Kelly's Westport Inn


Kelly's Westport Inn is a famous drinking establishment in Westport, Kansas City, Missouri, constructed around 1850.

History

The grandson of Daniel Boone, Albert Gallatin Boone , operated a grocery there for a time. While some people believe that for a time, a tunnel running south connecting to a stable was part of the Underground Railroad helping slaves escape to the North, and that the tunnel still exists, running under the street to the stable, which is now also a drinking establishment called the Westport Saloon, Kyle Kelly himself says, "There are many tales of our old building and this is one of the more common ones. I do not believe that there ever was a tunnel from Kelly's to any neighbor, but there certainly could have been. Our basement is 'interesting' and may cause someone to believe it was a former tunnel because the basement under the front part of the building resembles a tunnel."
Sometime around 1900, the Wiedenmann family operated a grocery there, which catered to Kansas City's elite. With the repeal of Prohibition, Phil Taggart rented the building and opened a saloon named the Wrestlers Inn. A few years later, Randal Kelly, born in County Clare, Ireland, became a bartender. He soon became a partner. The bar became a popular attraction, particularly during Saint Patrick's Day, and continues to be a well loved destination.
In 1959 the building was designated a national historic landmark.
In 1996, Kansas City native Eddie Griffin used Kelly's as the inspiration for the setting of his sitcom Malcolm & Eddie, starring himself and Malcolm-Jamal Warner.