I notice in my 1950 U.S. Census that the population of my two census track were a total of 11,374. The population of the 2010 U.S. Census for my two tracks were 4,443. There has been a big change in population in my area over the last 60 years. U.S. 71 Highway split right down the middle of one of my census track destroying a lot of houses.

The first map that I was able to find for my blocks was the 1909-1917 Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps. According to the map there wasn’t very much development on E. 44^th Street to E. 46^th Street. There was a blacksmith shop with a coal shed, a feed store, a henhouse and only nine houses on the Prospect from 44^th Street to 45^th Street. The blacksmith and feed store in the maps gave me the idea that cars weren’t very popular at the time due to them maybe being expensive and still a brand new inventions. kansascity1906-1917vol-61917sheet776