Long ago on independence square (Union, Lexington: Spanish, breakfast, how much)

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

1957 Quiz Time!

Identify the location and tell us what will be located here a few years later.

Mill Creek Park, perhaps.

[WCHS'59]

The reason Robert Depugh moved his Minutemen and Biolab operation from Independence to Norborne, Mo., was his fear of atomic attack and he wanted to get out of the KC metro area.

However, he was almost always in Independence trying to run either the Minutemen or the Patriotic Party. Apparently he left the successful Biolab operation in an underlings hands.

Not much is known about Minutemen finances, but at one point, at the headquarters at 613 east Alton, the organization was bringing in $200 a day, in $1 and $5 increments, about $1500 in today’s money.

[WCHS'59]

Orson Meyers was appointed chief of police for the Independence, Mo, police department in 1963.

He may have been the first chief appointed under the new city charter merit system instituted when the Good Government League overthrew the Democrat political party machine in the very early sixties.

Prior to that the police chief was selected on the basis of who in the department had contributed the most to the Eastern Jackson Democrat Party machine in allegiance, time, and money.

Myers was an ex-FBI agent and came highly recommended to the committee determining who the new police chief would be.

At one point, Myers advised the men in his department that if anyone were proved to belong to the Minutemen they would be fired within five minutes.

Myers lasted until sometime in 1966 when Independence politics again raised an ugly head. And again, the Eastern Jackson County machine was involved. Myers said afterward that his one big mistake as chief of police was appointing Bill Herdlinger, a lieutenant in the department, to infiltrate the Minutemen organization for the purpose of gaining information for the Independence department and the FBI.

Unknown to Myers or anyone else except Robert Depugh, Herdlinger was a member of the Minutemen.

When Meyers resigned or was dismissed, Herdlinger became the acting Chief of Police—sort of a mole being in the top law enforcement position.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Mill Creek Park, perhaps.

You seem unsure. Perhaps the 1963 view will help...




And the 1957 view again...

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

You seem unsure. Perhaps the 1963 view will help...




And the 1957 view again...

River on the west, Liberty on the east, Jones on the south, Silverado on the north. Within a good part of that area is Mill Creek Park.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

You seem unsure. Perhaps the 1963 view will help...




And the 1957 view again...

Sure looks like MCP to me

Remember playing in a weekday league there, Summer 1964

Damn, 50 years ago today

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

You seem unsure. Perhaps the 1963 view will help...




And the 1957 view again...

The 1957 aerials show how much of that immediate area was undeveloped or under development:

Truman Library

24 Hiway Shopping Center

Mill Creek Park would have opened a few years later but I most definitely remember it from 1964

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

The 1957 aerials show how much of that immediate area was undeveloped or under development:

Truman Library

24 Hiway Shopping Center

Mill Creek Park would have opened a few years later but I most definitely remember it from 1964

One of the Good Government League goals when they won over the electorate and took over the city political positions and created a city charter was to provide additional parks for a very park deficient city. I think there was a goal of so many park acres in relation to every 1,000 population or something akin to that formula.

At the time, I believe there was only one park that was operated by the city--Slover.

I might be mistaken but I believe Mill Creek might have been the first park created under that concept.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

One of the Good Government League goals when they won over the electorate and took over the city political positions and created a city charter was to provide additional parks for a very park deficient city. I think there was a goal of so many park acres in relation to every 1,000 population or something akin to that formula.

At the time, I believe there was only one park that was operated by the city--Slover.

I might be mistaken but I believe Mill Creek might have been the first park created under that concept.

When I was a wee kid the only park I knew about and the only place my family went was to Jackson County's Adair Park on Lee's Summit Road. At one time, it was way out there in the country and had a large lake. There were no ball fields, just tables, fire pits, and the lake. People did mark off bases and did play softball in the grass, though.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

River on the west, Liberty on the east, Jones on the south, Silverado on the north. Within a good part of that area is Mill Creek Park.

Very good, except it is Silver Lane on the north. It appears in the 1963 view to still be under construction, so Dallas may have been one of the first to play there.