816 Day (August 16) is the annual, city-approved celebration of all things Kansas City. Get your KC pride on by checking out this list of books and resources about the people, places, and history that have contributed to our community’s culture.

Put a Portal to the Past on your Phone

If you enjoy learning about the people and places that have made Kansas City what it is today, you’ll love browsing KCHistory.org, the online home of the Library’s Missouri Valley Special Collections. The site hosts a treasure trove of digitized photos, maps, postcards, and other historical materials that tell the stories of our city’s growth and development over time.

Want to carry a bit of KC with you on the go? We’ve selected a handful of historic images and made them available as background wallpapers for your mobile phone. Free to download and use on your device, these snapshots and postcard images can give your modern tech a bit of old-school style by showing off our community’s past.

Explore more stories, resources, and images at KCHistory.org.

Tip of the cap to our northern sibling, Toronto Public Library, for this idea!

Downloadable Cell Phone Wallpaper Graphics

Map of Kansas City school districts

1930
Portion of blue-line map of Kansas City, Missouri, showing boundaries for lower grade schools in the Kansas City School District. Produced by Gallup Map and Supply Company.

Download wallpaper | View original file

Streetcar on Main at 31^st Street

1957
View facing northeast showing Main Street south of where 31st Street crosses. An electric streetcar, cars driving along a portion of Main Street, and Midtown buildings can be seen.

Download wallpaper | View original file

Liberty Memorial Rededication

1961
Aerial view of crowd at base of the Liberty Memorial.

Download wallpaper | View original file

Stockyards, Kansas City

1910
Unidentified man with bulls.

Download wallpaper | View original file

Train Time – Union Station Lobby

1950
Interior view of two train passengers standing in the lobby of Union Station.

Download wallpaper | View original file

Truman Sports Complex

​​​
Aerial view of the stadiums looking south; shows baseball game in progress.

Download wallpaper | View original file

Union Station and skyline

1945
View looking north of Kansas City’s downtown skyline.

Download wallpaper | View original file

Walnut Street, North from 12^th Street

1909
Postcard of Walnut Street looking north from 12^th Street.

Download wallpaper | View original file

Power and Light Building

1931
Postcard of the Kansas City Power and Light Building at Baltimore Avenue and 14^th Street.

Download wallpaper | View original file

Charlie Parker Memorial sculpture

1999
At 17^th Ter. and the Paseo in the 18^th and Vine District. Designed by artist Robert Graham, it was unveiled on March 27, 1999.

Download wallpaper | View original file

Learn more about local history at KCHistory.org.