Bryce B. Smith

Who was Bryce B. Smith?

Bryce B. Smith was Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri from 1930 to 1939 at the height of the power of the Thomas Pendergast machine.

Smith was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. His family moved to Kansas City in the 1880s and founded what would become General Baking Corporation.

He served on the city council from 1920 to 1924.

He was the second mayor under Kansas City's new city manager form of government with Henry McElroy as City Manager. Although declaring his independence of the Pendergast machine, he was to end up being associated with it.

Many of the landmarks of Kansas City were built during his term during what was called the "Ten Year Plan":

City Buildings:

Kansas City City Hall which is one of the tallest city halls in the world

Municipal Auditorium

Establishment of University of Kansas City

Other Landmark Buildings:

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Jackson County Courthouse

Kansas City Power and Light Building

Much of the construction was done with Pendergast Ready Mixed Concrete.

Lax to non-existent enforcement of alcohol laws was to see the rise of Kansas City Jazz as well as prominent crime events including the Union Station Massacre and a shootout at the polls on election day in 1934 which left four dead.