Long ago on independence square (Columbia, Jackson: cabin, association, horses)

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

MRG, Wow that brings back memories of a different kind.

I was in the 7th grade, I think, when that kidnapping happened and everyone was following the news hoping and praying that six year old Bobby Greenlease would be able to return home unharmed.

Before he called the police, the wealthy father withdrew $600,000 and paid the kidnappers.

But, the kidnappers--a man and a woman--killed the boy by shooting him in the head before they even received the ransom. It was sad and devastating news to all.

Those two were executed in the gas chamber and they got what they deserved.

The father banked at Commerce Bank. The head of that bank at that time was President Eisenhower's older brother.

Not to derail this thread, but a few more comments about the Greenlease case. My first recollections were my Dad mentioning the case while passing a Greenlease dealership which was in Midtown KC. It wasn't until the internet age that I was able to learn more details.

It was 1953 and newly-elected President Eisenhower took a personal interest in the case due to the aforementioned involvement of his brother. The ranson was the largest yet at that time and the most notorious child kidnapping case since Lindbergh.

Little Bobby Greenlease was so trusting of adults he took the kidnapper's hand without hesitation, convincing the nuns at Notre Dame de Sion school that he knew the woman, Bonnie Heady.

He was murdered out in a field in OP, Ks, which is now near Oak Park Mall.

Heady is the only female executed by the US since spy Ethel Rosenberg.

[WCHS'59]

That Greenlease ransom of $600,000 paid to the kidnappers in 1953 is the equivalent of $5,100,000, today.

[WCHS'59]

MRG Dallas,

East side of square.

The large building with the striped awning is what the former A.J. Bundschu Department Store aka Emery, Bird, Buncschu Department Store aka Independence City Hall looks like.

I don't know what is in there now. The building on the right is where, I think, Sally36 remembers a candy store being. I remember it as Davis Paint.

The light colored building shown partially on the left was where one of the two Kresge stores was located.





[SIZE=2] [/SIZE]

[MRG Dallas]

Thanks for that, WCHS. That would be the Main St side. I can image standing on the NE corner of the courthouse grounds and picture Katz and Maple eastward but cannot for the life of me picture that side, even after seeing the photo. I should remember Bundshu's and SSK. Just bits of pieces of the other 3 sides, but nothing on the east side except Katz. Would love to see some photos circa 1960, got to be some in attics and albums around town.

[MRG Dallas]

[url="http://www.trumanlibrary.org/photographs/60-413-05.jpg"]

Just found this. WCHS, you've got a good memory. Note the Kresge at the top of the building. Hope the link works, first attempt from an iPad.

Looks like you might have to cut and paste, or Google Images "Bundschu's Independence Mo" It was the first pic listed.

The caption reveals it's for the unveiling of the Andrew Jackson statue. This pic speaks volumes about The Square in the Good Ol Days IMO.

[MRG Dallas]

Flickriver: Most interesting photos tagged with kcsigns

Again, apologies if this doesn't highlight the link. 38 photos on this page (takes awhile to 100% load), and several of the pics will be recognized, both old and new. V's Restaurant . . . I'm wondering if this wasn't attached to the Sterling Bowl. Sally36 didn't live too far away but SB might have opened after she moved out of the area.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

[url="http://www.trumanlibrary.org/photographs/60-413-05.jpg"]

Just found this. WCHS, you've got a good memory. Note the Kresge at the top of the building. Hope the link works, first attempt from an iPad.

Looks like you might have to cut and paste, or Google Images "Bundschu's Independence Mo" It was the first pic listed.

The caption reveals it's for the unveiling of the Andrew Jackson statue. This pic speaks volumes about The Square in the Good Ol Days IMO.

This was the old Kresge building before it was torn down in 1950 and then rebuilt for a new Kresge.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Flickriver: Most interesting photos tagged with kcsigns

Again, apologies if this doesn't highlight the link. 38 photos on this page (takes awhile to 100% load), and several of the pics will be recognized, both old and new. V's Restaurant . . . I'm wondering if this wasn't attached to the Sterling Bowl. Sally36 didn't live too far away but SB might have opened after she moved out of the area.

Those are some good photos. I have a couple of Gateway Sporting Goods that I will post. All that signage fooled me into believing Gateway was still in existence--I should have taken a look.

[sally36]

I sure preshate y'all's comments about the Three Trails not being noted in Indep. as grandly as it should. That's what I've always said! Indep. used to be known as the Queen City of the Trails. That was B. T. Before Truman. Now it's virtually Truman City. I have nothing against Pres. Truman at all. I liked him and was proud he came from my hometown. ( I came from HIS hometown?) (Actually he was born in LaMar, MO and raised somewhere else.) It's just that presidents come and go, but only one town can bear the privilege of being The Starting Point for the Three Trails West. I was always so proud of that. It shouldn't be downsized. That marker on the courthouse square is so much smaller than the statue on the east side. (A. Jackson?) I think there should be a statue of a covered wagon with pioneers !!

Does that pic of the east side with the awning represent where Bundschu's once stood? In other words is there a nice looking storefront there now with an awning instead of the boarded-up look that it had (yuck!) a few yrs. ago? Please say it's so.

[sally36]

Nope, the candy store I remember on the east side was north of Bundschu's, not south. There were long low counters like at the dimestore and I always went for the rows of multi-color Life Savers! Guess what? That name Raymond Blake sure rang a bell. My parents mentioned his name a lot when I was small. My Dad worked at Prudential then upstairs in the First National Bank Bldg. and I think I assumed R. B. worked there, too. Maybe not. The town was small then and folks knew about everybody, it seemed.