Long ago on independence square (Kansas City, Blue Springs: details, sales, house)

[smh69]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

I have been to Walker Cooper's home. It was on Blue Mills Road. He had a daughter that some of us had met back in the early 1960s.

quote=CaseyMO;33442217]I have been to Walker Cooper's home. It was on Blue Mills Road. He had a daughter that some of us had met back in the early 1960s.[/quote]

Walker Cooper also had a brother named Mort Cooper. He was a pitcher for the St Louis Cardinals in the late 30's and through out the 40's. He won the NL MVP award in '42.
Another interesting fact about Walker Cooper as I recall is his 2 daughters. One of which was married to Don Blasingame, a pretty good major league second baseman. I believe either she or her sister was Miss Missouri back in the early 60's.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

I knew Pete Jones as a crying bawling brat of a baby, chuckle. I was the Boy Scout Den Chief or whatever it was called, to Mrs Jones (I cannot recall her first name) Cub pack. She was the Den mother. I knew Sharon his sister well and we congregated at the school bus stop each morning. She was two years ahead of me. As a seventh grader, I think I had a secret crush on her--and all the other girls at the stop who were all two years older. I think his father's name was Wynn and he worked for Standard Oil. He gave a demonstration at school one day in which he put a rose flower into some liquid nitrogen, then took the rose and threw it on the floor. It splintered into hundreds of pieces.

Betty Jones was the mother's name. She was a nice lady. Mr. Jones was nice also.

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

I knew Pete Jones as a crying bawling brat of a baby, chuckle. I was the Boy Scout Den Chief or whatever it was called, to Mrs Jones (I cannot recall her first name) Cub pack. She was the Den mother. I knew Sharon his sister well and we congregated at the school bus stop each morning. She was two years ahead of me. As a seventh grader, I think I had a secret crush on her--and all the other girls at the stop who were all two years older. I think his father's name was Wynn and he worked for Standard Oil. He gave a demonstration at school one day in which he put a rose flower into some liquid nitrogen, then took the rose and threw it on the floor. It splintered into hundreds of pieces.

Pete and I were good friends during grade school. We kind of went separate ways during high school, but always remained friends. I recall his sister being a good looking young lady. Pete married Nancy McMullen WCHS-1964, and she was a beauty too. Here is a picture of our third grade class at Benton. Pete and Jerry O'Dell are in the picture, as are Carl Williamson, who lived in the old Kiger Plantation or Ellison Farm House, depending on who you talk to. That was next door to me on Trail Ridge. Anthonie knows which house I mean.



Front row, 3rd from left is Jerry O'Dell
Front row, 3rd from right is Carl Williamson (father owned City Block)
Front row, 2nd from right is me
Pete is there, but we think he is the Santa on the second row.
Second row, 2nd from the left is Paula Mitchell (daughter or Mitchell of Ott & Mitchell

By the way, Mary Miner's brother is on top row, 2nd from the right.

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by smh69

quote=CaseyMO;33442217]I have been to Walker Cooper's home. It was on Blue Mills Road. He had a daughter that some of us had met back in the early 1960s.

Walker Cooper also had a brother named Mort Cooper. He was a pitcher for the St Louis Cardinals in the late 30's and through out the 40's. He won the NL MVP award in '42.
Another interesting fact about Walker Cooper as I recall is his 2 daughters. One of which was married to Don Blasingame, a pretty good major league second baseman. I believe either she or her sister was Miss Missouri back in the early 60's.[/quote]

You are correct about the Miss Missouri and, as I recall, she was the older sister and not the one I had met.

I cannot the younger sister's name, but I have seen Cliff Crenshaw (WCHS-56) discuss the sisters. I believe Claude O'Dell had some association with the younger sister and may have brought her to a teen club that existed in the early 60s and 59th and Blue Ridge Cut-off, known as the Chicken Coop.

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Betty Jones was the mother's name. She was a nice lady. Mr. Jones was nice also.

I don't recall the father, but I remember Mrs. Jones being very nice.

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

I was direction challenged when I originally wrote that it was west.

Over the past couple years I have reminisced about a tavern that was some where on, i think, Blue Mills Road. I dont recall a name and dont even recall seeing a name on the premises as I was driving by. It was way out by itself and very close to the road. A longish white building as I recall.

Since there were no street signs back then, I would use it as a landmark to assure myself that I was headed in the right direction for Fort Osage, when I took the south route from M-291 and Courtney.

Sometimes I would head north to Atherton and go that route over the old rickety RR bridge to Fort Osage.

But other times, I would head toward Blue Mills Road from Courtney, although I did not know where Blue Mills Road was at the time. I just drove and when I came across the tavern I knew I was on the right track.

Do you know where that tavern might have been?

This sounds familiar to me. I believe it was on the north side of Blue Mills Road, but I am not sure. I certainly do not recall any name. My wife and I were out there a few months ago, but did not pay close attention and I think we were on and off Blue Mills so we may not have passed it.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

Pete and I were good friends during grade school. We kind of went separate ways during high school, but always remained friends. I recall his sister being a good looking young lady. Pete married Nancy McMullen WCHS-1964, and she was a beauty too. Here is a picture of our third grade class at Benton. Pete and Jerry O'Dell are in the picture, as are Carl Williamson, who lived in the old Kiger Plantation or Ellison Farm House, depending on who you talk to. That was next door to me on Trail Ridge. Anthonie knows which house I mean.



Front row, 3rd from left is Jerry O'Dell
Front row, 3rd from right is Carl Williamson (father owned City Block)
Front row, 2nd from right is me
Pete is there, but we think he is the Santa on the second row.
Second row, 2nd from the left is Paula Mitchell (daughter or Mitchell of Ott & Mitchell

By the way, Mary Miner's brother is on top row, 2nd from the right.

Was Carl Williamson J.D. Williamson's brother?

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

This sounds familiar to me. I believe it was on the north side of Blue Mills Road, but I am not sure. I certainly do not recall any name. My wife and I were out there a few months ago, but did not pay close attention and I think we were on and off Blue Mills so we may not have passed it.

It was on the north side of the road. I could not find it the last two times I was in Independence. I also did a fly by using Google Maps and could not find it or a footprint. Nothing lasts forever, so I suppose it bit the dust, maybe quite some time ago.

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Was Carl Williamson J.D. Williamson's brother?

Indeed, he was. Carl died in 2001.

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

It was on the north side of the road. I could not find it the last two times I was in Independence. I also did a fly by using Google Maps and could not find it or a footprint. Nothing lasts forever, so I suppose it bit the dust, maybe quite some time ago.

My fuzzy memory congers up an English looking place that was longer on the sides than in front and back, but then again, my memory is fuzzy. LOL!