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History · King City

King City dates to 1856, and 19% of its homes were built before 1940

Its Register listing is the Opera Hall Block. Below: 1 old photo or paper.

1856founded
1on the National Register
19%homes built before 1940
1old photo or paper
3famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Americasroof · CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answers

How King City began

When was King City founded?

1856

King City dates its founding to 1856 (Wikidata). Its post office opened in 1861.

2020 census: 799170 years
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1861.The full story ↓

What stands out about King City’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 1 old photo is in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start King City’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how King City’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Date a photo1 archive item has no date. Guess the decade.+2Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story

How King City came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of King City.

Read it all →

John Pittsenbarger was the first European settler when he set up a tent in town in 1856. His application to name the town Petersburg was rejected because there was already a town of that name in Boone County, Missouri. According to local legend, the United States Postmaster General submitted his name. The Postmaster General at the time was Horatio King, (although the local history refers to Rufus King)

King City was formally platted on July 29, 1869 by Pittsenbarger.

The town became a stop on the St. Joseph and Des Moines Railway in 1878. The railway eventually became part of the Burlington Northern network and is currently abandoned.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

King City, 1856 to 1940

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1856
    FoundingKing City is established
  3. 1861Post officeThe King City post office opens
  4. 20th century
  5. 1912Born hereDorothy Workman is born here
  6. 1922Born hereGerald P. Pulley is born here
  7. 1940Born hereJim Guest is born here
By decade

King City, decade by decade

Date unknown1 to date
24 leather postcards stitched together, pillow top, located in map case (NBY 541)Date?24 leather postcards stitched together, pillow top, l…Map
Today1 recent
Big-pump-king2008Big-pump-king
On the National Register

1 historic place in King City

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
1
each building in a district counts
first listed
2002
Opera Hall Block
Opera Hall Block
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Romanesque Revival1
All 1 listings
Opera Hall BlockBuilding · listed 2002

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Famous people

3 famous people were born in King City

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
D
Dorothy WorkmanAmerican tennis player · b. 1912
J
Jim GuestAmerican politician · b. 1940
G
Gerald P. PulleyAmerican photographer · b. 1922

Questions about King City’s history

What year was King City founded?

In 1856, according to Wikidata. King City’s post office opened in 1861.

What is on the National Register in King City?

One place: the Opera Hall Block (listed 2002).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (2), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.