Long ago on independence square (rental, insurance, house)

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Here's your "e".

Dion's Rubye Babye

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Dion's Rubye Babye

No. No. I don't think that is it and I doubt it is Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town. Nor is it just plain Ruby.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5r3fz3Ob8s

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Whatta shame Too bad there wasn't some well-to-do benefactor who might have been able to save that iconic building

Nowadays, there probably would be. Or a fundraising campaign by a historical society, etc.

I have no idea what it would have cost to repurpose that building, but I am with you in that it should not have been razed if at all possible. There are four buildings that I found the architecture was the best:

U.S. Post Office
Bank of Independence
Bundschu's
Old Police Station on South Main

I might need to add the old Library on Osage and Maple, but that is about the end of the great architectural beauties of Independence, not counting homes.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

"e"???

Rubey!

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Rubey!

Are you messing with me? It is Ruby. Am I to take it that you do not know who the street was named after?

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

Are you messing with me? It is Ruby. Am I to take it that you do not know who the street was named after?

I do indeed know the origin of that street, thus my reply!

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

The original name was Rubey, in honor of Mr. Reuben Rubey. He was a cabinet maker and carpenter. He built and operated the first city market in town (Lexington & Osage in 1838). He also made coffins and furniture. His grandson was Henry G Mitchell of Ott & Mitchell funeral home. Mr. Rubey owned land on the south side of town. He subdivided it and named one of the streets for himself. In 1951 new street signs were made which misspelled his name, but Mayor Sermon told them not to correct it.

Washington Street still exists.



When I was a kid the Square still had many active businesses. Jones, Penney's, Woolworth, Monkey Wards, Sears Outlet, Western Auto, and Katz Drugs were all still open. My paper route was on the Square at the time Urban Renewal came in. That fiasco, along with the opening of Independence Center, effectively killed the Square from a retail perspective.

A very wise man once said "A history thread will repeat itself!" This is proof from 2012.

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

A very wise man once said "A history thread will repeat itself!" This is proof from 2012.

Wow! Over this past weekend, or the prior weekend, C-SPAN had a series of programs about KC and Independence. In one of the Independence vignettes, they took a tour of Independence using the wagon. The man on the wagon said that Ruby Avenue was named after a Colonel Ruby or Rubey (it was not spelled). Was he wrong or was Mr. Rubey a former colonel?

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

The original name was Rubey, in honor of Mr. Reuben Rubey. He was a cabinet maker and carpenter. He built and operated the first city market in town (Lexington & Osage in 1838). He also made coffins and furniture. His grandson was Henry G Mitchell of Ott & Mitchell funeral home. Mr. Rubey owned land on the south side of town. He subdivided it and named one of the streets for himself. In 1951 new street signs were made which misspelled his name, but Mayor Sermon told them not to correct it.

Washington Street still exists.



When I was a kid the Square still had many active businesses. Jones, Penney's, Woolworth, Monkey Wards, Sears Outlet, Western Auto, and Katz Drugs were all still open. My paper route was on the Square at the time Urban Renewal came in. That fiasco, along with the opening of Independence Center, effectively killed the Square from a retail perspective.

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

Wow! Over this past weekend, or the prior weekend, C-SPAN had a series of programs about KC and Independence. In one of the Independence vignettes, they took a tour of Independence using the wagon. The man on the wagon said that Ruby Avenue was named after a Colonel Ruby or Rubey (it was not spelled). Was he wrong or was Mr. Rubey a former colonel?

My source is Pearl Wilcox, she gives a short bio on him, but never mentions him being a colonel. Back in them days there were a few fellows who bestowed such a title upon themselves without having earned it. Perhaps he was one.

[Mad Anthonie]

The front page of The Examiner for January 18, 1963 has a story and photo of a house fire at the Isaac Peace residence, 824 W Maple. The home was heavily damaged.


I wonder if anyone here has memories of this event...