Long ago on independence square (Kansas City, Blue Springs: desirable, influx, egg)

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

What individual in Independence once obtained possession of the Jackson County courthouse clock on Independence Square and refused to give it back? That is until the City of Independence stepped in and saved the county from itself.

Charles W. Fuchs, 1854-1921, was an optician, a jeweler, and a watch and clock repair specialist.

Helena Fuchs (1859-1921), his wife, was also an optician—the second woman in the state of Missouri to hold that honor.

They initially opened a place of business on the south side (Lexington) of the square in 1899 after moving from Fayette, Missouri, about 100 miles east of Independence. They had been in business in that town for many years and he was also the Republican Committee chairman for Howard County.

In an ironic switch of sorts, The Jewelers Circular and Horological Review of September 20, 1899, says that prior to their move, Fuchs’ entire jewelry stock in Fayette was purchased by George Bowers of Independence.

In Independence the couple tested customer’s eyes for free and advertised that they could supply all kinds of spectacles at all kinds of prices. They made their home at 1107 S Main.

In 1907 the Fuchs’ purchased the building on west Maple next to the old hotel, which I remember as the Earle Hotel. That same year, the county remodeled the courthouse and one of the four clocks needed repair.

In front of their Maple Street business on the pole is a large pocket watch with watch faces on both sides and complete with windup stem on the top.

The seemingly out of place clock on the third floor window would appear to be the Jackson County courthouse clock.

Pearl Wilcox says the courthouse clock was displayed in his window—apparently she meant his third floor window. Fuchs had repaired the clock and then submitted a $150 payment for his services. The bill amounted to $4,150 in today’s money.

Jackson County refused to pay for the repair saying that it was the city’s responsibility. Independence, though, also refused to pay. In the meantime, Fuchs held on to the clock and put it on display. Why Independence would be responsible for county property is beyond me unless the county thought that it was only the local citizens receiving benefit of the current time by paying attention to the courthouse clock.

Eventually, for whatever reason, the city finally paid for the repair and the county got their clock back paying another $350 for reinstalling in the cupola.

Toward the twilight of their careers, in the late teens, the Fuchs’ moved their business upstairs and two optometrists rented the bottom floor. Lee’s Sporting Goods occupied the lower floor in the fifties and sixties.

The couple is buried in Mount Washington cemetery.

Looking east, seven or more of these Maple Street buildings came down during the 1970s.

[SilverDoc]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

I believe this is that grocery store and service station. It is just south of the corner of M-7 and FF (Truman Road), before turning east on Truman to head in the direction of seven hills. A couple years ago on a visit to Independence, I drove out there and road the hills at a decent speed. Did not seem as intimidating as I remembered it. It is a wonder someone was not killed taking those hills at breakneck speed. The road is paved with a basic but now old asphalt pavement.

Sorry if this was already answered, but this building used to be called Windy Point back in the early to mid 60's. And yes, it was a grocery store and had a gas pump or two in front. I've been down (and up) Seven Hills many times over the years. It's actually called Oakland School Road, because the old Oakland School was right on the corner of the "Seven Hills" road, and FF. Back west, just before the curve where the school and road was (and still is) is Oakland Church, with Oakland Cemetery behind it. My Mom's parents lived in the house that was accessible from the gravel drive on the west side of the church, just passed the outhouses. My Grandparents got to live in that house for free, with the understanding that the cemetery be mowed and taken care of. Later, an Aunt and Uncle, (one of my Mom's sisters and her Husband) lived there with the same agreement. It wasn't until the mid 60's when water was piped in. Before that, there was a inside pump just inside the back door, accessing a cistern. The "facilities" were around 50 ft from the house.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by SilverDoc

Sorry if this was already answered, but this building used to be called Windy Point back in the early to mid 60's. And yes, it was a grocery store and had a gas pump or two in front. I've been down (and up) Seven Hills many times over the years. It's actually called Oakland School Road, because the old Oakland School was right on the corner of the "Seven Hills" road, and FF. Back west, just before the curve where the school and road was (and still is) is Oakland Church, with Oakland Cemetery behind it. My Mom's parents lived in the house that was accessible from the gravel drive on the west side of the church, just passed the outhouses. My Grandparents got to live in that house for free, with the understanding that the cemetery be mowed and taken care of. Later, an Aunt and Uncle, (one of my Mom's sisters and her Husband) lived there with the same agreement. It wasn't until the mid 60's when water was piped in. Before that, there was a inside pump just inside the back door, accessing a cistern. The "facilities" were around 50 ft from the house.

