William Ewing Kemp was a mayor of Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...

 from 1946 to 1955.

Kemp was born in La Monte, Missouri

La Monte, Missouri

La Monte is a city in Pettis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,064 at the 2000 census.-Geography:La Monte is located at ....

 and received his undergraduate degree from Central Missouri State University. He was a law graduate of Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...

 in 1917 and World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 veteran.

In 1940 he was appointed by mayor Joe Gage to be city counsel and prosecuted several city employees in the fall of the Thomas Pendergast machine. Kemp was elected to a two-year term in 1946, re-elected to a three-year term in 1949 and then re-elected to a four year term in 1952.

During his tenure the Chouteau Bridge and Paseo Bridge

Paseo Bridge

The Paseo Bridge was a suspension bridge over the Missouri River in Kansas City, Missouri. Before being replaced by the Christopher S. Bond Bridge, it carried Interstates 29 and 35 and U.S. Route 71 over the river.-Background and History:...

 were built across the Missouri River

Missouri River

The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...

 and Starlight Theatre (Kansas City)

Starlight Theatre (Kansas City)

Starlight Theatre is a 7,947-seat outdoor theatre in Kansas City, Missouri, United States that stages touring Broadway shows and concerts. It is one of three remaining self-producing outdoor theatres in the U.S.-History:...

opened.