Oak Hall (William Rockhill Nelson Residence)
Before the Nelson-Atkins Museum, there was Oak Hall—a limestone estate built by Kansas City Star founder William Rockhill Nelson, whose love of homebuilding helped shape the Rockhill neighborhood and
Oak Hall (William Rockhill Nelson Residence)
4525 Oak St, Kansas City, MO 64111 - modern day Nelson-Atkins Museum (Map)
Built: 1890s
Area: Rockhill Neighborhood
William Rockhill Nelson, best known as the founder of the Kansas City Star, also played a major role in the physical development of Kansas City. Beyond journalism, Nelson had a lifelong passion for real estate, city planning, and home building.
In 1886, he purchased 30 acres of land on a hill overlooking Brush Creek, well beyond the city limits at the time. Most people believed the area was too remote for residential development, but Nelson saw potential in its open spaces and natural beauty.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to KC Yesterday Scavenger Hunt to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.