History of the Kansas City metropolitan area
The history of the Kansas City metropolitan area started in the 19th century as Frenchmen from St. Louis, Missouri moved up the Missouri River to trap for furs and trade with the Native Americans. The Kansas City metropolitan area, straddling the border between Missouri and Kansas at the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers, was a strategic point for commerce and security. Kansas City, Missouri was founded in 1838 and defeated its rival Westport to become the predominant city west of St. Louis. The area played a major role in the westward expansion of the United States. The Santa Fe, and Oregon trails ran through the area. In 1854, when Kansas was opened to Euro-American settlement, the Missouri-Kansas border became the first battlefield in the conflict in the American Civil War.
History of the Kansas City metropolitan area
In 1831, members of Church of Christ, the original name of the Latter Day Saint church founded by Joseph Smith, came from Kirtland, Ohio and New York State and purchased about of land in the Paseo and Troost Lake areas. Conflict between the Saints and other Missouri residents, leading to the eviction of the Latter Day Saint from Jackson County in 1833 and the 1838 Mormon War.