{{short description|Public park in Kansas City, Missouri}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}} {{Infobox park | name = | other_name = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image = | image_size = | image_alt = | image_caption = | qid = | map_image = | map_alt = | map_size = | mapframe_zoom = | mapframe_width = | mapframe_height = | mapframe_marker = | mapframe_marker_color = | mapframe_lat = | mapframe_long = | map_caption = | relief = | map_label = | map_label_position = | mark = | mark_width = | type = Urban park | motto = | location = Kansas City, Missouri, United States | nearest_city = | nearest_town = | grid_ref_UK = | grid_ref_UK_note = | grid_ref_Ireland = | grid_ref_Ireland_note = | coordinates = {{coord|39.0317|-94.5947|region:US-MO|display=inline,title}} | coords_ref = | area = | elevation = | authorized = | created = | established = {{date and age|1925}} | designated = | opened = | opening = | closed = | founder = | designer = | etymology = | owner = City of Kansas City, Missouri | administrator = | manager = | operator = | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | visitation_ref = | open = | status = | awards = | camp_sites = | hiking_trails = | paths = | terrain = | habitat = | water = | plants = | vegetation = | species = | collections = | designation = | disturbance = | budget = | parking = | public_transit = | free_label = | free_data = | other_info = | facilities = | website = https://kcparks.org/park/loose-park/ | module = | child = }} thumb|The duck pond and fountains [[File:Loose-park-westport.jpg|thumb|Cannon marking the spot where Sterling Price held command during the Battle of Westport]] thumb|Fall foliage '''Loose Park''' is the third largest park in Kansas City, Missouri, located at 51st Street and Wornall Road. It has a lake, a shelter house, Civil War markers, tennis courts, a water park, picnic areas, and a Rose Garden. The Rose Garden hosts all types of outdoor special events including theatrical performances and wedding ceremonies. The Japanese Tea Room and Garden is a small traditional Japanese garden conceived as a cultural exchange between the sister cities of Kurashiki, Japan and Kansas City, Missouri.
==History== The original pasture belonged to Kansas City pioneer Seth Ward. During the Battle of Westport in American Civil War Confederate General Sterling Price is said to have to commanded his forces from gun emplacements on what became the south end of the park.
In 1897, Ward leased the land to the Kansas City Country Club for its first golf course. In 1907 J.C. Nichols bought land around the course to form the Country Club District and Country Club Plaza. In 1925 when the golf club moved to Mission Hills, Kansas the land became a city park. In 1926, Ella Loose bought the property from the Hugh Ward estate (the son of Seth Ward) so that it could be made into a park to honor her husband, Jacob Loose. She gave the property to the city in 1927. Jacob Loose founded the Loose-Wiles Biscuit Company, which produced Sunshine Biscuits and other products.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Loose Park {{!}} KC Parks and Recreation|url=https://kcparks.org/places/loose-park/|access-date=2021-11-13|website=kcparks.org}}</ref>
In 1957, the Loose Park Garden Center was built at 5200 Pennsylvania Avenue for meetings and horticultural exhibitions of various kinds. The garden center has two large meeting rooms with small kitchens attached to the meeting rooms.
In 1977, international artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude selected Loose Park for their art installation concept called ''Wrapped Walk Ways'', consisting of {{convert|135000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}<ref name="CJC Loose">{{cite web | website=Christo and Jeanne-Claude | title=Wrapped Walk Ways | publisher=Estate of Christo V. Javacheff | url=https://christojeanneclaude.net/artworks/wrapped-walk-ways/ | access-date=January 19, 2021}}</ref> of orange-yellow colored shiny nylon fabric and a budget reportedly exceeding {{US$|130000|1977}}. Mayor Charles Wheeler presented Christo with a key to the city for this brief project, which Christo described as "exquisite" and deserving of national front-page coverage.<ref name="Christo">{{cite book|last=Chernow|first=Burt|title=Christo and Jeanne-Claude: A Biography|year=2002|publisher=St. Martin's Press|location=New York|isbn=0312280742|page=284|url={{google books | id=r5_0svo66VMC | page=284 | plainurl=yes}} | access-date=January 19, 2021 | edition=1st U.S.}}</ref>
In 1979 Neal Patterson, Cliff Illig and Paul Gorup founded the Cerner Corporation while on a picnic in the park.<ref name="Cerner 40">{{cite web | title=40 years at the intersection of health care and IT | date=September 23, 2019 | publisher=Cerner | website=Cerner | url=https://www.cerner.com/perspectives/40-years-at-the-intersection-of-health-care-and-it | access-date=January 19, 2021}}</ref>
In 2006, the Japanese Tea Room and Garden was dedicated as a small traditional Japanese garden. It was conceived as a cultural exchange between the Sister Cities of Kurashiki, Japan and Kansas City, Missouri.<ref name="KC sister">{{cite news | title=Learn more about Kansas City’s sister cities and possible travel destinations | first=Jennifer | last=Silvey | date=July 28, 2019 | work=Fox 4 KC | url=https://fox4kc.com/news/learn-more-about-kansas-citys-sister-cities-and-possible-travel-destinations/ | access-date=January 19, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Japanese Tea Room and Garden|url=http://kcparks.org/facility/japanese-tea-room/|publisher=Kansas City Parks|accessdate=October 18, 2017}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==Further reading== * {{cite book |last=Wilson |first=D. |date=1992 |title=A City Within a Park: One Hundred Years of Parks and Boulevards in Kansas City, Missouri |location=Kansas City, Missouri |publisher=Kansas City Parks and Recreation}} * {{cite book |last=Wilson |first=William H. |title=The City Beautiful Movement in Kansas City |publisher=University of Missouri Press |year=1964 |location=Columbia, Missouri |url=https://archive.org/details/citybeautifulmov00wils | via=Internet Archive | access-date=January 20, 2026 | oclc=233062}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{official website|https://kcparks.org/park/loose-park/}}
{{Kansas City, Missouri}}
Category:Urban public parks Category:Geography of Kansas City, Missouri Category:Parks in the Kansas City metropolitan area Category:Parks in Missouri Category:Tourist attractions in Kansas City, Missouri