Long ago on independence square (Lee's Summit, Butler: houses, elementary school, live)

[Mad Anthonie]

Here is the modern view of that same area, with the section, range, and township lines applied.



On the 1904 version Queen Ridge is the eastern boundary, as the range line runs right up it. Pacific is on a section line (E-W). In the modern view you can see the creek coming out of Woodlawn Cemetery.

On the 1904 map the black squares do indicate buildings, but only on the large parcels. They are not indicated for any platted subdivision nor in the city proper.

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Here is the modern view of that same area, with the section, range, and township lines applied.



On the 1904 version Queen Ridge is the eastern boundary, as the range line runs right up it. Pacific is on a section line (E-W). In the modern view you can see the creek coming out of Woodlawn Cemetery.

On the 1904 map the black squares do indicate buildings, but only on the large parcels. They are not indicated for any platted subdivision nor in the city proper.

My eyes are protesting as they cannot clearly make out much on the map. To the left of the red line is a horse shoe shaped street. Is that part of Queen City Park?

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Also, between Hayward and Pacific on Crane was Spring Branch Creek, which started a bit further west in the cemetery.

I pasted the larger map that has Warwick in place of Alton.

Your first comment above makes me wonder where the origin was for the main creek that ran across our land from west to east. It came to us under South Kiger, but I don't believe I ever walked the creek to the east or west to find out where it came from or went. Any ideas?

Thanks for the map with Warwick. That's a new one for me.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

Your first comment above makes me wonder where the origin was for the main creek that ran across our land from west to east. It came to us under South Kiger, but I don't believe I ever walked the creek to the east or west to find out where it came from or went. Any ideas?

Thanks for the map with Warwick. That's a new one for me.

I think Warwick Street was a new one on all of us.

Your creek would appear to be Spring Branch Creek.

First photo below is the beginning of Spring Branch Creek back in those trees with the Woodlawn Cemetery in the background. The street is Leslie looking west. It flows east through culverts under the roads with the exception of Logan, which ends at the creek. At Crane it goes through another culvert.

The second photo is where it passes under Lee's Summit Road just south of Elm apparently through that square drainage. Maybe that basin fills up during a heavy rain? That type of drainage work may have been done when Kiger was widened and renamed Lee's Summit.

The creek goes east through a culvert under M-291 south of the bridge over Truman Road staying south of Truman and the tracks. I dont know that there are any bridges anywhere--culverts all the way. After M-291 it goes under Holke and under M-78 to eventually empty into the Little Blue River somewhere at the end of Little Blue Park.

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

I think Warwick Street was a new one on all of us.

Your creek would appear to be Spring Branch Creek.

First photo below is the beginning of Spring Branch Creek back in those trees with the Woodlawn Cemetery in the background. The street is Leslie looking west. It flows east through culverts under the roads with the exception of Logan, which ends at the creek. At Crane it goes through another culvert.

The second photo is where it passes under Lee's Summit Road just south of Elm apparently through that square drainage. Maybe that basin fills up during a heavy rain? That type of drainage work may have been done when Kiger was widened and renamed Lee's Summit.

The creek goes east through a culvert under M-291 south of the bridge over Truman Road staying south of Truman and the tracks. I dont know that there are any bridges anywhere--culverts all the way. After M-291 it goes under Holke and under M-78 to eventually empty into the Little Blue River somewhere at the end of Little Blue Park.

I thought Spring Branch Creek was the creek that ran along the south side of Spring Branch Road when it hit South Kiger and went underneath the bridge on Kiger. If our creek was Spring Branch Creek, what was the one beside Spring Branch Road?

The only work done on the old farm was they widened South Kiger to become Lee's Summit Road and that made the tunnel twice as wide. I know this as I was once explaining to a member of this group how we used to cross under Kiger on the nuts of bolts that protruded along the side of the tunnel just above where the water most often was.

I cannot believe you have the photo of the road, tracks and Elm Street. Do you have more? That brings back many memories. The drainage tunnel is round.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

My eyes are protesting as they cannot clearly make out much on the map. To the left of the red line is a horse shoe shaped street. Is that part of Queen City Park?

Yes, that is Queen City Park. I'll try to post a better view of this tomorrow.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

I thought Spring Branch Creek was the creek that ran along the south side of Spring Branch Road when it hit South Kiger and went underneath the bridge on Kiger. If our creek was Spring Branch Creek, what was the one beside Spring Branch Road?

The only work done on the old farm was they widened South Kiger to become Lee's Summit Road and that made the tunnel twice as wide. I know this as I was once explaining to a member of this group how we used to cross under Kiger on the nuts of bolts that protruded along the side of the tunnel just above where the water most often was.

I cannot believe you have the photo of the road, tracks and Elm Street. Do you have more? That brings back many memories. The drainage tunnel is round.

I think you are correct. The creek in question is a main tributary for Spring Branch Creek, joining it near Truman & M-291. I'm not sure if it is named. I'll try to confirm that tomorrow also.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

I think you are correct. The creek in question is a main tributary for Spring Branch Creek, joining it near Truman & M-291. I'm not sure if it is named. I'll try to confirm that tomorrow also.

I checked an official topographical map, and it does indeed show Spring Branch Creek coming out of Woodlawn Cemetery. It had no label for the branch coming along Truman Road. That branch is also spring fed, from the old Pioneer Spring near Truman & Noland. More investigation is needed, but may need to wait until after Christmas.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Yes, that is Queen City Park. I'll try to post a better view of this tomorrow.

Ask and ye shall receive!



Notice that on this map it shows Spring Branch coming from Woodlawn.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

I checked an official topographical map, and it does indeed show Spring Branch Creek coming out of Woodlawn Cemetery. It had no label for the branch coming along Truman Road. That branch is also spring fed, from the old Pioneer Spring near Truman & Noland. More investigation is needed, but may need to wait until after Christmas.

FEMA lists a North Fork and a South Fork feeding Spring Branch.

Based on an old USGS map, the North Fork comes from the old spring and joins Spring Branch just west of M-291.

A few feet further east and still west of M-291, the South Fork empties into Spring Branch and seems to begin somewhere around where the Triple Lakes use to be just west of M-291.

I think the city controlled much of that North Fork into storm drainage when they widened Truman but part of it pops up just east of the intersection at Lee's Summit and Truman. The old bridge over Kiger would have been just east of there. It follows Truman Road a bit and then goes south to join Spring Branch.

Spring Branch Elementary School is at Truman and Butler. Delorme Maps show Spring Branch to be 1800 feet straight south of the school.

Spring Branch coming from Westlawn is supposed to be spring fed. Maybe that is how it got the name.