[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 139 (Tuesday, August 27, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1076-E1077]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING THE ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BROOKSIDE SHOPPING 
                                DISTRICT

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                          HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, August 27, 2019

  Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate 
one hundred years of Brookside, Kansas City's first suburban shopping 
area. It brings me great joy to

[[Page E1077]]

have such a historically significant establishment in Missouri's Fifth 
Congressional District.
  Located in the Brookside neighborhood of Kansas City at 63rd Street 
and Brookside Boulevard, the historic shopping district was founded on 
September 1, 1919. Headlining the Country Club District Bulletin as 
``the first group of neighborhood shops'', it brought a sense of 
utility and practicality. Construction for the Brookside Shopping 
District began before World War I and would be completed over the next 
decade. An innovative undertaking that proudly followed the model of 
other developments taking place across the United States, particularly 
Yorkship Village, New Jersey. Like the historic Yorkship Village of 
1918, the Brookside Shopping District emerged steadfast in its goal to 
meet the needs of the community it served. In its founding, the 
district consisted of grocery and drugstores, medical offices, a 
community center, as well as the first southside police and fire 
stations, providing all the necessary resources for the community in a 
neighborhood-focused model. In the same spirit, one hundred years 
later, this welcoming and vital collection of businesses serves as a 
hub of a community and exemplifies a model neighborhood center.
  To this day, the Brookside Shopping District continues to add to 
Kansas City's rich historical fabric by providing community members 
with a charming, diverse place to shop and experience the city's 
history. Brookside is home to over eighty shops, restaurants, and 
offices; all unique while keeping with the original neighborhood allure 
and design. Moreover, in an effort to further promote the interests of 
individuals and property owners alike, the Brookside Business 
Association, originally the 63rd and Brookside Business Association, 
was founded in 1939. The association's efforts have ensured the 
continued improvement of the district, making it a better place to live 
and work.
  Today, the Brookside Business Association is a voluntary organization 
that preserves the history of the Brookside Shopping District and 
neighborhood, maintains an aesthetically beautiful area for all to 
enjoy, and ensures that the historic community center withstands the 
test of time for future generations to visit and appreciate.
  Madam Speaker, please join me in celebrating the Brookside Shopping 
District's tremendous milestone of one hundred years of service to the 
people of Kansas City and recognizing the district as a model for what 
good urban planning and stewardship can provide to its citizens.

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