West Park District, 
located near 30th and Central streets, was com- 
pleted in 1910. 
The ten acres in the northwest corner of this 
park is to be devoted to playground activities. A 
large field house with administrative offices, shower 
baths, swimming pool, 60x102 feet; gymnasium and 
assembly rooms is under construction. This play- 
ground, when completed, will be one of the best 
and most fully equipped playgrounds in the city. 
This park contains eight tennis courts, which are 
NORTH TERRACE — PROSPECT POINT. 
THE PASEO — NINTH STREET FOUNTAIN. 
and whose creative genius has enabled the several 
boards to accomplish the splendid results that have 
been attained, was to follow nature as closely as 
possible, to adapt the planning to the natural con- 
ditions. The rugged characteristics of Kansas 
City’s topography was taken advantage of in the 
selection of all the larger parks which are naturally 
those giving the most picturesque and character- 
istic scenery as well as conserving the rough 
“topographic eccentricities’’ from the ruthless de- 
struction and marring by man’s hand and rescuing 
it from the ugliness that had already begun to 
appear in some places. 
The outer belt of the park and boulevard sys- 
tem with Cliff Drive on the bluffs, with its col- 
lateral levee boulevard as planned on the bank 
of the Missouri River on the north, the proposed 
Blue Valley Parkway on the east, Meyer Boulevard 
on the south and Ward Parkway in conjunction 
with West Pennway on the west is interlaced with 
an interior system which leads to the very heart 
of the city, bringing all parts of the city in 
touch with tine system. The very comprehensive- 
PENN VALLEY PARK. 
Located near the new Union Station, south of 
26th street and west of Main street. 
Area, 131.92 acres. 
Date acquired, 1900. 
Date completed in the present state, 1903. 
Cost of acquisition $ S70.759.60 
Cost of construction 312, 936. SO 
Cost of maintenance 122,221.15 
Total $1,305,917.55 
This is a rugged, picturesque park, near the 
new Union Station and the busineess section of 
the city — a park that is a gem, a real diamond in 
the rough. The land taken for this park was occu- 
pied by some three hundred houses, most of them 
very dilapidated. These have been removed and 
the land restored to its rugged picturesqueness, 
touched with landscape treatment and a system of 
drives that are surpassed in beauty by none. 
Broadway Hill gives a fine panoramic view of the 
business section. A branch of the old Santa Fe 
Trail from Kansas City, known then as Westport 
used by about 400 people per day. Three hundred 
lessons have been given in tennis to the begin- 
ners or those wishing to know special strokes. 
The largest percentage of these “students” have 
been business men. E’layground attendance during 
the season was 12,650. Games, folk dancing, sew- 
ing and basketry were taught. 
The illustrations shown on these pages 
are typical examples of the eighty views 
taken that adorn the pages of the book, 
making the little volume in effect a vastly 
interesting moving picture story of one of 
our most interesting park systems. 
The officers of the Kansas City Park | 
Board are: President, C. C. Craver; sec- | 
retary, Thomas C. Harrington ; landscape 
architect, George E. Kessler ; Ralph R. Ben- 
edict, assistant executive officer; Fred Ga- 
belman, engineer. 
