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Kansas City is famous for many things, not least its large boulevard system and proactive urban development. It even boasts the largest number of fountains, second only to Rome. There are many historic buildings and landmarks; a large number are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Kansas City hides a subterranean network of limestone caves. These were left as the result of quarrying, but now you will find a shopping complex.
There are plenty of free time activities ranging from IMAX through water parks, theme parks, and a zoo. For a slightly more sedate day out, you could visit Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art or Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, which is free of charge to enter. There are an enormous number of festivals ranging from Taiwanese through Irish, Slavic, Jazz, Film, and Women's Playwriting. These are only a small proportion of the events you could enjoy year-round.
About Kansas City
Kansas City is situated at the junction of the Missouri and Kansas rivers. It lies along the boundary between Missouri and Kansas and is directly opposite Kansas City, Kansas. Due to its central location, Kansas City became and remains the second largest railroad hub in the United States, ahead of St. Louis and behind Chicago, Illinois.
Kansas, and hence Kansas City, was named for the Kansa, or Kaw, Indians. Kansas means "people of the south wind." Kansas first appeared on maps drawn by French explorers Louis Joliet and Father Jacques Marquette.
The extensive, interlocking system of parks and boulevards set aside by visionary planners in the 1890s prompted writers to call the Kansas City area "Paris on the Plains." The parkway system winds its way through the city with broad, landscaped medians that include statuary and fountains. More than 200 fountains in the area earned Kansas City its nickname, "The City of Fountains."
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