William Worley

Dr. William S. (Bill) Worley has been living with Kansas City history for over 40 years. His involvement grew out of doctoral studies at the University of Kansas that commenced in 1976 and resulted in an M.A. in History (1979) and a Ph.D. in History (1986). His doctoral topic was the role of J.C. Nichols in developing Kansas City from 1905 to his death in 1950. Among his published work is J.C. Nichols and the Shaping of Kansas City, 1990; Legacy of the Santa Fe Trail with artist Gil Rumsey, 1996; The Plaza: First and Always, 1997; and Kansas City: Rise of a Regional Metropolis, 2002.

Worley's interest in Pendergast resulted from his living history portrayals of the Boss that began in 1992 and include the pilot presentation (with Library Director Crosby Kemper) for the Kansas City Public Library's "Meet the Past" series. Worley is Professor of History at Metropolitan Community College - Blue River after having served for eight years as Director of the Kansas City Regional History Institute at University of Missouri - Kansas City. A native of eastern New Mexico, Worley and his wife Kathryn live in Hyde Park, midtown Kansas City.