Kansas City Scout Statue

In a city known for its statues, fountains and excellent barbecue, The Scout (also known as the Kansas City Scout) is the most famous of the statues that keeps watch over Kansas City, Missouri. From the vantage point up high at Penn Valley Park, there are excellent views of nearby I-35 and the Kansas City skyline. The statue is placed in a historic area of Kansas City once known as the Penn Street Ravine, where pioneers once traversed as part of the Santa Fe Trail. So it was appropriate to place The Scout in an area that has historical significance.

The Scout is a 10 foot tall statue cast in bronze of a Sioux Indian on horseback, surveying the landscape. The statue was originally cast by renowned sculptor Cyrus Dallin in 1915 for the Panama Pacific Exposition in San Francisco. Dallin had a deep respect for America's indigenous peoples and some of his best known works were made in tribute to Native Americans. The statue won the gold medal and as the statue traveled toward the East Coast of the United States, it was temporarily installed in Kansas City. While the statue was never meant to become a permanent fixture in Kansas City, local citizens were so delighted with The Scout that they raised $15,000 to purchase the statue. The fundraising happened mostly through small subscription campaigns, with people paying in nickels and dimes to help raise funds. Once enough funds were raised, The Kansas City Scout was dedicated as a permanent memorial in 1922.

Since that time, The Scout has become a symbol and a mascot of Kansas City, Missouri. Several area institutions were named after the iconic statue, including Kansas City’s electronic traffic alert system, aptly named The Kansas City Scout. When the National Hockey League had a franchise in Kansas City during the mid-1970s, the team was named the Kansas City Scouts, finding inspiration from The Scout statue after the original nickname of Mohawks was shot down by the Chicago Blackhawks. Unfortunately for Kansas City area hockey fans, the team was not as popular as the statue, having moved out of Kansas City after two lackluster seasons. That team is now the New Jersey Devils, named for another legend in its own right. In 1992, Kansas City gifted a replica of The Scout to its sister city of Seville, Spain, sharing a symbol of this wonderful city on the border of Kansas and Missouri with the world.

Visiting The Scout statue is easily accessible from I-35 and Penn Valley Drive, the latter of which goes through Penn Valley Park. For me, it was a short walk from the tennis courts to be able to see this enduring symbol of Kansas City. It is a superb place to view the Kansas City skyline, the Power and Light District and the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. It is a great little stopover if you are passing through the Kansas City area.

The Scout peers into the distance.

I-35 is downhill from The Scout.

Penn Valley Drive and the Kansas City skyline.

Another skyline view.

A couple of parting shots of The Scout.

How to Get There:

Sources and Links:
KC Parks - The Scout
Flatland - curiousKC | The Story Behind the Sioux Scout
Libbie Bond - Kansas City Scout
The Kansas City Public Library - The Scout
The Pendergast Years - Scout Statue

2018 Mojave Road Trip Part 2; The deadly desert highway (California State Route 127 and Nevada State Route 373)

After leaving Barstow via Old Highway 58 my next destination was in Death Valley. To access Death Valley from rural San Bernardino County required a trek on north on Interstate 15 to California State Route 127 which becomes Nevada State Route 373 at the state line. Along I-15 I encountered the road sign oddity that is Zzyzx Road about eight miles south of Baker. Zzyzx Road is a four mile road that used to go to the Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Spa. The spa was founded in the 1940s and the owner made up the name "Zzyzx" to claim it was the last word in the English Language. The spa has been shut down since the 1970s and is now part of a Desert Studies Center for California State University. The southern terminus of CA 127 in Baker is located at I-15 exit 246. CA 127 is a 91 mile north/south highway which runs to the Nevada State Line in Inyo County. CA 127 is called Death Valley Road from I-15 northward. South of CA 127 ...

Finding the Pre-Emption Road of New York State

The Pre-Emption Road (or rather a series of roads named Pre-Emption Road) follows a survey line called the Pre-Emption Line, drawn in the early days of the United States. The story begins with Massachusetts and New York having competing land claims to modern day Western New York State that have their roots in colonial charters granted by the British. After the Revolutionary War ended, this land became the frontier of the nation and its settlement became a priority for the new American government. During this era, there were a lot of competing land claims that needed to be settled. It was no different with the land claims between New York State and Massachusetts. On November 30, 1786, Massachusetts and New York sent representatives to Hartford, Connecticut to resolve their competing land claims. In less than three weeks, the representatives had reached a compromise. Massachusetts would receive pre-emption rights, meaning the right to sell the land after the Indian title ...

What's In a Name?: When the Roads Really Do Tell a Story

Our tagline on the Gribblenation blog is "because every road tells a story". Some roads tell different stories than others. Along our travels, we may see historic markers that tell us a little story about the roads we travel or the places we pass by. Some historic markers are more general, as to telling us who lived where or what old trail traversed between two towns. During my travels across New York State and other states or provinces, I pass by many historic markers, some with interesting or amusing references to roads. I wanted to highlight a few of the markers I've seen along my travels around the Empire State and help tell their stories. Those stories may be as specific as explaining the tales of a tree that was used to help measure a distance of eight miles from Bath to Avoca in Steuben County, as referenced on the Eight Mile Tree historical marker above. They may also help point the way along historical roads first used centuries ago, or may help tell a local l...

Gribblenation

Search This Blog