Long ago on independence square (Kansas City, St. Charles: canal, houses, school)

[WCHS'59]

Since 1961, a portion of northeast Independence in the Fairmount area between Kansas City on the west and Sugar Creek on the east extends to the Missouri River and even includes part of Clay County.


Slightly west of Independence Square, the land area of Independence once extended north to the Missouri River encompassing an area on both sides of River Boulevard.



This annexation was apparently to bring Wayne City Landing into the city limits and encompass the new Independence and Missouri River Railroad right of way coming from Wayne City Landing or to take initial advantage of William Gilpin’s vision of Centropolis, or both.

What year did the original annexation of land to the Missouri River take place and what year did the city de-annex the area back to approximately Jones Road?

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Since 1961, a portion of northeast Independence in the Fairmount area between Kansas City on the west and Sugar Creek on the east extends to the Missouri River and even includes part of Clay County.


Slightly west of Independence Square, the land area of Independence once extended north to the Missouri River encompassing an area on both sides of River Boulevard.



This annexation was apparently to bring Wayne City Landing into the city limits and encompass the new Independence and Missouri River Railroad right of way coming from Wayne City Landing or to take initial advantage of William Gilpin’s vision of Centropolis, or both.

What year did the original annexation of land to the Missouri River take place and what year did the city de-annex the area back to approximately Jones Road?

The RR mentioned operated from 1848 until 1852, at which time a flood on the Mighty Mo deposited a large sandbar blocking the Wayne City Landing, thus closing it to steamboats. Therefore I'll hazard a guess of 1847 for annexation and 1860 for de-annexation.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

The RR mentioned operated from 1848 until 1852, at which time a flood on the Mighty Mo deposited a large sandbar blocking the Wayne City Landing, thus closing it to steamboats. Therefore I'll hazard a guess of 1847 for annexation and 1860 for de-annexation.

Interesting guess of 1847 for annexation. Independence became a city in 1849 and I am wondering if the village could annex before that time.

The original land area at the time of the 1827 founding was .4 square miles.

The first annexation in 1851 consisted of three square miles and included the strip to the Missouri River.

After thirty years, the city decided in 1881 they did not need the extra space and de-annexed a substantial part of the 1851 annexation. I don’t have any information as to the size of the area de-annexed.

Some of that 1881 de-annexation is now in Sugar Creek. I was surprised to learn that most of the Mound Grove Cemetery is also in Sugar Creek.

[Mad Anthonie]

If you had purchased a house in the "Royal Suburb" which city would you live in?

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

If you had purchased a house in the "Royal Suburb" which city would you live in?

Chuckle, Independence, Mo.

[WCHS'59]

I have mentioned a few times of having worked in grocery stores in Independence in the fifties and sixties starting at age 13. Began work at C&J United Super at what was then Alton and Kiger and is now 23rd and Lee’s Summit. Shifted to Charlie’s United Super in “downtown” Fairmount on Independence Avenue, and wound up at Casio’s on Forty Highway perhaps a mile east of the Blue Ridge Mall.

Cascio’s opened in the early sixties and billed itself as the “Largest supermarket west of Chicago.” It was huge. The owner stopped using that slogan when a St Louis supermarket complained that they were larger. Today, there are a number of different stores in the building.

I was watching “World’s Worst Driver’s” today and was reminded of an event that happened at Charlie’s United Super in Fairmount in ‘61. Charlie was actually two brothers, neither named Charlie, who owned the store. They purchased the store and the name. One of them was really flaky.

One day I was stocking shelves near the front and heard a tremendous roar with plate glass breaking and screams. I thought whatever it was, was headed my way and immediately made for the back room. As soon as the noise died down, I realized there was a car in the store.

Space was at a premium in that store and “Charlie” kept soda pop in glass six packs stacked quite high in the front window. There was no diet soda in those days-- Tab and Diet Rite were yet to be released--and all the soda was the sugar variety, very sticky when cleanup was necessary. Nor, had soda in tin cans yet hit the area.

The car crashed through the front windows and hit the soda stacks making for many broken bottles and a river of Pepsi, Coke, and Polly’s, plus a few others, running through the store. The car also pushed a row of buggies up against a checkout counter trapping one of the checkers in her stall. She was not hurt. The elderly driver was not hurt nor was anyone else.

By the end of the day the place was cleaned up and plywood temporarily replaced the shattered window panes. And the next day, new glass panes were in and everything was back to normal. I never heard if the driver was charged or how much dollar damage was sustained.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Chuckle, Independence, Mo.

Correct again oh wise and knowledgeable one! For extra credit give details about when we had that name and why.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

I have mentioned a few times of having worked in grocery stores in Independence in the fifties and sixties starting at age 13. Began work at C&J United Super at what was then Alton and Kiger and is now 23rd and Lee’s Summit. Shifted to Charlie’s United Super in “downtown” Fairmount on Independence Avenue, and wound up at Casio’s on Forty Highway perhaps a mile east of the Blue Ridge Mall.

Cascio’s opened in the early sixties and billed itself as the “Largest supermarket west of Chicago.” It was huge. The owner stopped using that slogan when a St Louis supermarket complained that they were larger. Today, there are a number of different stores in the building.

I was watching “World’s Worst Driver’s” today and was reminded of an event that happened at Charlie’s United Super in Fairmount in ‘61. Charlie was actually two brothers, neither named Charlie, who owned the store. They purchased the store and the name. One of them was really flaky.

One day I was stocking shelves near the front and heard a tremendous roar with plate glass breaking and screams. I thought whatever it was, was headed my way and immediately made for the back room. As soon as the noise died down, I realized there was a car in the store.

Space was at a premium in that store and “Charlie” kept soda pop in glass six packs stacked quite high in the front window. There was no diet soda in those days-- Tab and Diet Rite were yet to be released--and all the soda was the sugar variety, very sticky when cleanup was necessary. Nor, had soda in tin cans yet hit the area.

The car crashed through the front windows and hit the soda stacks making for many broken bottles and a river of Pepsi, Coke, and Polly’s, plus a few others, running through the store. The car also pushed a row of buggies up against a checkout counter trapping one of the checkers in her stall. She was not hurt. The elderly driver was not hurt nor was anyone else.

By the end of the day the place was cleaned up and plywood temporarily replaced the shattered window panes. And the next day, new glass panes were in and everything was back to normal. I never heard if the driver was charged or how much dollar damage was sustained.

We lived in Fairmount at that time. Perhaps you bagged our groceries.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

We lived in Fairmount at that time. Perhaps you bagged our groceries.

Maybe you knew this kid who was in the habit of asking beau coup questions.

He hung around in the store during school summer vacation. He was outspoken and sort of a pest asking all kinds of questions related to most anything. As I recall he said he was eleven. I probably knew his name but I don’t recall what it might have been. He would ask questions but never seemed to be satisfied with any answers and would respond with a new question about the subject at hand. It got very tiring some time. It was sort of like the proverbial little kid who would always respond with a “why” about everything.

The only thing I specifically recall is that one day he asked why I wore a tee undershirt in addition to my regular shirt. He thought I would be very hot wearing the tee shirt during the summer. I explained why but he would not accept the answer and kept grilling about the tee shirt.

He would linger around and always seemed to be drawn to me (the sacker) and a female checker named Pat.

When front business died down, I would go back to stocking shelves. He would follow.

Management never seemed to mind his being around so we always talked with him and would roll our eyes when he walked in, chuckle.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Correct again oh wise and knowledgeable one! For extra credit give details about when we had that name and why.

The name came from the architecture of the houses--maybe around the 1880s and 90s, or so.