Southwest Boulevard, or as locals say “The Boulevard” originated as two roads, one being the main street of Rosedale, Kansas, when it was platted in 1872 as “Kansas City Avenue”, and the second called “The Rosedale Road”, or “Kansas City Boulevard”, on the Missouri side. Two property owners provided land to link the two roads in 1887, and the entire road was later renamed as “Southwest Boulevard”.
The Boulevard, and the “West Side” have a great selection of authentic Mexican restaurants and grocery stores, street art, and ghost signs. The example of street art is located on the North side of the Foxx Equipment Company building at 421 Southwest Boulevard and is an homage to all things Kansas City.
A close examination of this artwork will find the artist’s representation of virtually everything Kansas City is… or has been… knows for. See if you can find the following in this artwork: Liberty Memorial, Nelson Adkins Museum, KU Jayhawks, Sporting KC, Plaza Lights, Charlie Parker, Bluebird, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Chiefs, Thomas Hart Benton, Missouri River, Union Station, KC Skyline, Westport Covered Wagon, Lucille Bluford, The Scout, Mizzou Tigers, Harry S. Truman, Kauffman Center, Western Auto Sign, Wheat, Primativo Garcia, Buck O’Neil Bridge, Thomas Pendergast, Royals, BBQ, The Hereford Bull Statue.
Below is a 360° Google Street view of this mural and area… use your mouse to look up, look down, look all around… and zoom in or out.
Southwest Boulevard passes through the Crossroads Arts District and the West Side Neighborhood in Missouri. It is the home of the Boulevard Brewing Company which was founded in 1989 and is now one of the largest craft breweries in the USA, with a capacity of over 600,000 barrels per year.
