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History

The Crossroads are the center for arts, technology, and foods. Hollywood needed a location in the center of the country to help with distribution. They chose Kansas City. The area was called Film Row. Film Row was in Crossroads. It used to be referred to as Mid Town. A Kansas City art institute professor Jim Leedy was looking for a place for artists. So he started buying buildings and renovating them for artists.

First Fridays

After the 911 attacks, artists had it really hard. So they created First Fridays. It's a time for people to look at art and make food.

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This creative center is home to numerous art galleries and studios of local artists. On the first Friday of every month, the district comes together to throw a half-indoor, half-outdoor block party with live music, vendors, and galleries that stay open late for cocktails and shopping.

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Jim Leedy, a ceramist and Kansas City art institute professor, is the one who single handedly started the neighborhood's transformation. He came to Kansas City and hated to find out there was nowhere for artists to express themselves. He was actually looking for a town when he found crossroads, he didn't have much money either so he renovated the place himself. When people started moving in, he was inspired to make the town bigger.

-Emaleigh Gutierrez

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The Crossroads hotel building served as a blue ribbon beer depot before the prohibition. Then, mob boss Tom Pendergast bought it as office space and to bottle illegal alcohol. It was discovered that the building had four huge vaults that were some of the strongest of it's time, which raises suspicions of what else the building was built for which was the inspiration for the hotel's unofficial nickname "The Hotel of a Thousand Rumors."

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Professor Jim Leedy singlehandedly started the transformation from a ghost town to a new and improved artsy destination. In the 1960s he came to Kansas City to teach but when he got here he learned that there was no place in town for artists to show their work. He went out looking for a place to start his work in the 1980s. Crossroads wasn't his first decision. Westport was but the rent was to high but then he found the  Crossroads, and he started his own building.
Santana Hiatt

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At first crossroads did not have a name but then people started to call the business there The Crossroads Businessmen's Neighborhood Association. In the 1920's, some Hollywood studio were there and now there are art galleries, local eateries, boutique shops and, several prominent KC production companies. Most of the old offices and buildings from the big studios are still standing and make up the only Film Row in the country.
- Emmy McFather

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Kansas City used to export some of HollyWood's greatest stars! In Cross roads we should fine Kansas Cities very own walk of fame. The Old Film Row is a rare piece of history that's still surviving today. The Cross Rodas hotel is only 2 years old but the building it rests in has more than 100 years of history. It was first built in 1911.
- Jacy Bush

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Crossroads is a thoughtful reimagining of the Pabst Brewing Depot, built in 1911. A time when Percheron horse-drawn teams paraded the streets with wagons loaded with beer. When Prohibition came, KC political boss Tom Pendergast bought both buildings, using them as an office and, according to legend, to bootleg liquor.
-Michaela Volk

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4 blocks spanning between 17th through 19th the area was home to top tier film distribution centers. The offices facilitated films across the country for companies like Warner brothers, Paramount, Universal, and even disney. Not only did it distribute films it produced some great stars like Joan Crawford, Walt Disney, Jean Harlow, and many more. At 18th st, you'll find Kansas City's own walk of fame
- Luci Diaz

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How Crossroads Became An Artist District 

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How Crossroads Became An Artist District 

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The ceramicist and Kansas City Art Institute professor Jim Leedy bought a run-down warehouse in hopes of turning it into an art studio after realizing there where limited options for artist in the area during the 1980s. Jim Leedy renovated the warehouse himself and created an art gallery and built studios on the second level of the building able to be rented out to artists. People began to move in and Crossroad slowly became an artist district.

- Emily Goeglein

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Artists Initial Reaction to First Fridays

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Artists Initial Reaction to First Fridays

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In the creation of First Fridays, the (at the time) usually empty district would become jam-packed and crowded one night a month. Although this event was well received by many, it also garnered backlash from young artists who claimed that it was "garbage" and "too commercial". There was also growing concern that artists would eventually be priced out of the district they created. However, both of these issues remained short-lived as young artists instead shouldered their district's history with pride with the relatively slow growth of the Crossroads allowing for many artists to get their foot in the door, ensuring this district remained committed to the artists that created it.
Source

- Kora Wiedmaier

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Film History: Crossroads distributed music from studios like the Warner Brothers and Disney in the 1920's to the 1960s. It was one of the biggest film distribution centers nationwide.
The starting of First Fridays:  At first there was not a system for gallery showings and each artist did their own thing.  After 9/11 John O'Brien realized that they should band together and all have an event on the same day.  The artists all showed off their work on the first Friday of the month.  Over time first Fridays got bigger in scale.
-Addison Riemann

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In the 1980's, no one knew the crossroads had a name. It wasn't as popular as it is today. "The neighborhood had been kind of lost," recalls John O'Brien (opened one of the first galleries in the area.) "It wasn't really considered downtown for many many years."
-Alexis Helms

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In the 1980's, no one knew the crossroads had a name. It wasn't as popular as it is today. "The neighborhood had been kind of lost," recalls John O'Brien (opened one of the first galleries in the area.) "It wasn't really considered downtown for many many years."

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Crossroads hotel was once owned by a KC crime boss. There are many rumors about the "business" conducted there.
-Carpenter