There are many reasons why you might like to live in Excelsior Springs, the first being its award-winning mineral water. This small city was founded in 1880 after area residents discovered the healing properties of Excelsior Springs water. Within a year, 20 other springs were discovered and 200 houses were built. Hundreds of visitors camped out in tents and covered wagons to take advantage of the water's healing properties. Excelsior Springs was promoted world-wide as a health and relaxation center.
Today, Excelsior Springs is a modern city that celebrates its past while actively planning its future. Several new residential and commercial areas are being developed in the west part of the city and the historic downtown area is being revitalized with new businesses, restaurants and shops. The city's many parks and walking trails provide scenic places to hike, run, bike or just relax. Excelsior Springs is located approximately 30 miles northeast of Kansas City, Missouri and has a population of 11,084.
Moving to Excelsior Springs
If you are looking for apartment or house rentals in Excelsior Springs, you will find many available properties in all areas of the city. Studio apartments and larger two- and three-bedroom apartments are available in both small apartment buildings and high-rise buildings. For most rentals, you will need to pay your first month's rent and possibly a security deposit of an equal or lesser amount. You may also be asked for job or personal references and permission to do a credit check.
Transportation in Excelsior Springs occurs mainly by car. There is a small airport on the eastside which serves private planes. The Kansas City International Airport and Kansas City Downtown Airport are within a 30 minute drive.
Neighborhoods of Excelsior Springs
The Hall of Waters Historic District is made up of two National Register Historic Districts, Commercial East and Commercial West.
Hall of Waters District: This is the business center of Excelsior Springs. Many of its buildings were constructed between 1881 and 1946 and reflect the Victorian and Art Deco architecture of that period. The residential section of the District includes many single-family homes and small apartment buildings. There is a farmers' market here every Wednesday from May through September and on the second Friday of every month, the downtown area hosts an Art Crawl from 5 to 8 pm that features live music, dining and shopping. Willow Spring Mercantile sells products made in Missouri and the Midwest including hand-crafted beers and local wines. Lunch and dinner are served daily and there is live music on the weekends.
East Excelsior Springs: This area is home to the Excelsior Springs Golf Course. It originally opened in 1915 as a nine-hole course. Today it is a public, 18-hole, beautifully landscaped course. The Excelsior Springs Memorial Airport is also located in this area.
West Excelsior Springs: This is a residential area with two major shopping centers. If you are looking for rentals in this area, you can expect to find single-family homes, studios and one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment homes.
Living in Excelsior Springs
The Springs the thing in this city! The most famous structure in Excelsior Springs is the Hall of Waters, an Art Deco building that featured 10 different spring waters when it opened in 1937. Today the building houses a Visitor's Center and the world's longest water bar.
History buffs will want to visit the Excelsior Springs Museum and Archives, an all-volunteer museum that contains pictures, news articles and family histories of the town and its residents. In addition to the exhibits, the Museum can arrange walking and bus tours of Excelsior Springs and the Hall of Waters. Other historic sites include the Harry S. Truman National Historic Site and the Walt Disney House.
Waterfest is an annual three day festival that celebrates the City's mineral water heritage. Games, music, a 5K road race, parade, hot air balloon rides and tours of historic mineral wells provide entertainment for all ages.
The Elms Hotel has been welcoming guests for over 125 years. As word spread about the health benefits of the mineral springs, Excelsior Springs was inundated with tourists and many hotels and boarding houses were quickly constructed. The Elms was, and is, the grandest. It has been renovated several times and now is a premiere Midwest resort. You can check out the spa facilities or dine at one of the Elm's three restaurants including the elegant 88 at the Elms. The Elms also hosts the Missouri Wine Festival every June.
And speaking of wine, the Fence Stile Vineyards offers wine tastings in a relaxed and beautiful setting.
Whether you are looking for a studio apartment or a house rental, "America's Haven of Health" might be just the place you want to call home.
