Nearly 100 years after Harry Houdini’s death, his name is still synonymous with magic, daring escape acts, and stunning illusions — such as making a 10,000-pound elephant disappear.

But what’s not as widely known is Houdini’s unlikely connection to Kansas City.

Houdini historian and biographer John Cox says the story goes back to when the performer was a boy.

“The family was in dire straits in Milwaukee, and 12-year-old Houdini decided, ‘I’m going to go to Galveston, Texas,’” to find a job and contribute, says Cox. “So, he hopped a freight car. But he got in the wrong freight car, and he wound up in Kansas City.”

The accidental visit kicked off an extended relationship between Kansas City and Houdini, who performed here a total of eight times throughout his career, including all his major stunts.

“It was spread out through his career,” says Cox, “so Kansas City sort of saw a different Houdini each time.”

Before his sudden death on Oct. 31, 1926, Houdini spent 35 years developing an image as the ultimate escape artist.

“The person that nothing could hold,” says Cox, who has written multiple biographies of Houdini. “Nothing on earth can hold Houdini a prisoner, and that captured people’s imaginations.”

In a daring display of his capabilities, Houdini debuted one of his most famous escapes — from a straitjacket while suspended in midair — at the corner of 10^th and Main streets in September 1915.

“The reason he did these stunts was to draw people to the theater, and they absolutely did,” says Cox. “He would get front-page newspaper coverage and pack the theater.”

For this stunt, Houdini was put into a straitjacket by police and raised 20 feet high.

“He would struggle and free himself from the straitjacket, and people could see this happening from blocks away,” says Cox. “Not only was it an exciting escape, but also just the idea that 5,000 people plugged the streets of Kansas City was in itself news, and this was a big success.”

By Cox’s count Houdini eventually did 78 suspended straitjacket escapes in various cities, “but Kansas City, on this day, was his very first.”

To commemorate the feat, the local chapters of the Society of American Magicians and the International Brotherhood of Magicians will unveil a historic marker at the intersection at 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 11.

And Cox will visit Kansas City Public Library’s Central location on Wednesday, Sept. 9, to discuss Houdini’s life and career.

Cox says he’s been captivated with Houdini since he was 10 years old, when he saw the “Houdini” biopic on TV, starring Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh.

“I just became tremendously curious: ‘Who was this man?’ ‘Did he really do these things?’” Cox says. “So, from that day to this, I just began this journey to learn everything I can about Harry Houdini.”

In 2010, Cox launched the blog Wild About Harry, which is full of fascinating tidbits and Houdini rabbit holes to pursue. Cox says the site has garnered more than 23 million pageviews.

“I found a group of people that wanted to hear about this,” he says. “I did it because it was a joy.”

John Cox will discuss the life and career of Harry Houdini at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at the Kansas City Public Library’s Central Library, 14 W. 10^th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64105. The event is free with RSVP. More information at KCLibrary.org.

JOHNSON COUNTY, Kan. — Editor’s Note: This story talks about domestic violence and may be triggering for some readers.

KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig covers Johnson County. She also focuses on issues surrounding the cost of healthcare, saving for retirement and personal debt. Share your story idea with Elyse.

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Johnson County, Kansas, officials and advocates are working to create the state’s first family safety center, a “one-stop shop” of services and resources for survivors of any type of violence.

County leaders and advocates came together this week to begin planning the yearslong process of establishing the center.

Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe said similar centers are already working in other parts of the country, and the centers reduce crime and establish accountability for offenders in communities.

“Whether it’s a child, or an adult, or an elder individual, if they’re a victim of violence, (it’s) having a one-stop shop where they could go to get all the services they need,” Howe said.

Howe said a sample study found that a survivor involved in the criminal justice system would have to travel to 10 different agencies and cover 1,000 miles from the start of the commission of the violence to the end of the case.

He said next steps include determining funding and a location in Johnson County.

“We’re very hopeful over the next year, year and a half, that we’ll be able to get it across the finish line and have a center here in our county,” Howe said.

Johnson County plans first family safety center for survivors of violence in Kansas

Kimberly Paul, program director at Safehome, a domestic violence agency in Johnson County, said the center could lower barriers for survivors seeking help.

“I’m hoping that it opens the door for more survivors to come forward,” Paul said. “We can not only minimize the amount of travel they have to do, but also provide a lot of support in a trauma-informed way.”

Services at the center would range from counseling and case navigators to health exams and transportation.

Jennifer Sonsiadek knows firsthand what resources Johnson County does and doesn’t have for survivors. She now has a seat at the table as advocates and officials plan the center.

“Unfortunately, it was related to abuse that happened in my household and domestic violence,” Sonsiadek said.

She said it has been years of hardships and healing for her and her family.

“I’ve constantly thought as a parent what I could have done differently, number one, just to navigate the system and the impact that it had on my kids,” Sonsiadek said.

Sonsiadek said a family safety center would make a meaningful difference for families in crisis.

“Having a family safety center would provide a structure and a format and a light through some of the darkest moments that families can experience,” Sonsiadek said.

By sharing her story, she said she hopes other survivors know they are not alone and that community resources are growing.

“Healing takes a lifetime from domestic violence,” Sonsiadek said. “It just becomes maybe a little bit easier to talk about it and share.”

If you or someone you know needs help, the Johnson County District Attorney’s website has a list of resources for domestic violence and more.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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TONGANOXIE, Kan. (WIBW) – A woman was killed and a man sustained serious injuries in a four-vehicle, chain-reaction crash Wednesday afternoon as traffic had come to a stop on Interstate 70 along the Kansas Turnpike in Leavenworth County, officials said.

The collision was reported at 1:33 p.m. on eastbound I-70 about four miles east of the Tonganoxie-Eudora exit. The location was about 10 miles east of Lawrence.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu collided with a 2015 GMC Acadia that had stopped for traffic.

The Acadia then collided with a 2014 Ford Escape, which collided with 2000 Kenworth semitrailer.

The driver of the Chevrolet, Jayden Ramirez, 19, of Shawnee, was transported to an area hospital with suspected minor injuries. The patrol said Ramirez, who was alone in his car, was wearing his seat belt.

The driver of the Acadia, David Taliaferro, 68, of Lubbock, Texas, was transported to the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas, with serious injuries.

A passenger in the Acadia, Linda Taliaferro, 68, of Lubbock, Texas, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The patrol said both occupants of the Acadia were wearing their seat belts.

The driver of the Escape, Sina Stanford, 26, of Independence, Kansas, was reported to have suspected minor injuries, but there was no record of her being taken to the hospital on the Kansas Highway Patrol’s online crash log. The patrol said Stanford, who was alone in her vehicle, was wearing her seat belt.

The driver of the semi, Jeremy Domme, 42, of Topeka, was reported uninjured. The patrol said Domme, who was alone in his vehicle, was wearing his seat belt.