Long ago on independence square (Lee's Summit, Blue Springs: baseball, traffic, drug)

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

I remember shooting hoops there on a very cold day (probably over Christmas break) They had the heat turned up, you could 'smell" the heat in the place . . .nice and cozy inside, windy and very cold outside. That might have been the day we foolishly went to Velvet Freeze (or whatever) and ordered our cherry 7-Ups, then took them outside. Stupidity reigned.

You know that place has been totally rehabbed in the last ten years or so. That is one reason I wanted to get some photos.

[MRG Dallas]

Did not know that but I am glad it survived all the "urban renewal" crapola that took so many of the classic buildings we remember so well

[WCHS'59]

When we had junior high assemblies there, all the seats were wood. Some of them were in bad shape even back in 53-55.

One of the improvements made was to install all new seating. The backs are still wood but the seats are plush. There was also an elevator installed. The improvements even went into the rest rooms.

[MRG Dallas]

Some other interesting groups from then:

Queen City Tops Club (the weight control group "take off pounds sensibly" ?)
United Daughters of Confederacy
Rodeo Kids
Pilot Club
Knife & Fork Club
Army Mothers
Navy Mothers

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by sally36

On down 23rd St. East of McCoy School a few blocks or more kinda in the country (!) was a little grocery store owned by my 2nd grade boyfriend's father. His name was Melvyn Greenstein (my b.f.) so the store was Greenstein's. My dad and I went to pick him up to come to my birthday party one yr. Anyone remember it? The door faced out right on the corner.

Get well soon and come back, Sally! You are missed here.

If Sally was in second grade than that would have been War time. In 1942, Alton eastbound extended only to Leslie, then Polk's directs you to Blue Springs Rd. BSR then leads to "beyond S. Kiger Rd." The last listing is Herman C. Davis filling station @ 1526.

No mention of a Greenstein's grocery anywhere. There was an Assembly of God church at 901 but everything else was residential listings.

Alton east was from 1200 S. Main to City Limits, where it becomes the aforementioned Blue Springs Rd. There were several businesses along that stretch: at least 3 individually-name grocers, a restaurant, filling stations and Alton Feed Store, extending out only to 613.

Alton westbound ran from 1200 S. Main to Forest (City Limits) Virtually all residences (and only a few of them) Alton School @ 801 and this curious entry @ 1503: Mrs Mary E Paxton "beer" lol. A little package beverage store out of her home very near the City Limits? lol Maybe west of there was "dry"?


23rd St ran eastbound from KC City Limits (approx. Hazel/Laurel) to Forest.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Get well soon and come back, Sally! You are missed here.

If Sally was in second grade than that would have been War time. In 1942, Alton eastbound extended only to Leslie, then Polk's directs you to Blue Springs Rd. BSR then leads to "beyond S. Kiger Rd." The last listing is Herman C. Davis filling station @ 1526.

No mention of a Greenstein's grocery anywhere. There was an Assembly of God church at 901 but everything else was residential listings.

Alton east was from 1200 S. Main to City Limits, where it becomes the aforementioned Blue Springs Rd. There were several businesses along that stretch: at least 3 individually-name grocers, a restaurant, filling stations and Alton Feed Store, extending out only to 613.

Alton westbound ran from 1200 S. Main to Forest (City Limits) Virtually all residences (and only a few of them) Alton School @ 801 and this curious entry @ 1503: Mrs Mary E Paxton "beer" lol. A little package beverage store out of her home very near the City Limits? lol Maybe west of there was "dry"?


23rd St ran eastbound from KC City Limits (approx. Hazel/Laurel) to Forest.

MRG there was a mom and pop grocery store at the northwest corner of South Avenue and Pearl Street. It was only a half block from McCoy School, which was at 1010 S Pearl, I believe. I got all of my school supplies there, plus candy, etc., if I had a nickel.

Can you come up with a name for it?

[MRG Dallas]

MRG there was a mom and pop grocery store at the northwest corner of South Avenue and Pearl Street. It was only a half block from McCoy School, which was at 1010 S Pearl, I believe. I got all of my school supplies there, plus candy, etc., if I had a nickel.

Can you come up with a name for it?



I looked in 1954 and came up with Walnut Park Mkt @ 322 E. South Ave. Looks like the building might still be there and could have housed the little market you patronized.

[MRG Dallas]

There were lots of "Grocers & Meats - Retail" little markets like Walnut Park back in 1954. Including the few chains that existed then (Kroger, Milgram's, Safeway, A&P) there were nearly 90 entries. Many were just the owner's names, or the name with "market" . . . how times change . . now they just operate as convenience stores

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

MRG there was a mom and pop grocery store at the northwest corner of South Avenue and Pearl Street. It was only a half block from McCoy School, which was at 1010 S Pearl, I believe. I got all of my school supplies there, plus candy, etc., if I had a nickel.

Can you come up with a name for it?



I looked in 1954 and came up with Walnut Park Mkt @ 322 E. South Ave. Looks like the building might still be there and could have housed the little market you patronized.

Holy cow, yes, Walnut Park grocery was the name of it. It got that name because that area was the Walnut Park subdivision. A block away on 23rd Street (Alton) was a Walnut Park church, it might have been RLDS.

I could get a Snickers candy bar for 5 cents at that store. A Mars almond bar tasted better but was ten cents. Two Hostess chocolate cupcakes on a small cardboard tray wrapped in cellophane were ten cents. A five pack of Crayola Crayons was 5 cents.
A Big Chief table was five cents as well.

One day in the first grade I had a nickel to buy something. I mentioned to a kid a year older than I was that I was going to the store and get a candy bar. It was recess and I should not have been leaving the school ground but the store was only a lot away from the school slide on the north playground where I was playing. I could sneak down there in no time at all and be back. This kid talked me into letting him go get the candy bar for me so I would not get in trouble. I gave in letting him go for me. When he came back he said some other boy stole the nickel from him. I did not know enough to know I was being hood winked and did not know enough to give him a what for. Live and learn in those young years. I never trusted anyone with my nickel after that.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

MRG there was a mom and pop grocery store at the northwest corner of South Avenue and Pearl Street. It was only a half block from McCoy School, which was at 1010 S Pearl, I believe. I got all of my school supplies there, plus candy, etc., if I had a nickel.

Can you come up with a name for it?



I looked in 1954 and came up with Walnut Park Mkt @ 322 E. South Ave. Looks like the building might still be there and could have housed the little market you patronized.

That "store" is still there. I usually go by there on each trip I make back to Independence.

When it was a grocery store, the owners lived upstairs. When it went out of business, the front was bricked up somewhat and additional living quarters were made out of it.

That store lasted at least into the sixties before being converted for additional living area.