History

more than just an event space

Our beautiful venue has a long history encompassing more than a century.

From agriculture to automobiles, the building has served many purposes across a variety of industries. Now, it’s home to some of the most unique events in Kansas City.

  • 1889: building constructed

    The Oliver Plow Company enlists Shepard & Farrar architects to construct a building fit for assembling their two main products: the Oliver Chilled Plow and Steam Tractor.

    • Oliver Chilled Plow Works flyer
    • The West Bottoms Freight yards in black and white circa 1891, with rail cars lined up under the bridge.
    • A flyer for The Oliver Bulletin, advertising Plowmakers for the World.
    • The Oliver Plow, painted in bright red-orange, displayed in a corner in the new building.

  • 1895: New Ownership

    Keystone Implement Co. takes over the building and adds the sixth floor, finished in 1898.

  • 1898: more agriculture

    The building is bought by Parlin and Orendorff Co., established around the same time to manufacture Canton plows, cultivators, harrows, and other agriculture equipment.

    The now-six-story masonry building remains in excellent shape and still displays much of its original features, including the upper-level fenestration, cornice, and centrally-located recessed entrance.

    • Black and white image of the Parlin & Orendores Co. text on the outside of the building
    • Parlin & Orendorff Co. agricultural implements advertisement from the Kansas City Views newspaper.

  • 1945: aviation age

    Westinghouse Electric Corporation opens its Aviation Gas Turbine Division in Kansas City, using the building for the production of turbo-jet gas turbine engines for the US Navy Bureau of Aeronautics until the division closed in 1960.

  • 1962-1980: Changing hands

    Keiser Erection Company purchases the building to house their construction operations, followed swiftly by the Harlan Global Manufacturing firm that used the space to rent and rebuild forklifts.

    • An old sepia image of the Twelfth Street Bridge

  • 2015: destination restoration

    After decades of sitting vacant and collecting dust, our family purchased the building with the hopes of restoring the space to its original beauty. This was no easy task. Floors, walls, and doors were damaged, and vacancy took its toll.

    But now, after years of work and almost a decade of continuous love and care, we can display many of the original features of the building in all their glory.

    • Cargo chute
    • Barn door
    • Freight door
    • Main staircase to second floor
    • Bar setup by back patio