Western Union began operations in Kansas City in 1865.[2] In 1915, the company started planning a new regional hub in the city and began construction in 1919. The facility opened in 1920.[3] Western Union continued its telecommunication operations in the building until the late 1970s.[4] The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 12, 2003.[5] In 2014, technology company The Nerdery moved into the Western Union building.[6]
Architecture
The building is a four-story Commercial style structure. The concrete building is covered in a brick veneer, brown on the lower two floors and red on the upper two.[7] The Walnut Street and 7th Street facades are divided into six bays and ten bays, respectively.[8] Below the cornice on each facade is a terra cotta sign that reads "WESTERN UNION".[7]