Long ago on independence square (Kansas City, Lee's Summit: hotel, house, school)

[pearjas]

I too am curious about the house in the background.. I couldn't figure that one out either.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by pearjas

I too am curious about the house in the background.. I couldn't figure that one out either.

Today there is a vacant area just west of the burned out bowl--or Moody Motors--or whatever is there now. And then there is the one house west of the vacant area.

Judging from the 1957 aerial MAD posted (#8592) it looks like there were two houses squeezed into that vacant area before one gets to the existing house.

And, again judging from MADs post there were six, possibly seven, houses to the west of the burned out bowl. Today, there is only the remaining one. The houses west of the current existing house appear to have been taken for the Temple.

If the fire was in 1940, that place must have remained vacant during the War and the Moody Motors moved to a rebuilt facility from west Maple after the War.

[pearjas]

I still can't believe how many houses they took down for the Temple, and I am a bit surprised they left the one - which appears to be 619 W Lexington. I don't see how the two houses before 619 would have blocked any part of the view of the Temple..

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Today there is a vacant area just west of the burned out bowl--or Moody Motors--or whatever is there now. And then there is the one house west of the vacant area.

Judging from the 1957 aerial MAD posted (#8592) it looks like there were two houses squeezed into that vacant area before one gets to the existing house.

And, again judging from MADs post there were six, possibly seven, houses to the west of the burned out bowl. Today, there is only the remaining one. The houses west of the current existing house appear to have been taken for the Temple.

If the fire was in 1940, that place must have remained vacant during the War and the Moody Motors moved to a rebuilt facility from west Maple after the War.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by pearjas

I still can't believe how many houses they took down for the Temple, and I am a bit surprised they left the one - which appears to be 619 W Lexington. I don't see how the two houses before 619 would have blocked any part of the view of the Temple..

That particular owner probably refused to sell to them. That church had/has a real-estate arm called Central Development Authority that quietly bought up the properties in that area. They then used them as rental property until they were ready to build.

They own the vacant land between that house and the old auto dealership, but not the lone house. They do own the first two house on Walnut east of the Temple parking lot.

What I don't understand or care for is the destruction of all the houses on the south side of Maple west of Union. That whole block is now an empty yard.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

That particular owner probably refused to sell to them. That church had/has a real-estate arm called Central Development Authority that quietly bought up the properties in that area. They then used them as rental property until they were ready to build.

They own the vacant land between that house and the old auto dealership, but not the lone house. They do own the first two house on Walnut east of the Temple parking lot.

What I don't understand or care for is the destruction of all the houses on the south side of Maple west of Union. That whole block is now an empty yard.

I don't either and those were interesting architectural houses. I do know as far back as the 70s they were trying to lowball my GF to sell his house on the north side. Which he wound up giving away late in the decade. I don't know when the houses on the south were torn down, but now you can sit on the same porch I watched Truman's funeral and see all the way thru to the Auditorium.

[WCHS'59]

He started out in adult life by teaching school in Kansas City and later in Independence.

He began lawyering in Kansas City in the 1870s while teaching and was still working in that profession sixty years later. Fifty of those years were spent in one office in one bank in Independence, a bank that he helped organize. He was a deeply religious man; however, he was not a member of the RLDS.

At one point in his life, he, along with an unofficial Cole Younger, welcomed William Jennings Bryan, a three-time presidential candidate and a devoutly religious person, to Independence.

A 2.5-mile long segmented Independence street was presumably named for him, although it could have been named for his father who was well known in his own right.

Who was he?

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

He started out in adult life by teaching school in Kansas City and later in Independence.

He began lawyering in Kansas City in the 1870s while teaching and was still working in that profession sixty years later. Fifty of those years were spent in one office in one bank in Independence, a bank that he helped organize. He was a deeply religious man; however, he was not a member of the RLDS.

At one point in his life, he, along with an unofficial Cole Younger, welcomed William Jennings Bryan, a three-time presidential candidate and a devoutly religious person, to Independence.

A 2.5-mile long segmented Independence street was presumably named for him, although it could have been named for his father who was well known in his own right.

Who was he?

William Jennings Bryan was welcomed to town at the Chicago & Alton Depot, although that doesn't help much with identifying the mystery man.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

William Jennings Bryan was welcomed to town at the Chicago & Alton Depot, although that doesn't help much with identifying the mystery man.

In this case, the welcome was given at a local hotel prior to a religious meeting.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

He started out in adult life by teaching school in Kansas City and later in Independence.

He began lawyering in Kansas City in the 1870s while teaching and was still working in that profession sixty years later. Fifty of those years were spent in one office in one bank in Independence, a bank that he helped organize. He was a deeply religious man; however, he was not a member of the RLDS.

At one point in his life, he, along with an unofficial Cole Younger, welcomed William Jennings Bryan, a three-time presidential candidate and a devoutly religious person, to Independence.

A 2.5-mile long segmented Independence street was presumably named for him, although it could have been named for his father who was well known in his own right.

Who was he?

Would that be an E-W running street in the northern portion of town? Or the same-named road that runs N-S out east?

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Would that be an E-W running street in the northern portion of town? Or the same-named road that runs N-S out east?

I am drawing a blank so I have to say no.