Long ago on independence square (Washington, Lexington: small towns, theater, high school)

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

The Noland House was a hotel erected at Main and present day Maple streets in 1846. It replaced the Washington Hotel, built in 1838, which had burned down in 1845.

Smallwood V. Noland was the owner of both hotels.

This hotel should not be confused with the present day Noland House on Delaware near the Truman home or with the present day Noland House on Forest Street.

The Noland House achieved a fine reputation over its years of operation but during a 24-hour period in 1849, ten occupants died.

What was the cause of their deaths?

Four or five days earlier, seven people died within a 24 hour period at the Independence House, also a hotel.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

The Noland House was a hotel erected at Main and present day Maple streets in 1846. It replaced the Washington Hotel, built in 1838, which had burned down in 1845.

Smallwood V. Noland was the owner of both hotels.

This hotel should not be confused with the present day Noland House on Delaware near the Truman home or with the present day Noland House on Forest Street.

The Noland House achieved a fine reputation over its years of operation but during a 24-hour period in 1849, ten occupants died.

What was the cause of their deaths?

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

A vacationing serial killer?

Chlorine leak from the hotel pool?

Rapid lead-poisoning?

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Four or five days earlier, seven people died within a 24 hour period at the Independence House, also a hotel.

Perhaps one of the deadly outbreaks of influenza or other dreaded communicable disease.

[WCHS'59]

The cause of the seventeen deaths at both Independence hotels in such a short time was smallpox. The epidemic, somehow, did not spread to the general population but was contained in the hotels. The hotels were filled to capacity with those headed to the goldfields in California. This, according to the 1881 history of Jackson County.

That book also says that prior to the date of the book, the last smallpox case in Independence was in 1865.

The 1920 history of Jackson County has no mention of smallpox.

Except for Pearl Wilcox’s treatments, there has been no general history of Jackson County written for almost 100 years. It is about time someone took the challenge. Same for Independence since 1927. Perhaps someone is working on those for the upcoming bicentennial of both entities.


Smallpox:
The most destructive effect on any war time army is not bullets, bombs, or artillery, but disease.

In February 1777, Washington ordered that all Continental troops be mass vaccinated or inoculated for smallpox. Washington was immune having had the disease earlier in his life.



I was aware the medical profession could do the inoculation back then but not aware that the entire Continental Army had been protected.

[WCHS'59]

Here is a scan of a proposed business park from an undated PDF file on the web.

First I had heard of this.

The traffic circle is supposed to be M-78 and M-7.


(Further information indicates this project was announced in 2010 and was/is to be constructed on land owned by the Community Church of Christ)

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by CatHerder

Thanks, WCHS!

Interesting that CMSC could afford to build a brand-new structure out there. My guess would have been that they remodeled an existing structure.

A shame that some of the Slover Park amenities you mention couldn't have been preserved. Evidently McCoy Park was seen as a higher priority.

Concerning University of Central Missouri in Lee's Summit.

According to UCM Magazine, Spring 2016, construction was started this spring on a $40m Missouri Innovation Campus in Lee's Summit. The facility "will house Lee's Summit R-7 Summit Technology Academy, programs currently housed at UCM-Lee's Summit, and the Missouri innovation Campus, a trailblazing partnership involving R-7, UCM and Metropolitan Community College."

The $40m is provided by bonds approved by Lee's Summit voters.

The magazine item seems a little vague about UCM participation and the current UCM--Lee's Summit campus but says that "The MIC focuses on preparing students for high demand careers while accelerating the time it takes to complete a college degree and greatly reducing the cost of a college education. The first cohort of MIC students, who graduated from high school and received their associate degree from MCC in 2014, graduated from UCM with a bachelor's degree in May."

[CatHerder]

Lee's Summit has seen lots of growth in in the last 20 years or so. At least Independence has the Blue River community college campus. That area seems poised for a lot more development and population growth; already a number of new subdivisions out that way.

[WCHS'59]

1966: Katz Drug plans a $1 million store here at the northeast corner of 39th and Noland Road. Another Katz Drugstore has been on the Square since 1948.

Who does not remember the Katz on the square? Chuckle.

I dont think I remember one at 39th and Noland, though.

$1m in 1966 works out to be $7.5m today.

[WCHS'59]

From the Examiner, 1916:

The expected has happened; and the National Guard, including Battery C of this city, has been ordered to mobilize. Not to go immediately to the Mexican border, but the War Department believes the gravity of the situation is so great as to justify the concentration of our government's forces in convenient mobilization camps. The Battery is expected to entrain for Nevada, Mo., the mobilization camp designated for this state. They will go in Missouri Pacific trains, leaving the main line depot as soon as they can get ready.

• With their new flag flying at the front, the Independence band playing martial music, friends and relatives marching as close as possible, officers leading and cheers mingling with tears, Battery C left the public square for mobilization with other Missouri National Guards troops. As the hour of departure approached, the gravity of the step that is being taken bore in upon many of the young men, their parents, wives and children.


• Independence has set a high mark in responding to the call for soldiers for possible service. Officers and men we have sent are 128 and in a few days others will go in sufficient numbers to bring the total up to the full war strength, 175. This is a much larger percentage according to population than has been sent by any other community of which we know, certainly by an other Missouri community. It is more than one man for every one hundred of population.

[WCHS'59]

1966:

Some 1,000 youngsters participated in the annual Kansas City Athletics baseball clinic held at Crysler Stadium. Chuck Dobson, Jim Dickson and Guido Grill conducted the clinic.


I suspect MRG Dallas might have been there.

I recall Chuck Dobson as a pitcher for the KC A's but do not recall the other two.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

1966:

Some 1,000 youngsters participated in the annual Kansas City Athletics baseball clinic held at Crysler Stadium. Chuck Dobson, Jim Dickson and Guido Grill conducted the clinic.


I suspect MRG Dallas might have been there.

I recall Chuck Dobson as a pitcher for the KC A's but do not recall the other two.

I was there . .along with a zillion others