Established over 100 years ago, Brookside is Kansas City’s first suburban shopping area. Yes, it even pre-dates the Plaza. Created in mind for those that had automobiles in the early 1900’s, the area included a grocer, medical offices, drug stores and police/fire departments. The John Wornall House is one of the few surviving antebellum houses in Kansas City. Originally constructed on 500 acres, the Wornall family made their living through farming and selling goods in the town of Westport. Today, over 80 shops flourish in this wonderful area in Kansas City. Brookside has everything you could possibly want and more in such a small, historic, beautiful part of Kansas City including seasonal farmer’s market, annual parades, the Brookside Art Annual and much more. Jacob L. Loose Park is another gem in Kansas City and is shared by many neighborhoods. Historically, it’s the site of the Civil War Battle of Westport and was even a golf course in the early 1900’s. The park includes a pond, playground equipment, shelters, dog stations, spray park, tennis courts and a beautiful 1.5acre garden that contains 130 varieties of roses. This area of Kansas City is located 20 minutes south of downtown Kansas City.