Long ago on independence square (Kansas City, Raytown: trading, stained, featured)

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by pearjas

So this is from 1960?

Hey there, good to see you back on board. Really appreciate the photos on Bucket.

In 1960, yes Turner had moved to 405 WL Next door at 407-411 Independence Laundry & Cleaning Co. with the Presbyterian Annex next to that.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by pearjas

So this is from 1960?

I stand corrected . . it was still Tucker's in 1960

[WCHS'59]

More on Blue Valley Federal. The "thing" about federal savings institutions was that they did not pay interest on savings. They paid dividends.

[WCHS'59]

I think I have mentioned these before but the KIMO is the former radio station in the 300 block of north Osage.

The Daily News is the other former Independence Daily, which I really liked but did not subscribe. It sold for five cents. It was in the same building as the radio station.

The Pictorial Shopper was a free shopping rag carrying all advertising. Also in the same building as the radio station.

[RLouv]

Originally Posted by weimlover6

This is the information I have on the Mifflin House:

The house was built around 1890 and is a classic example of the Stick style of architecture popular at the time. The lot was purchased by Samuel T. Mifflin on June 25, 1888; he worked as a clerk at a dry goods firm in Kansas City during the 1890s. He was married to Adele Sheaff and the couple had five children (two boys and three girls). After Mifflin's death, his son, Samuel T. Mifflin Jr., who was an advertising salesman, owned the house; he died in 1959. His sister, Edna Mifflin Streeter, owned the house until her death in 1962 (although she lived in a nursing home at the time of her death). Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Walter bought the house from one of Edna Streeter's daughters in 1964 and later sold it to a policeman, Mike Hogue.

It would be nice if it had an owner who would be willing to put the time, effort, and money into restoring it, as it is one of the few architectural gems left in western Independence and one of a few intact examples of Stick architecture in the city.

I ran across this thread accidentally when looking for my grandmother's date of birth. She was Edna Mifflin Streeter and her father built the house, I believe in 1889. My mother was raised in the house, and I lived in it with my parents and grandmother from 1951 to 1954 or 55. I have vivid memories of the house, and the family had many stories -- including a fine ghost story -- about it. I'm a journalist and have briefly written about my grandmother's house in columns and books. I live in California now, but on visits to Kansas City, I've driven out to the old house. One time, after my mother's funeral, or perhaps another visit, I parked in front of it and got out to look at it. A guy came out to ask me what I was doing and I explained my association with the house. He said, "You can look but you can't go in." I hadn't asked to go in. The last time I visited, it was in disrepair, and the old radiators had been pulled out and stacked next to the house. Not a pleasant sight. The house is featured in a book that was sold for years at the Truman Library, a book about historic houses in Independence. I still think of the house now and then and had fantasies of buying it. I do hope someone takes good care of it. If anyone would like more information about the Mifflin House, you can contact me via web site (Home - Richard Louv) or at rlouv@cts.com. Thanks to all who commented on the house.

[WCHS'59]

Here is a photo taken during my sophomore year. The west end of the old WCHS on Maple street is in the background.

This is the long gone drug store at Lexington and Union. I very seldom went in there because it was overloaded with kids. I only attended this WCHS for that one year before spending the junior and senior years out on Noland Road.

I Got to see Don Larsen pitch the perfect World Series game on a TV set up in the auditorium of the old building.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by RLouv

I ran across this thread accidentally when looking for my grandmother's date of birth. She was Edna Mifflin Streeter and her father built the house, I believe in 1889. My mother was raised in the house, and I lived in it with my parents and grandmother from 1951 to 1954 or 55. I have vivid memories of the house, and the family had many stories -- including a fine ghost story -- about it. I'm a journalist and have briefly written about my grandmother's house in columns and books. I live in California now, but on visits to Kansas City, I've driven out to the old house. One time, after my mother's funeral, or perhaps another visit, I parked in front of it and got out to look at it. A guy came out to ask me what I was doing and I explained my association with the house. He said, "You can look but you can't go in." I hadn't asked to go in. The last time I visited, it was in disrepair, and the old radiators had been pulled out and stacked next to the house. Not a pleasant sight. The house is featured in a book that was sold for years at the Truman Library, a book about historic houses in Independence. I still think of the house now and then and had fantasies of buying it. I do hope someone takes good care of it. If anyone would like more information about the Mifflin House, you can contact me via web site (Home - Richard Louv) or at rlouv@cts.com. Thanks to all who commented on the house.

You and Mad Anthonie can probably share some memories of that house.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

I just looked and that small parking lot is still there in back of the former Blue Valley Savings but now has an exit onto Maple. I seem to recall there were bushes there in the old days to keep the parking lot contained for Blue Valley.

The True Value hardware is one door further west. I cannot recall what might have been there in place of the hardware in the old days.

I believe that would have been the back end of Maple-facing Galen Boyer Motors, at least in 1954. That was 313-317 W. Maple. Going even further back was also motor co., Smith Motors at 313-315 and Wm Gillmor Motor Co. and Gillmor Tire Co. at 317 Aerial view looks like that building ran the block and wouldn't surprise me from what (little) I remember about GB's operations (altho my earliest recollections are of the WL location near River) Its repair and auto body shops seemed pretty spacious for those times.

On the Lexington side, the aforementioned restaurant Luff's likely was the corner business at 320 which by 1960 had become Pat's Lunch. 313-317 W Maple was vacant.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Here is a photo taken during my sophomore year. The west end of the old WCHS on Maple street is in the background.

This is the long gone drug store at Lexington and Union. I very seldom went in there because it was overloaded with kids. I only attended this WCHS for that one year before spending the junior and senior years out on Noland Road.

I Got to see Don Larsen pitch the perfect World Series game on a TV set up in the auditorium of the old building.

Cool pic. I have no recollections of that at all even though I had to wander that way several times, or at least parents driving by it. Raytown HS had a similar place across the street as well. Then like you being shipped off to the Noland location, probably nothing of a sort within walking distance of school.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

I believe that would have been the back end of Maple-facing Galen Boyer Motors, at least in 1954. That was 313-317 W. Maple. Going even further back was also motor co., Smith Motors at 313-315 and Wm Gillmor Motor Co. and Gillmor Tire Co. at 317 Aerial view looks like that building ran the block and wouldn't surprise me from what (little) I remember about GB's operations (altho my earliest recollections are of the WL location near River) Its repair and auto body shops seemed pretty spacious for those times.

On the Lexington side, the aforementioned restaurant Luff's likely was the corner business at 320 which by 1960 had become Pat's Lunch. 313-317 W Maple was vacant.

That is a further mystery because at the end of the 300 block of Lexington at the corner of Spring would have been the back end of the Granada Theater that fronted on Maple. I don't recall a Pat's Lunch either, chuckle.

Tried several time to get Google to take me to 320 w Lexington but it put me on the east side of town each time.