The L. Perry Cookingham Collection was donated to the University of Missouri-Kansas City during the late 1970s and through the early 1980s by Mr. Cookingham. The collection contains a fairly concise and annotated selection of Cookingham’s personal and professional life. Inclusive dates are circa 1870-1993. Included is correspondence, scrapbooks, photographs, slides, cassette tapes, date books and material related to the growth of Kansas City during 1939-1990. The material has been organized into 13 series. Photographs and slides are contained in 14 boxes and manuscript material and other items are contained in 12 boxes and one oversized drawer.

The strength of the collection lies in the material relating to Kansas City during the years 1939-1959. Among this material are miscellaneous letters concerning city development. Of particular interest is a set of handwritten notes by Cookingham relating to the 1951 flood. In his notes, Cookingham documents the events of that horrific day. Another strength is the numerous photographs of a personal and professional nature. Included in the photographs are several boxes of stereo slides containing scenes of early Kansas City and views of social functions attended by local and national celebrities and politicians.

Other highlights include seven scrapbooks documenting Cookingham’s professional career and drafts of published and unpublished biographies.