Most visitors know all about Kansas City's barbecue, jazz, and football success, but there are hidden gems and wild pieces of trivia around every turn in Missouri's largest city. Is the giant Hereford bull anatomically correct? Can a seed that's been to outer space still grow into a normal tree? And who really killed President William Henry Harrison?

You'll find answers to the questions you didn't know you had in Secret Kansas City: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. Learn why three completely unrelated groups have chosen Kansas City as the center of the world and the place you want to be when the world ends. Between these covers, you'll also find castles, a horse buried in a cul-de-sac, a ghost who likes a good laugh, and the world's longest snake. This is not a tour guide for outsiders, it's a scavenger hunt"¬‚¬"insiders only, please.

Longtime Kansas Citian Anne Kniggendorf is at your service to bolster your love and boost your respect for this middle-of-the-map city. With her eye for the odd leading the way, you'll have a great time discovering Kansas City.

Anne Kniggendorf has lived in Kansas City most of her life, and nearly all these fun facts came as a surprise to her. Searching for stories has become a serious preoccupation for this freelance journalist who has local bylines in the Kansas City Star, KCUR 89.3, and Flatland magazine. Nationally, she has written for Smithsonian magazine, National Public Radio, the Saturday Evening Post, and Publishers Weekly. Visit her at AnneKniggendorf.com or on any of her eponymous social media pages.