Jay B. Dillingham
Encyclopedia
Jay B. Dillingham was a former president of the Kansas City Stockyards
as well as former president of the Chamber of Commerce
for both Kansas City, Missouri
and Kansas City, Kansas
.
Dillingham was born in Platte City, Missouri
. His grandfather was the only sheriff of Platte County, Missouri
ever to be killed (in 1900) while on duty.
He received a law degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1935.
He married Frances Thompson, a daughter of a founder of the American Royal, in 1935. On their first date they went to a horse show.
He joined the stockyard in 1937 and was president of the stockyards from 1948 until 1975. During his tenure he started the Golden Ox Restaurant in the stockyards the Livestock Exchange Building which developed fame for the Kansas City
strip steak
. He also dealt with the Great Flood of 1951
that destroyed the stockyards from which it never fully recovered. He once said about the stockyards:
Following the flood he was instrumental in locating what would become Kansas City International Airport
to his native Platte County to replace the Fairfax Airport
which had been damaged in the flood. He worked the Kansas City office of the United States Army Corps of Engineers
to build a series of reservoirs in Missouri and Kansas including Smithville Lake
Dillingham donated stockyards land to the American Royal
and for Kemper Arena
.
Interstate 670
in Kansas and Missouri is named for him.
Kansas City Stockyards
The Kansas City Stockyards in the West Bottoms west of downtown Kansas City, Missouri flourished from 1871 until closing in 1991.Jay B. Dillingham was the President of the stockyards from the 1948 to its closing in 1991.-History:...
as well as former president of the Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
for both Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
and Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas and is the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the third largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The city is part of a consolidated city-county government known as the "Unified...
.
Dillingham was born in Platte City, Missouri
Platte City, Missouri
Platte City is a city in Platte County, Missouri, along the Little Platte River. The population was 3,866 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Platte County.-Geography:Platte City is located at...
. His grandfather was the only sheriff of Platte County, Missouri
Platte County, Missouri
As of the census of 2000, there were 73,781 people, 29,278 households, and 20,231 families residing in the county. The population density was 176 people per square mile . There were 30,902 housing units at an average density of 74 per square mile...
ever to be killed (in 1900) while on duty.
He received a law degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1935.
He married Frances Thompson, a daughter of a founder of the American Royal, in 1935. On their first date they went to a horse show.
He joined the stockyard in 1937 and was president of the stockyards from 1948 until 1975. During his tenure he started the Golden Ox Restaurant in the stockyards the Livestock Exchange Building which developed fame for the Kansas City
Kansas City Metropolitan Area
The Kansas City Metropolitan Area is a fifteen-county metropolitan area that is anchored by Kansas City, Missouri and is bisected by the border between the states of Missouri and Kansas. As of the 2010 Census, the metropolitan area has a population of 2,035,334. The metropolitan area is the...
strip steak
Strip steak
The strip steak is a type of cut of beef steaks. Internationally it is called a club steak. In the United States and Canada it is also known as New York strip, strip loin, shell steak, or Kansas City strip steak, In Australia it is known as a porterhouse steak...
. He also dealt with the Great Flood of 1951
Great Flood of 1951
In mid-July 1951, heavy rains led to a great rise of water in the Kansas River and other surrounding areas. Flooding resulted in the Kansas, Neosho, Marais Des Cygnes, and Verdigris river basins. The damage in June and July 1951 exceeded $935 million dollars in an area covering eastern Kansas and...
that destroyed the stockyards from which it never fully recovered. He once said about the stockyards:
- There’s nothing around here I haven’t done...from shoveling manure to cleaning the sewers.
Following the flood he was instrumental in locating what would become Kansas City International Airport
Kansas City International Airport
Kansas City International Airport , originally named Mid-Continent International Airport, is a public airport located 15 miles northwest of the central business district of Kansas City, in Platte County, Missouri, United States. In 2008, 10,469,892 passengers used the airport...
to his native Platte County to replace the Fairfax Airport
Fairfax Airport
Fairfax Airport was an airport in Kansas City, Kansas from 1921 until it closed in 1985. It is most famously associated with the construction of most of the B-25 Mitchell bombers....
which had been damaged in the flood. He worked the Kansas City office of the United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
to build a series of reservoirs in Missouri and Kansas including Smithville Lake
Smithville Lake
Smithville Lake is a reservoir on the Little Platte branch of the Platte River near Smithville, Missouri.The lake was built and is administered by the Kansas City office of the United States Army Corps of Engineers...
Dillingham donated stockyards land to the American Royal
American Royal
The American Royal in Kansas City, Missouri is a livestock show, horse show and rodeo held each year in October and November at Kemper Arena. The Future Farmers of America was founded during the Royal and Kansas City's professional baseball team the Kansas City Royals derive their name from the...
and for Kemper Arena
Kemper Arena
Kemper Arena is a 19,500 seat indoor arena, in Kansas City, Missouri.It is named for R. Crosby Kemper Sr., a member of the powerful Kemper financial clan and who donated $3.2 million, from his estate for the arena...
.
Interstate 670
Interstate 670 (Kansas-Missouri)
Interstate 670 is a 2.81 mile connector highway between I-70 in Kansas City, Kansas and I-70 in Kansas City, Missouri. The highway provides a more direct route through downtown Kansas City than the older mainline I-70, and avoids the sharp turn of the latter at the west end of the Intercity...
in Kansas and Missouri is named for him.