East Side in Kansas City in Jackson County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Mutual Musicians Association Building

National Park Service plaque on front of building. image. Click for full size.

Photographed By R. C., December 3, 2007

1. National Park Service plaque on front of building.

Inscription. Has been designated a
National Historic Landmark
This site possesses national significance
In commemorating the history of the
United States of America

This hall used by Musicians Union Local #627 served as a center for the development of the “Kansas City Style” of jazz in the 1930s and 1940s

1981
National Park Service
United States Department of the Interior

Erected 1981 by National Park Service.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment • Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the National Historic Landmarks series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1981.

Location. 39° 5.414′ N, 94° 33.722′ W. Marker is in Kansas City, Missouri, in Jackson County. It is in the East Side. Marker is at the intersection of Highland Avenue, on the right when traveling north on Highland Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1823 Highland Avenue, Kansas City MO 64108, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Roy Wilkins (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Kansas City Call (about 300 feet away); Ms. Myra Taylor

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(about 400 feet away); Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (about 600 feet away); American Jazz Museum (about 600 feet away); John "Buck" O'Neil Center (about 800 feet away); Richard Thomas Coles / R.T. Coles Vocational and Junior High School (approx. 0.3 miles away); Otis Taylor (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kansas City.

More about this marker. Building is in the historic "18th and Vine" Jazz District of Kansas City, Missouri. It is shouting distance from the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and American Jazz Museum.

Also see . . .
1. Musicians Local 627. UMKC website entry (Submitted on March 28, 2008, by Christopher Busta-Peck of Shaker Heights, Ohio.)

2. The Mutual Musicians Foundation photograph collection. UMKC website entry (Submitted on March 28, 2008, by Christopher Busta-Peck of Shaker Heights, Ohio.)

Mutual Musicians' Foundation Building image. Click for more information.

via NPS, unknown

2. Mutual Musicians' Foundation Building

NPGallery Digital Asset Management System website entry
Click for more information.

Mutual Musicians Association building image. Click for full size.

Photographed By R. C., December 3, 2007

3. Mutual Musicians Association building

Marker is to the right of the front door

Hotel Rochester image. Click for full size.

Photographed By R. C., December 3, 2007

4. Hotel Rochester

The Hotel Rochester, next door to the Musicians Association Building, was the only hotel in Kansas City, Missouri in the 1930s and 1940s where visiting African American could stay. Count Basie, Jimmy Rushing, and many other of the great jazz artists of the time would have stayed there.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 10, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 28, 2008, by Ronald Claiborne of College Station, Texas. This page has been viewed 2,221 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on March 28, 2008, by Ronald Claiborne of College Station, Texas. 2. submitted on May 28, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 3, 4. submitted on March 28, 2008, by Ronald Claiborne of College Station, Texas. • Christopher Busta-Peck was the editor who published this page.