By Michaela Bishop
Northeast News
October 21, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Have you ever wanted to know what is so historic about the Northeast? Well, the Kansas City Museum can help you.

The Kansas City museum opened their latest exhibition “My Kansas City: the Heritage and Legacy of the Historic Northeast” earlier this month, on Saturday, Oct. 10. The exhibit runs until Jan. 16, 2016, and is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Guests of the exhibit are given the opportunity to write down and express what the Northeast means to them.

According to the museum’s website, the Historic Northeast’s past includes “legendary, lively stories and shared memories of magnates, immigrants, mansions, ethnic businesses, and more.” From culturally and ethnically diverse neighborhoods, active residents and neighborhood associations, monuments and natural resources, the Historic Northeast has deep, historical significance for Kansas City. The exhibit explains the history of the Northeast from 1895 to present day. The exhibit focuses on four aspects of the Northeast: school, work, church and recreation.

The exhibit is curated by Michael Bushnell, local historian and publisher of theNortheast News, and David Remley, local photographer and historian. Museum director Anna Marie Tutera, as well as Denise Morrison, Director of Collections and Curatorial Services, and graphic designer Carrie Maidment also had a hand in the making of this exhibit.

“I was really pleased with how it turned out and pleased with what it says about our neighborhood,” Morrison said, adding everyone has their own, special story about the Northeast. “Everyone has a different view from their neighborhood and how it’s grown, both good and bad. Mike has seen these changes and has a good background to showcase these changes.”

The exhibit features several archival collections and Remley created a 15-20 minute video of oral histories given by residents of the Northeast. Many of Bushnell’s postcards — famously displayed in theNortheast News— are on display, as well as photos and historical artifacts from other various sources, including the museum’s own collection.

“I pulled things related to the Heims family, Brewing Company or the Electric Park,” Morrison said. “We also have report cards, varsity letters, diplomas, yearbooks photos related to museum history, and an accordion from the Italian immigrant days.”

Morrison noted that some of the items on display are from current and past Northeast residents. Tutera said the overall purpose of this exhibit is to show the history of the Northeast community.

“We wanted to present an exhibit that focused on the history of the Northeast community and have it represent every aspect of the community from the last 100 years,” Tutera said. “We really hope that the Northeast community will come in and enjoy the exhibit and get a piece of history at the same time. We are very excited about this opportunity to present this wonderful history.”