Kaw Township is one of eight

townships A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, C ...

in Jackson County,

Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

, United States. The township is within the city of Kansas City. As of 2010 census, its population was 182,719. The township was established in 1827 through an order of the county court.

History

Kaw Township was founded in 1827, taking its name from the

Kaw River The Kansas River, also known as the Kaw, is a river in northeastern Kansas in the United States. It is the southwesternmost part of the Missouri River drainage, which is in turn the northwesternmost portion of the extensive Mississippi River dr ...

Geography

Kaw Township covers an area of and is within the city of Kansas City. It borders the Missouri River to the north, the state of

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...

to the west, Cass County to the south, and the rest of Kansas City to the east. The Kaw Township is within the Kansas City urban area.

City Market

The City Market is within the Kaw Township. Since its inception in 1857, the City Market has been one of the largest and most enduring public farmers' markets in the midwest, linking growers and small businesses to the Kansas City community. In addition, more than 30 full-time merchants are open year-round and offer specialty foods, fresh meats and seafood, restaurants and cafes, floral, home accessories and much more.

Downtown

Downtown Kansas City is an area of bounded by the Missouri River to the north, 31st Street to the south,

Troost Avenue Troost Avenue is one of the major streets in Kansas City, Missouri and the Kansas City metropolitan area. It is 10.7 miles long, from the north point at 4th Street to the south point at Bannister Road. History The street is named after the first ...

to the East, and State Line road to the West. Areas near Downtown Kansas City include the 39th Street District is known as Restaurant Row and features one of Kansas City's largest selections of independently owned restaurants and boutique shops. It is a center of literary and visual arts and bohemian culture.

Crown Center Crown Center is a shopping center and neighborhood located near Downtown Kansas City, Missouri between Gillham Road and Main Street to the east and west, and between OK/E 22nd St and E 27th St to the north and south. The shopping center is ...

is the headquarters of

Hallmark Cards Hallmark Cards, Inc. is a private, family-owned American company based in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 1910 by Joyce Hall, Hallmark is the oldest and largest manufacturer of greeting cards in the United States. In 1985, the company was award ...

and a major downtown shopping and entertainment complex. It is connected to Union Station by a series of covered walkways. The

Country Club Plaza The Country Club Plaza (often called The Plaza) is a privately-owned regional shopping center in the Country Club District of Kansas City, Missouri. Opened in 1923, it was the first planned suburban shopping center and the first regional shoppi ...

, or simply "the Plaza", is an upscale, outdoor shopping and entertainment district. It was the first suburban shopping district in the United States, designed to accommodate shoppers arriving by automobile, and is surrounded by apartments and condominiums, including a number of high rise buildings. The associated Country Club District to the south includes the Sunset Hill and

Brookside Brookside may refer to: Geography Canada * Brookside, Edmonton * Brookside, Newfoundland and Labrador * Brookside, Nova Scotia United Kingdom * Brookside, Berkshire, England * Brookside, Telford, an area of Telford, England United States * Br ...

neighborhoods, and is traversed by

Ward Parkway Ward Parkway is a boulevard in Kansas City, Missouri, United States, near the Kansas-Missouri state line. Ward Parkway begins at Brookside Boulevard on the eastern edge of the Country Club Plaza and continues westward along Brush Creek as U.S. ...

, a landscaped boulevard known for its statuary, fountains and large, historic homes. Kansas City's

Union Station A union station (also known as a union terminal, a joint station in Europe, and a joint-use station in Japan) is a railway station at which the tracks and facilities are shared by two or more separate railway companies, allowing passengers to ...

is home to Science City, restaurants, shopping, theaters, and the city's

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada ...

facility.

Federal representation

Missouri's 5th congressional district Missouri's 5th congressional district has been represented in the United States House of Representatives by Democrat Emanuel Cleaver, the former Mayor of Kansas City, since 2005. The district primarily consists of the inner ring of the Kansas ...

– all of Kansas City proper in Jackson County plus Independence and portions of Cass County. Currently represented by Emanuel Cleaver (Democrat) The

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...

operates post offices in Kansas City. The Kansas City Main Post Office is located at 300 West Pershing Road.

Transportation

The Kaw Township is serviced by six interstate highways and six U.S. highways. The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) was formed with the signing of a Bi-State compact created by the Missouri and Kansas legislatures on December 28, 1965. The compact gives the KCATA responsibility for planning, construction, owning, and operating passenger transportation systems and facilities within the seven-county Kansas City metropolitan area. On December 12, 2012, downtown Kansas City voters approved construction of a $102 million, 2-mile modern streetcar that will be operational by 2015. The line will run between

River Market The River Market (formerly known as Westport Landing, the City Market, and River Quay) is a riverfront neighborhood in Kansas City, Missouri that comprises the first and oldest incorporated district in Kansas City. It stretches north of the down ...

and

, mostly on Main Street. A new non-profit corporation made up of private sector stakeholders and city appointees—the

Kansas City Streetcar Authority The KC Streetcar is a streetcar system in Downtown Kansas City, Missouri. Construction began in May 2014. The system opened for service on May 6, 2016. The KC Streetcar is Free public transport, free to ride, as it is funded by a transportation ...

—will operate and maintain the system. There will be no fare charged initially, unlike many similar US systems. The city is planning to add multiple extensions to the starter line.

References

Kaw township, Jackson County, Missouri (MO) Detailed Profile
{{authority control Jackson County, Missouri Townships in Missouri