On Dec. 30, 1918, Kansas City schools reopened as the influenza epidemic waned. The New Year came and residents celebrated as best they could.

For some, the worst had passed, and they could look forward to a better year. For those who had lost loved ones, however, the difficulties of coping with the losses had only just begun. In the end, Kansas City had experienced a long and hard influenza epidemic.

From its start in late-September 1918 through early-spring 1919, over 11,000 cases and over 2,300 deaths occurred as a result of the epidemic. As a result, Kansas City experienced an excess death rate of 580 per 100,000 people, placing it among one of the harder-hit cities in the United States.