Entrance to KC Stock Yards 16th and Genesee St.

Kansas City got its “Cowtown” nickname thanks to the booming business of cattle trading in the West Bottoms’ stockyards, which operated from 1871 to 1991. The area had already been the site of trading and stagecoach preparation before the railroads; this industry would create a boom for the centrally located Kansas City trading grounds. The Great Flood of 1951 effectively crippled the stockyards. Still standing is the legendary Golden Ox Restaurant & Lounge, the original spot that gave Kansas City steak its reputation.