Built in 1931 the red brick and tile Tavern included a popular restaurant and ballroom. Back behind the Tavern was the Tourist Court — just two small cabins connected by two garages. The site is just northeast of the main Kansas City International Airport exit off I-29. Today it is within the city limits of Kansas City, and an Interstate entrance ramp runs almost squarely through the property. A nearby historical marker notes the original location of the tavern was just west of this spot. If you look that direction the building was located on the grassy area near the tree line.
Clyde chose the Red Crown Tavern as an ideal "hideout." It's location between two intersecting highways provided an easy escape route if needed. They rented two single-story brick cabins. Between them were two wide garages - a convenient place to stash their stolen car. The raid on the cabins started at eleven o'clock. The officers ordered the group out. Blanche told them to wait while they got dressed. Clyde responded by firing on them with his powerful Browning automatic rifle. The local law enforcement officer, Sheriff Coffey was hit in the neck and the steel- jacketed bullets sliced through the armored police car. Buck ran outside and began spraying the area with bullets from his automatic rifle. Buck, was hit and severely wounded, was dragged into the back of the car. The police opened fire on Barrow's getaway car, blinding Blanche with flying glass. The gang made their getaway, but at a heavy cost to all. Bonnie and Clyde had escaped the barrage of bullets, leaving Sheriff Holt Coffey, his son Clarence and a Jackson County Deputy Sheriff all wounded.
This cache should be easy to locate. While the area doesn't look anything like it did back in the 1930s, the main objective of this hide was to bring you to a unique historical site. Parking is available in the visitor lot next to the historical marker. Daylight caching only please.
Permission to place this cache has been granted by Steve Skorepa with the Kansas City Aviation Department. Please do not move or lift or in any way disturb the landscape bricks around the pond. The cache is not located underneath them!