Long ago on independence square (Springfield, Liberty: parking, money, dentist)

[WCHS'59]

The 1859 Jail was used for inmate purposes until the 1920s.

Afterwards some cells were removed and the Jackson County Community Welfare League and the Workers Progress Administration took over the building for public welfare activities, such as a soup kitchen.

In 1945, Jackson County transferred ownership of the jail to the city of Independence.

Independence sold the jail to the American Legion for $100.

The Legion vacated the building prior to 1950 leaving it empty for a number of years.
By 1958, it was slated to be torn down for a parking lot.

The building was saved by the Jackson County Historical Society, which began a contribution campaign and rehabilitated the building in 1959.

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When the 1859 Jail was shut down, the Jackson County Sheriff office moved to the basement of the courthouse in Independence. This is a current day photo but access to the sheriff office was through this basement entrance on the west side.

New cells were constructed in the west end of the basement. Sheriff cars had reserved parking on the courthouse side of Maple. Sometime in the late fifties, the Sheriff vacated the courthouse basement and moved to a facility near 23rd and Crysler streets. Eventually the Jackson County Sheriff vacated that location and moved to Lake Jacomo.

[WCHS'59]

Everyone but everyone living in Independence long ago remembers the Katz drug store at Maple and Main. Katz had a soda fountain in the mezzanine along with a large pay phone bank along the Maple Street wall. Stairs led to the mezzanine and another stairs led to a lower level, which had its own entrance off Maple and Lynn.

For those who have not been around for awhile, the former Katz is to the right in this photo.

The place is now Ophelia's Restaurant and Inn. The available 12-14 rooms are on the second floor, which used to be law and other offices. The bottom floor is used for storage.

Ophelia's is a rather upscale place with prices to match.

The green fronted store on the left is the old Crown Drug store which later became Goldman's Jewelry. It is now the Clinton Soda Fountain. The building is where Harry S Truman had his first job sweeping the floor at age 14.

[MRG Dallas]

Was Gateway Sporting Goods (yellow sign peeking) always in that location?

What about Lee's Sporting Goods which was also in the area? Shopped there but don't recall the site.

Crown probably moved to Alton Plaza or Hiway 24 SC. I suspect CDS was there only until 1955 or so, then became Goldman's?

Was Woolworth's and the other Kresge's west of there along Maple?

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Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Was Gateway Sporting Goods (yellow sign peeking) always in that location? As far as I know it was. I was never in there.

What about Lee's Sporting Goods which was also in the area? Shopped there but don't recall the site.
Lee's was on Maple to the west (left) of Crown and almost to Liberty Street. I was never in there either.

Crown probably moved to Alton Plaza or Hiway 24 SC. I suspect CDS was there only until 1955 or so, then became Goldman's? That sounds about right. Might have even been a year or two earlier.

Was Woolworth's and the other Kresge's west of there along Maple? Yes they were.

An item of note. Katz was a local KC chain founded by a Ukrainian immigrant, with that name, and his brother. Katz was devoured by Skaggs which then became part of Osco which then became part of CVS.

According to Ophelia's web site the local Katz had 175 employees in 13 departments and the local store closed in 1974. I knew they were always busy but that sure is a lot of employees. I don't know what the name was (Katz, Skaggs) at the time it closed. The store remained vacant until Ophelia's came in around 1999.

[MRG Dallas]

Wow, 25 years, a quarter century, that site sits vacant. The most prominent corner of The Square IMO, it goes to show how the culture and shopping changed quickly and drastically. From the shopping centers to discount stores to larger dept. stores and the stupid political decisions ("renewal"), it didn't take long for the transformation. Lots of history gone by the wayside.

[WCHS'59]

There are a few pharmacies still sprinkled around the square area. Today the square is rather busy. I wonder what a Katz type place could do today, say in the old Jones Department Store, chuckle.

I think Jones Department Store has probably sat vacant just as long.

[MRG Dallas]

Katz, Crown, 2 SSKs, Woolworth's, Tastee-Freez/Velvet Freeze . . . and other similar stores no doubt. Often duplicating goods and services yet always seemingly busy and brimming with something new. My how times change.

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Here is a final image of one of the cells in the 1859 Jackson County jail. the window covering is plexiglass put there during the 1958 renovation to keep the elements out of the cell. The plexiglass covers some open to the outside iron slats, which could not be closed. Otherwise there was nothing to keep the elements out when the cell was in use. There was supposed to have been a pot belly stove out in the hall way that was used in the winter time.

[WCHS'59]

Like many county seats, Independence has a public square with a courthouse. Four through streets running along each side of the square define the area of that square. This is like most public squares in the country.

Part of my schooling was in Springfield, Missouri. Springfield is the county seat of Greene County and it also has a public square. During one of my classes, a mention was made that Springfield’s public square was unlike any other in the U.S.

Since the layout mentioned by the professor was so unusual, I had to go down to the town center and take a look for myself. In fact, it is so unusual; it may be difficult to adequately explain. However, there is a diagram, below.

One street, rather than four defines the Springfield square. There are no through streets running alongside any part of the square. In other words, one drives around the square on the same street. It is similar to driving in a squared circle. On one side of this street is the public square; on the other side are businesses.

In order to access that one street, there are four streets that radiate out of the middle of each side of the square. In modern times, the street running around the square has been provided with curved rather than square corners as have the corners of the streets which radiate out from the square.

Another unique item is that today there is no longer a courthouse on the Springfield public square; it is a park or open space. Due to county government growth, the courthouse was moved off the square long ago much as the courthouse annex in Independence has.