William Rockhill Nelson (1841-1915) edited the Kansas City Star from 1880-1915, which quickly became the most influential, and most circulated paper in the region. At first, Nelson started the track to become a lawyer, but changed his mind. From there, he managed the presidential campaign of candidate Samuel J. Tilden. Then, he bought the Fort Wayne Sentenial. After a year, Nelson sold that paper and moved to Kansas City where he founded the Kansas City Star. Through The Star paper, Nelson fought for civic improvement in Kansas City. At the time, Kansas City was a booming transportation hub, and a thriving market for grain and cattle. He championed for better schools, better streets and sidewalks, and more parks and planting. He also was a big advocate for a more honest government. Nelson has been described by others as “public improvement mad”. His journey for city beautification started in 1881, when his paper was barely a year old. Kansas City had no public parks, and through his paper, Nelson used his contacts to recruit skilled architect George Kessler to become the Park Board’s first secretary. From this, Kansas City gained its beautiful parks and boulevard system. From there on, under Nelson, the Kansas City Star became one of the nations most popular newspapers, jumping from a circulation of 3,000 in September 1880, to 50,000 in 1893. Along with his reform of Kansas City, Nelson also pushed for an art gallery to be opened. Following his death, Kansas City opened the William Rockhill Nelson gallery of art.
By: Alyssa D'Orazio
Sources:
Ritchie, Donald A. American Journalists: Getting the Story. Oxford University Press. New York. 1997.
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