Long ago on independence square (Liberty, Jackson: plumbing, farmers, title)

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by sally36

I never knew Indep. had radio stations !! Thought they were all in K. C. WCHS -- did you ever go to or hear of a Dr. Gard? Can't recall his first name but he delivered me and one of my Dad's favorite stories was anytime he ever ran into the good doctor he would apologize for nat having the bill paid up yet and Dr. Gard would always say kindly, " George, are you worried about it ? " My Dad would say ,"Yes, Sir!" Then the Doc would say ,Then I'm not worried about it."

Later in high school, I would go to Dr. Gard's office sometimes after school with a miserable cold, sit in the wait room with about 20 others, and do my homework while awaiting my appt. It was always nice to see him, our family liked him a LOT. I bet if I had stayed in Indep. and had my family, he would have delivered one or two of my babies. My first was born in '56 and second in '59. Then '60 and '63.

Don't recall our dentist's name. Probably blocked it out !!!

Dont recall a Dr. Gard. We went to Dr. Agee and Dr. Saunders on south side of square for medical. For dental went to Dr. Duensing on north side of the square in the early years. From stories I have heard the payment for delivering a baby was not that much in those days--at least compared to what it is now.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by sally36

You guys are talking a lot about printers. Anyone remember Lambert Moon Printing on South Main several doors down from Lexington ? My Mom worked for him when she was young and after I came along she'd take me up there and he wouldd let us scavenge all his paper discards in the basement. I loved taking home pieces of all colors of pastel papers to draw on and make things out of. He was a great guy and I think he was still there in the '50s--not sure. Sort of across st. from Firestone.

I do remember Lambert Moon--just a little way north of the Eagle building on the west side of the street. Never was in there, though.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by sally36

Hey, I'm not even sure we paid $2.00 for our D L in the early '50s. More than likely it was one dollar ! I thought then that it was kinda crazy for the govt. to let us drive without knowing a darn thing about driving ! I used to drive my boyfriend's car every once in a while, but didn't actually learn how to drive until i had to start car-pooling at a my kiddies' co-op preschool in CA. Just taught myself !I know the guys tooke driver's ed in H.S. but I don't think any of the girls did. Of course it was optional then . . .

When my license had to be renewed after three years, I forgot that one had to pay for a driver's license renewal. I showed up at the license office on Liberty Street without any money. I was totally embarrassed because a fellow '59 classmate was there and we were talking when the lady said "three dollars." I knew him but I always thought he thought I was a dumb bunny after that.

Now, here in Colorado, I fear that I might not pass the optical test with a renewal. I dont have a problem in that area yet but we are not getting any younger.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by sally36

You guys are talking a lot about printers. Anyone remember Lambert Moon Printing on South Main several doors down from Lexington ? My Mom worked for him when she was young and after I came along she'd take me up there and he wouldd let us scavenge all his paper discards in the basement. I loved taking home pieces of all colors of pastel papers to draw on and make things out of. He was a great guy and I think he was still there in the '50s--not sure. Sort of across st. from Firestone.

Lambert-Moon was at 114 S. Main. Others on that block in 1960 were:

104 Hamburger Castle
106 Ray & Clyde barbers
107 Hart's Jewelry & Loan Co. pawnbroker
108 Egleberg Jewelry Co.
109 Walker's Cafe
110 Commerce Acceptance Co. Midland Empire Life Insurance Co.
111-113 Davidow's Furniture
114 L-M
115 Harold M Curtis barber (WCHS barber)
116 Tyler's Gift Shop
117 Public Finance Corp
118 A-A-A Electric Co.
119 Jones & Herald Office Equipment
121 Vacant
122 Brown's Business Services Floyd R Brown, Jr. accountant
123 Sears Roebuck Mail Order
124 Eagles Hall containing 11 City offices or other entities
125 Firestone.

Add to this:

100 Thompson's Gulf Service
101-103 Milgram's Grocery
103 1/2 The Carl Building with ten rooms, only 4 of which were occupied.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Lambert-Moon was at 114 S. Main. Others on that block in 1960 were:

104 Hamburger Castle
106 Ray & Clyde barbers
107 Hart's Jewelry & Loan Co. pawnbroker
108 Egleberg Jewelry Co.
109 Walker's Cafe
110 Commerce Acceptance Co. Midland Empire Life Insurance Co.
111-113 Davidow's Furniture
114 L-M
115 Harold M Curtis barber (WCHS barber)
116 Tyler's Gift Shop
117 Public Finance Corp
118 A-A-A Electric Co.
119 Jones & Herald Office Equipment
121 Vacant
122 Brown's Business Services Floyd R Brown, Jr. accountant
123 Sears Roebuck Mail Order
124 Eagles Hall containing 11 City offices or other entities
125 Firestone.

Add to this:

100 Thompson's Gulf Service
101-103 Milgram's Grocery
103 1/2 The Carl Building with ten rooms, only 4 of which were occupied.

