Douglas Cemetery is not simply a piece of vacant land. It is a historic burial ground and a lasting connection to the people who lived, worked, and helped build Kansas City. For the residents and neighbors of the 90th Street and Troost Avenue area, this land represents generations of history, memories, and community heritage. Once graves or historic burial landscapes are disturbed, what is lost may never be recovered.
A proposal now threatens this irreplaceable historic property. The plan calls for a massive 288-unit apartment complex at 9000 Troost Avenue, consisting of nine three-story buildings, parking areas, and supporting infrastructure. While the developer proposes constructing around Douglas Cemetery rather than directly through the marked cemetery, the surrounding grounds are historically connected to the cemetery and may contain unmarked graves and other burial sites.
This threat is not merely theoretical. Heavy construction equipment has already begun clearing and disturbing the property before the Planning Commission has completed its review. This work is proceeding without first establishing the full extent of the burial grounds through a proper archaeological survey and non-invasive ground-penetrating radar (GPR) investigation. Without these safeguards, there is no reliable way to know whether heavy equipment is operating over unmarked graves or other historically significant features.
We demand that all further clearing, grading, excavation, and construction activity on or around Douglas Cemetery be stopped immediately until the property has been properly investigated and protected. A comprehensive archaeological survey and non-invasive GPR survey should be conducted before any additional ground disturbance is permitted, with the results made available for public review.
Douglas Cemetery and its surrounding historic grounds must not be treated as an obstacle that can simply be built around. These are legacy lands that contain the remains and stories of people who came before us. Development should never come at the cost of destroying or permanently obscuring Kansas City’s history.
We urge the Kansas City Planning Commission and all relevant city authorities to deny or suspend approval of this development until the cemetery and surrounding grounds can be adequately documented, surveyed, and protected. If housing is needed, Kansas City can pursue development in locations that do not threaten historic burial grounds.
Please sign this petition and stand with our community in demanding that Douglas Cemetery be protected before irreversible damage is done.
Douglas Cemetery in Kansas City, Missouri – Find a Grave Cemetery
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