Long ago on independence square (Kansas City, Liberty: defense, house, public schools)

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Major Tom 58

So far I've only figured out where Blue Bottoms was located, and that Mayor Jones' first name was Llewellyn.

The answer to this is The Annual City of Independence 'Possum Hunt and Dinner.

[WCHS'59]

What year did a jitney, or taxi, service start up in Independence?

The service ran between the square and the Missouri Pacific depot; between the square and the Chicago and Alton deport; and between the two stations.


The fare was a standard 25 cents per person for the 1.7 miles to the Chicago and Alton and the 1.3 miles to the Missouri Pacific or the half mile between the two stations.


Business picked up considerably during one of the major floods in Kansas City, which prevented trains from getting to Union station. KC destination passengers coming from the east were dropped off in Independence.

Answer: 1901, according to Pearl Wilcox.


I know there was a hotel at the Missouri Pacific depot very early on. Don't know about the Chicago and Alton. However, it would seem to me that with those distances a service of some type would have started way before 1901.

[WCHS'59]

The Minutemen, as an organization, was introduced to the world on October 21, 1961, at Shiloh, IL.

Robert Depugh invited local news media to view the militia exercises. He introduced himself to the news people as being the national coordinator for the Minutemen. With him was a man who introduced himself as the coordinator for the Illinois and eastern Missouri chapters of the Minutemen.

With Depugh, in his mid forties, was his wife.

The small group had one truck, one jeep, and what was described as an impressive array of M-1 rifles, an M-4 rifle, Browning Automatic Rifles, machineguns, anti-tank guns, recoilless rifles, and mortars.

They put on a tactical show for the news media using smoke grenades to provide smoke cover, firing blanks, and lobbing blank mortars. The local film of the event hit the national news media and Time and Newsweek followed up with stories.

Depugh claimed he had 25,000 followers and that secret military exercises had already taken place in San Antonio, Philadelphia, Kansas City, Omaha, Columbus, and Newark.

The Minutemen were ready take on a Communist invasion because they felt the US government was either unwilling or unable to do so.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

The Minutemen, as an organization, was introduced to the world on October 21, 1961, at Shiloh, IL.

Robert Depugh invited local news media to view the militia exercises. He introduced himself to the news people as being the national coordinator for the Minutemen. With him was a man who introduced himself as the coordinator for the Illinois and eastern Missouri chapters of the Minutemen.

With Depugh, in his mid forties, was his wife.

The small group had one truck, one jeep, and what was described as an impressive array of M-1 rifles, an M-4 rifle, Browning Automatic Rifles, machineguns, anti-tank guns, recoilless rifles, and mortars.

They put on a tactical show for the news media using smoke grenades to provide smoke cover, firing blanks, and lobbing blank mortars. The local film of the event hit the national news media and Time and Newsweek followed up with stories.

Depugh claimed he had 25,000 followers and that secret military exercises had already taken place in San Antonio, Philadelphia, Kansas City, Omaha, Columbus, and Newark.

The Minutemen were ready take on a Communist invasion because they felt the US government was either unwilling or unable to do so.

In high school, Robert B. Depugh was known only by his middle name, Bolivar.

A fellow graduate, Alex Petrovic of the famed Eastern Jackson County Democrat political machine knew him only by that name.

The 1941 William Chrisman Gleam identifies him as “Bolivar Depugh, Cadet Second Lieutenant Company F, Wild Life Conservation Club Secretary, Radio Club, Phenomena.”

He started using his actual first name in the late forties.

Depugh started Biolab at 623 E 23rd Street, in Independence in 1953.

Its principal product was “Fidomin,” a dog food supplement containing vitamins and minerals.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

In high school, Robert B. Depugh was known only by his middle name, Bolivar.

A fellow graduate, Alex Petrovic of the famed Eastern Jackson County Democrat political machine knew him only by that name.

The 1941 William Chrisman Gleam identifies him as “Bolivar Depugh, Cadet Second Lieutenant Company F, Wild Life Conservation Club Secretary, Radio Club, Phenomena.”

He started using his actual first name in the late forties.

Depugh started Biolab at 623 E 23rd Street, in Independence in 1953.

Its principal product was “Fidomin,” a dog food supplement containing vitamins and minerals.

Depugh was born in Independence on April 23, 1923.

Because his father worked for Jackson County and was politically active in elections, he was aware at an early age of the “cutthroat political patronage system” in Jackson County. The other side just did not have a chance causing him to have a cynical attitude toward the democratic process.

Depugh formed a national Patriotic Party, which in 1968 supported George Wallace but the party intended to run its own candidate for president in 1972.

When Depugh was being tried on federal firearms violations, one of the men testifying against him was a man from Omaha.

Depugh had offered the man the job of Nebraska State Chairman of the Patriotic Party. Turned out the man was a federal agent who had infiltrated the Minutemen.

[Mad Anthonie]

Trivia Game Question Time!

The Independence public school system held its first high school classes in what school?

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Trivia Game Question Time!

The Independence public school system held its first high school classes in what school?

I will guess Ott School.

[smh69]

I will guess St. Mary's.

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Trivia Game Question Time!

The Independence public school system held its first high school classes in what school?

My guess is that it would have been a one room school house, but don't have a clue where that one would have been.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

I will guess Ott School.

According to the trivia game your answer is correct. I have not had time to confirm that from other sources.