Back in 1864, the area around Loose Park was a large farm owned by William Bent. Bent’s land extended east to Wornall Lane. On the other side of the lane was the farm owned by John B. Wornall. Bent acquired the property in 1856.

Born in St. Louis in 1809, William Bent went west to Colorado with his brother, Charles, when he was 17 years old. Bent spent his years out west trapping, trading and hauling some freight along the Santa Fe Trail. Bent periodically returned to Missouri, which may have motivated his acquisition of the farm along Wornall Lane.

There is conflicting evidence to determine whether the current Bent House located near Sunset Drive and 55th Street existed in 1864. There is evidence that the northern section of the mansion is antebellum, probably constructed in the 1850s. After Bent’s death in 1869, Seth E. Ward purchased Bent’s Farm from the Bent estate. It may have been Ward who added that part of the house that you can see from 55th Street.