Henry Perry, the Father of Barbecue in Kansas City gives KC its Flavor
July 14, 2007
Henry Perry was born in 1875 and died March 22, 1940., He was a barbecue restaurant owner and considered Kansas City’s father of barbecue. What? You haven’t heard of him? Well, although Kansas City has now amassed 100’s of restaurants that serve slow cooked barbecue, Perry is the granddaddy of it all.
Perry was born in Shelby County, Tennesse which is near Memphis. He worked on steamboat restaurants on the Missouri River and the Mississippi River. Perry moved to Kansas City in 1907. In 1908 he began serving smoked meets to workers in the garment district of downtown Kansas City froma an alley stand. In fact, this tradition still exists in downtown Kansas City where you can buy hotdogs and hamburgers from vendors.
He eventually moved to the historic 18ths and vine neighborhood on 17th and Lydia. 18th and Vine was a bustling area for black businesses at the time. He then moved to 19th and Highland and operated out of an old trolley barn through the 1920s and 1930s. The neighborhood was becoming known for its Kansas City jazz and Tom Pendergrast, the mobster, was building businesses and working with the Black business owners of that time.
How much would you have paid for some of Henry Perry’s smoked meats cooked over oak and hickory. How does 25 cents sound to you? It was served wrapped in newspaper and the sauce was peperry and harsh. So if you like sweet sauces, this may not be your favorite. He smoked opossum, woodchuck, raccoon, and beef.
When Henry Perry died, Charlie Bryant took over the busienss. Charlie’s brother, Authur Bryant bought the business from his brother and made the sauce a little bit sweeter. He then relocated the restaurant to 1727 Brooklyn which is in the same neighborhood.
Another man named Arthur Pinkard who worked for Henry Perry, helped George Gates create Gates and Sons Bar-B-Q.
Henry Perry, is truly the Kansas City Father of Barbecue as the two most historical BBQ restaurants were spinoffs of his hard work. Thank you Henry Perry for giving Kansas City it’s flavor.
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