Kansas City Police Station Number 4
A Mission Revival police headquarters that served Kansas City’s civic administration and has housed several commercial enterprises since its construction a century ago.
At a glance
Built in 1916 and designed by architects Clarence K. Birdsall and Edgar P. Madorie, this Mission Revival structure originally functioned as a police station. The building’s adaptive uses reflect changing municipal needs across the twentieth century.
History
The station opened in 1916 as Kansas City’s Police Station Number 4. Over decades, the building transitioned through multiple roles: it housed the Kansas City Elevator Manufacturing Company, operated as the Tood Jack Co., then served as Turner Elevator Manufacturing Co. During the 1930s, it provided office space for the Works Progress Administration. Recognition of its historic importance came in 2005, when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
What you see
The building exemplifies Mission Revival design, the architectural language favored for civic and commercial structures in early twentieth-century Kansas City. Details characteristic of this style—derived from Spanish colonial missions—are evident in the structure’s form and ornamentation.
Cultural significance
The station represents Kansas City’s growth as an urban center and documents the evolution of municipal infrastructure. Its multiple functions across a century—from law enforcement to manufacturing to New Deal administration—illustrate the adaptive capacity of well-designed civic buildings.
Key facts
- Completed: 1916
- Architects: Clarence K. Birdsall and Edgar P. Madorie
- Style: Mission Revival
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places: 2005
- Country: United States
- City: Kansas City, Missouri
- Coordinates: 39.09305556, −94.58527778
Practical information & getting there
The building is located in Kansas City, Missouri. For current visiting information, hours, and access details, consult local tourism resources or contact Kansas City’s historic preservation office.
Sources & resources
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