From leaving a bag of treats on a neighbor’s doorknob to joining the Mayor’s Block Party Challenge, Excelsior Springs is encouraging residents to celebrate National Good Neighbor Day by strengthening ties that make neighborhoods safer and friendlier.
What started nearly 20 years ago as backyard jams and small-town gigs is now leading to a national stage. The Redbeards, part of Excelsior Springs’ own J.D. and the Chasers, have been selected by the Kansas City Blues Society to compete in Memphis at the International Blues Challenge, where they will showcase their unique Texas blues-inspired sound.
When a notecard pinned to a bedroom wall carried the words “Don’t Let Bad Thoughts Take Over,” it became more than a message left behind after tragedy, it grew into a movement. Now, that message is guiding a new mental health support group in Excelsior Springs, launching this September at the Community Center.
Excelsior Springs built its reputation on mineral waters that drew thousands of visitors in the early 20th century. The Hiawatha Boarding House stood at the heart of this movement, offering not only lodging but also access to the Excelsior Soda Well, one of the district’s most distinctive springs. Today, the home survives as one of the last intact boarding houses in the city.