Welcome back.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Formerly of Ohio, what potential businessman chose Independence as a place to do business over Kansas City purely for economic reasons?


He made his choice because he believed the banks, lawyers, and businesses were in Independence and the wealth centered here.


He became a wealthy community leader, was involved with two banks, and shared his income with others but all his life he refused to run for political office.

Anton Joseph Bundschu (1855-1928).

He was born in Ohio and moved to Independence from Saint Joseph in 1865 with his parents. In 1885, he married the daughter of Christian Ott, Sr. The couple lived at 601 W Maple.

He started out as a clerk in a local store and moved up to general manager before going into partnership with another man and buying his own store. They set up a store in 1885 in the old opera house on the east side of the square and would operate there for forty-three years.

By 1888, he bought the partner out.

He was a stockholder and director of the Chrisman-Sawyer Bank and a stockholder in the First National Bank plus a stockholder in the Independence Fair.

According to Pearl Wilcox he gave away thousands of dollars every year to the needy.

He was the catalyst that in 1906 brought the overall factory to Independence--located at Truman and Osage. He headed two other men hiring 100 women to work in the factory.

He did not live to see the new four level store replace the opera house in 1928 as sons, Henry, Charles, and Albert were responsible for store operation by that time.

Thirty years after he died, his store became Emery, Bird, Bundschu but it and the rest of Emery Bird went belly up nine years later. The store was then leased to Macy’s according to a Jackson County Historical Society 2008 issue.

In 1984, the catholic high school in Independence became the Saint Mary’s Bundschu Memorial High School in honor of Anton J and Anna Bundschu (1863-1943).

[Mad Anthonie]

Welcome back Doc!

Today's visual trivia is from 1985. Please tell me where I was standing when I took this photo.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

For nine years what famous place in Independence was the home of the Independence Institute of Arts and Sciences?

In 1916, The RLDS Church created the non-sectarian Independence Institute of Arts and Sciences. The school had forty instructors and 275 students. For the first six years its home was in the Stone Church.



Beginning in 1922, and for the next nine years, its home was the Swope Mansion.


Sometime around 1931, someone figured out that the school was competing and conflicting too heavily with Graceland College in Lamoni, Iowa. The school then ceased to exist.

[Major Tom 58]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Welcome back Doc!

Today's visual trivia is from 1985. Please tell me where I was standing when I took this photo.

It's obvious, you're standing behind a tree in a parking lot! Duh.

[Major Tom 58]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Welcome back Doc!

Today's visual trivia is from 1985. Please tell me where I was standing when I took this photo.

Might be to early for a "clue" but is that a body of water in the background or a rock wall? Having optical illusions.

[WCHS'59]

Here is a later photo of the old hotel and the pocket watch on the pole in front of what is now the former Fuch's place. By this point in time the hotel has moved its entrance and lobby down on the Liberty side, although it looks like that entrance might have been there all along. I do not remember the porch over the Liberty entrance. The former Maple entrance to the hotel is now a music store. I best remember this store as B&G Hosiery. When that sock store went in they did a lot of "fancy" rework on the exterior adding a lot of glass. I dont know why the brick for the hotel is so light. I only remember a dark red brick. Times have really changed from when a person could make a living selling nothing but socks out of prime selling space.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Welcome back Doc!

Today's visual trivia is from 1985. Please tell me where I was standing when I took this photo.

Did Joseph have anything to do with this area?