54th Street Neighborhood

The 54th Street neighborhood is an area just off of Bruce Watkins between 53rd and 55th Streets from Chestnut to Bellefontaine that is one of the historically African American enclaves, similar to Steptoe in Westport or the White Oak neighborhood. This neighborhood originally extended to Prospect, but the western half of the neighborhood was demolished as part of the highway construction.  While the area was impacted by the highway, there are still long-term residents that call the neighborhood home.

The area was platted in 1887 as Mozier Place by George and Ann Mozier.  The east half of the neighborhood was platted as Dunbar Park in 1911. There isn’t any documentation of why African Americans settle in the neighborhood.  A review census records showed that many of the African American residents owned their home.  The residents work at factory jobs, packing houses, railroads, beauty shops, postal clerk, stone mason, cooks along with other professions.

One of the local landmarks of the neighborhood is the old Wheatley Public School located at 54th & South Benton. The school was originally located at 54th & Prospect and according to a Call article, the land was given to create the school by  Ann Mozier.  The school originally consisted of a one room school and a second one school building that was added later.  These two buildings were moved to the current location in 1928 and a two-room school added to the site.  You can see all three buildings in the 1940 tax assessor photographs.  After the school as closed in the 1950s, Willis Chapel purchased the building.

Do you have any history on the neighborhood or residents? Please let us know at kchp@kcmo.org

Sources:

Carney, Mildred. “100 Plus Years in the 54th Street Neighborhood.” The Kansas City Call. October 12-18, 2020.

Sanborn Map Company. Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri, Volume 3 1909-1950. Courtesy of the Kansas City Public Library, Missouri Valley Special Collections. kchistory.org

1940 Tax Assessment Photographs. Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri, Courtesy of the Kansas City Public Library, Missouri Valley Special Collections. kchistory.org