Amazing how many names I recognize and equally amazing how many I do not, chuckle.

Thompson's Gulf Service at 100 sure throws me for a loop, though.

We bought some furniture at Davidows. They were at one time right next to Milgram's then they moved a few doors south into a larger area.

We also patronized Sears mail order quite a bit and I think they eventually moved to the Kresge building on the northeast corner of Main and Maple across from Katz.

Most of our mail order though was at Wards down at Maple and Osage.

If we did not want to wait a few days for a catalog order to arrive we could go into Kansas City at the distribution center for either company and order the item that day and get it right there. I believe the Sears distribution was on Cleveland Street. I cannot recall where Wards was located.

The Firestone place is still going strong as some type of auto repair place.

I believe Jones and Herald Office Equipment eventually moved to a location on Winner Road just before arriving in Englewood. In those days office stuff was really high priced and stayed high until OfficeMax and Office Depot came into existence.

[MRG Dallas]

If we did not want to wait a few days for a catalog order to arrive we could go into Kansas City at the distribution center for either company and order the item that day and get it right there. I believe the Sears distribution was on Cleveland Street. I cannot recall where Wards was located.

The Firestone place is still going strong as some type of auto repair place.

I believe Jones and Herald Office Equipment eventually moved to a location on Winner Road just before arriving in Englewood. In those days office stuff was really high priced and stayed high until OfficeMax and Office Depot came into existence.

I saw a mention of the old Sears on another KC thread and took a glance at Cleveland and Truman Rd intersection which is where I believe the huge building was. It is now a vacant lot and I believe the USPS built a modernistic distribution center adjacent to the south. I recall the store was right there where the RR overpass crossed Truman. I saw a reference to its address the other day and it was 1500 Cleveland (Truman being 15th), and the "retail store" address was on Truman Rd. They were both in the same huge building and I and picture parking across Cleveland and walking down to the entrance. What a shame that iconic old building couldn't have been saved/rehabbed. There is one similar in south Dallas and that's what has been done to it even though it sits in a bad part of town (save for the main police station on the block).

Does anyone remember Vitale's Restaurant, which I thought was directly across Truman from Sears? However in Googling it, Vitale's was listed with an address which looks further west.

The gigantic Wards store was located in NE KC, @ St. John's and Belmont, altho the store is actually addressed on N. Beacon. Unbelievably, the structure still stands. It looks like part of it has been converted to a "flea market" and there are many trucks parked adjacently (altho they might belong to the business next door). The NE athletic fields are still there. I started my 3&2 baseball career, diamond no. 3 was our practice field. Then no. 2 when I moved up to play for Gateway Sporting Goods. Many of the kids on my teams and in our league were from the NE KC and western Independence areas. Lots of the dads worked night shifts at Sheffield Steel which allowed them to coach or bring their boys to practice. Good memories.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Dont recall a Dr. Gard. We went to Dr. Agee and Dr. Saunders on south side of square for medical. For dental went to Dr. Duensing on north side of the square in the early years. From stories I have heard the payment for delivering a baby was not that much in those days--at least compared to what it is now.

Raymond F. Gard, MD 101 Medical Bldg.

Everett L Saunders, MD 121 1/2 W. Lexington

W Richard Agee, DO 831 S. Noland

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Raymond F. Gard, MD 101 Medical Bldg.

Everett L Saunders, MD 121 1/2 W. Lexington

W Richard Agee, DO 831 S. Noland

Dr. Agee moved from the square to a new but small professional building at the corner of Sea and Noland. There was another medical Dr. in there as well as a dentist. Last time I went by there the building was vacant.

Dr Agee eventually retired and began teaching. He passed away in 2008 at age 91.

Maybe Dr. Gard was in the same building as Dr. Duensing.

I switched from Dr. Duensing on the square to the dentist co-located with Dr. Agee but I cannot recall his name. His female technician, though, was the sister of a fellow '59 graduate.

That small medical building was three fourths of a mile from where I lived.

[MRG Dallas]

Dr. Duensing was at 313 Medical Bldg

I see 831 S. Noland, it was for lease during Google's pass-by. Right next to Woodlawn Cemetery, a rather odd location for a doctor's office I think :-)

[WCHS'59]

I spent about three months since coming on this thread trying to figure an address out. Then when I did, I put the address in Google and it confirmed my finding.

I have been trying to determine the exact location of the old Plaza Theater. The Plaza went out just a few years after the Electric Theater on north Main closed in the late forties.

I knew the Plaza was on the south side of the square and thought it was at the vacant area just east of JC Penny’s (now Courthouse Exchange restaurant). That would have put the Plaza at about 111 west Lexington.


I have the Plaza pinpointed now as the third business building east from the present Bank of America Building. That makes it at 119 west Lexington. And, in fact, one of the sites listing closed movie theaters has it at that address. There was a drugstore next door west of the theater.

After the theater went out sometime in the early fifties, DuVall’s, an upscale clothing place, went in and was there for a number of years. The building appears vacant now.