Columbus Park has been known as Kansas City, Missouri’s Little Italy since the late 19th century. It still is, along with a considerable population of Vietnamese drawn to the shared Catholic religion that’s served by Holy Rosary Church in the neighborhood’s center.
The church has a place in KC’s notorious mafia crime-family history for conducting mobster Nick Civella‘s 1983 funeral. The city’s mafia was involved in politics and crime for nearly a century. Much of the activity was centered within Columbus Park’s several square blocks.
That notoriety lies far in the past, however. Today, Columbus Park is a pleasant neighborhood with restaurants and galleries beside residences.
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