Sugar Creek
Sugar Creek is a city in Jackson and Clay County, Missouri. As of the census of 2000, there were 3,839 people, 1,633 households, and 1,048 families residing in the city.
History of Sugar Creek
The town draws its name from Indian legend, referring to a creek running through, surrounded by sugar maples.
From the town's home page: In the early 1800s, the area that is now Sugar Creek served as an important link in America's westward expansion. Known at the time as Wayne City Landing, the territory along the Missouri River served as a port to receive supplies for early pioneers.
Wayne City, which is now on the national historic register, also received travelers who were headed west along the Oregon, California and Santa Fe trails. In 1850, the first railroad west of the Mississippi River was constructed to join Wayne City and nearby Independence.
From the early 1890s to the 1930s, the Sugar Creek area was home to a first-class pleasure resort, Fairmount Park. Among the park's attractions were a hotel, theater, lake, and carnival rides, including a roller coaster that at one time was the world's largest. A streetcar line brought visitors to the park from nearby Kansas City.
In 1903, Standard Oil of Indiana purchased land at the northern edge of the city. A new oil refinery was opened a year later and quickly spurred growth in the townsite of Sugar Creek. A number of immigrants from Eastern Europe came to work in the plant, and by 1918, the town had grown to more than 800 residents.
Shortly after World War I, businessmen and residents founded the Sugar Creek Improvement Association. The Association installed streetlights, set city limits and petitioned for incorporation as a city. On November 15, 1920, the City of Sugar Creek was officially born. The new town consisted of 564 acres and had a population of around 1,800 residents.
The city continued to grow and prosper in its early years. In 1958, an additional 294 acres were annexed on the eastern side of the city, bringing new opportunities for development.