The Pendergast name carries different meanings in Kansas City.

For some residents, it recalls the freewheeling “Paris of the Plains” era, when Boss Tom’s machine kept liquor flowing and nightclubs thriving, giving rise to the city’s distinct style of jazz. 

For others who value open governance and respect for law and order, it remains a symbol of corruption and political patronage.

Today, most Kansas Citians seem drawn to the city’s more colorful past. While that image fits well with throwbacks to its seedier side, it hardly seems like something the city would officially memorialize in a public place.

That’s why a KCQ reader found it odd to see the Pendergast name on a statue in West Terrace Park — and was even more surprised to learn it honored James Pendergast, not Tom as they had anticipated. The plaques on the monument offered only vague details, describing him as the “embodiment of truth” — also unanticipated — leaving the reader wondering who James Pendergast was and why the city chose to memorialize him.

Read the rest of the story at KCHistory.org.