History is Alive and Well in the Hyde Park, Valentine and Plaza Districts
Since the 1800s, the historic Hyde Park neighborhood, situated near Armour and Gillham near Westport, has seen a
revival over the past years. This tree-lined neighborhood offers homes reminiscent of times gone by, featuring architectural styles predominately of three kinds: modifications of Colonial revival in brick, stone, and occasionally all-frame; the Kansas City “Shirtwaist” Style house with stone or brick lower story and frame upper, often with a bellcast gable roof; and bungalows.
Other styles represented are Victorian Romanesque, Queen Anne, Shingle Style, and Prairie School Style. Its close proximity to the Country Club Plaza, built by famed real estate developer J.C. Nichols, makes it ideal for city dwellers who want to live the true Kansas City lifestyle. With 15 blocks lined with over 150 of the most exclusive shops in the world, and dozens of fine restaurants, The Plaza is world renowned. Such events as the Plaza Art Fair, the spectacular Plaza lights that shine through the holiday season, and the Plaza bunnies that dot the streets each spring for Easter make this locale unmatched.
Apartments and homes in and around the area are some of the most prized pieces of real estate in the city. The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art is a short few blocks away, where over 500,000 visitors annually are greeted by the famed giant shuttlecock on the front lawn scape, and entranced by the over 35,000 works of art within.
The Plaza is also bordered by the Valentine neighborhood, which is also steeped in historic value. These homes bring families of all ages who treasure the woodwork and etched glass, not to mention the close neighborhood feeling that prevails from front porch to front porch.