About the Park

Location and key features

Roanoke Park is one of the original "pods" in Kansas City's historic Parks and Boulevards system, as designed by George E. Kessler in (year). It lies in a wooded ravine surrounded by rocky bluffs. Atop the bluffs sit the historic homes of some of Kansas City's most beautiful neighborhoods: Coleman Highlands to the north, Roanoke and Valentine to the south and east and Volker to the west. The park is roughly centered on the intersection of Karnes and Roanoke Rd. in Kansas City, Missouri. This Google Street View will allow you to pan around that intersection, as it appeared before we started cutting back the honeysuckle: Roanoke Rd & Karnes Blvd., Before...

The distinctive rocky bluffs encircling the park are Iola limestone sitting atop Chanute shale. (Kansas City's famous Bethany Falls limestone lies many feet underground below the park.) According to the park board report of 1907, "This property should be held as a bit of wilderness, which is now its charm, and which would be entirely lost if attempts were made to finely finish any part of this valley...In the old quarry west of Roanoke Ave. and north of 38th St., the very fine spring there should be developed; a pool and a modest water garden." While the wading pool of years past is no longer in existance, there is a spring now flowing down the hillside north of Karnes. A wide variety of plants can be found in the park, from trees, shrubs and flowers, to ferns, mosses and lichens covering the rocks. As the park is restored for the future, many more will be planted.

There is a ball diamond across from the community center, a soccer field north of the community center and tennis courts southwest of the community center. Past the tennis courts is one the the park's two playgrounds. The other is east of Karnes Blvd, between Madison and 35th Street. A sand volleyball court is just east of the intersection of Karnes and Roanoke. Basketball court? Many walking paths and sidewalks wind through the park.

The brick paved section of Roanoke Boulevard between Valentine and Karnes is one of the few remaining brick roads in Kansas City and has been designated a historic landmark.There was once a cave in the park. You can see where the entrance was walled up if you know where to look. The Roanoke Neighborhood site has an excellent page on the cave mystery.

Roanoke Park covers 37.59 acres and has 1.34 miles of roadway within it¹. Additionally, the boulevards of Roanoke Boulevard, Karnes Boulevard and Valentine Road feed into the park.

Westport-Roanoke Community Center

To come: Text about Community Center. Picture. 3601 Roanoke Road; 784-5200

Map to come

Photo Gallery to come

¹Kansas City, Missouri Parks and Recreation, 2009 Reference Book