The Thomas Hart Benton Home and Studio State Historic Site is a state-owned property located at 3616 Belleview, Kansas City,

Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

, that preserves the house and studio of Missouri artist Thomas Hart Benton. The

historic site A historic site or heritage site is an official location where pieces of political, military, cultural, or social history have been preserved due to their cultural heritage value. Historic sites are usually protected by law, and many have been rec ...

was established in 1977 and is managed by the

Missouri Department of Natural Resources The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR) of the government of the U.S. state of Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied fo ...

. Tours are provided that show the furnished house and studio as Benton left it when he died on January 19, 1975. The site was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1980.

History

The property was built in Kansas City's Roanoke Park neighborhood around 1903. Although not overly large, the house has a fortress-like appearance owing to its elevation above street level and the random ashlar masonry of its limestone front. The house was built for Walter E. Kirkpatrick. The architect was George Mathews, a proponent of the

City Beautiful movement The City Beautiful Movement was a reform philosophy of North American architecture and urban planning that flourished during the 1890s and 1900s with the intent of introducing beautification and monumental grandeur in cities. It was a part of the ...

. Kirkpatrick was the secretary and treasurer for the Kansas City Electric Light Company, and on the board of directors of the KC Street Railway Company. The home is approximately 7800 square feet on 3 floors, containing 24 rooms, 4 fireplaces on 3 chimneys, and a full finished basement. The Benton family purchased the -acre property in 1939 for $6000.

References

External links

Thomas Hart Benton Home and Studio State Historic Site
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Thomas Hart Benton Home and Studio State Historic Site
(video, 2:08), Modrnmedia {{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas Hart Benton Home And Studio State Historic Site Missouri State Historic Sites Museums in Kansas City, Missouri Protected areas established in 1977 Artists' studios in the United States Benton Art museums and galleries in Missouri Historic house museums in Missouri 1977 establishments in Missouri Houses in Kansas City, Missouri Benton