Long ago on independence square (Kansas City, Liberty: apartments, credit, motel)

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

The Coolerator manufacturing company existed from 1921 to 1954 out of Duluth, Minnesota. During this span, the company manufactured iceboxes, refrigerators, freezers, ranges, and air conditioners. After 1954 it appears the brand was absorbed and reabsorbed by other companies until the brand was discontinued.

Presumably, this is a local franchise. There appeared to be several other stores in Missouri.

A sign inside the store is printed with “The New 1935 Air Conditioned Coolerator” presumably meaning that store and printed under that wording on the same sign is “Independence Ice & Creamery Company.” I do not know the connection. Maybe the owners of Independence Ice & Creamery were the franchisee as all eight or so appliances shown on the inside of the store appear to be iceboxes.

The only information I have is that the store was on North Liberty. That would probably have it located somewhere between Lexington and Truman, probably on the west side. That stairwell to the south does not help any at all. There is an awning over a doorway at about 206 north that seems to lead upstairs. The store to its right is seemingly about the size of the Coolerator store.

Another possible candidate as far as size might be the store just to the south of the hot dog place at the corner of Liberty and Maple on the square. There is no stairway to the south of that store, but the Jones store may have taken those stairs out in 1950.

I do not know when the Coolerator store went out. However, this was right in the middle of the depression so it might not have lasted very long.

There is a similar storefront on Lexington just east of the old First National Bank, with stairs next to it that went up to old Doc Saunder's office.

A check of the 1934 and 1936 city directories doesn't show a Coolerator in the name listings, nor on either Lexington or Liberty on the street directory.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

There is a similar storefront on Lexington just east of the old First National Bank, with stairs next to it that went up to old Doc Saunder's office.

A check of the 1934 and 1936 city directories doesn't show a Coolerator in the name listings, nor on either Lexington or Liberty on the street directory.

I went up those stairs many a time when Dr. Saunders was our family doctor. For some reason we switched to Dr. Agee on the top floor of the First National (Bank of America) Bank. He then moved out to Sea and Noland in a new medical office building that might be in sad shape on the inside now based on the fact that it has been empty without selling for so long. I think Dr. Agee retired to teaching and then passed on. I went to the dentist in the same building. His female technician was the year older sister of one of my '59 classmates.

[Major Tom 58]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Where was this store located in Independence

William Chrisman High School - Gleam Yearbook (Independence, MO), Class of 1940, Pages 128 - 145 +*

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by Major Tom 58

William Chrisman High School - Gleam Yearbook (Independence, MO), Class of 1940, Pages 128 - 145 +*

Your link wants us to purchase a yearbook. I refused on account'a I'm frugal!

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Major Tom 58

William Chrisman High School - Gleam Yearbook (Independence, MO), Class of 1940, Pages 128 - 145 +*

Coolerator was there on p 129. I could not get a large enough picture to see the address of the Coolerator store but it looks like Independence Ice & Creamery was involved. Coolerator had an ad in the 1941 Gleam also.

In the 1935 Gleam, Hygrade Ice Cream has an ad.

In the 1936 Gleam, Independence Ice & Creamery has an ad for Coolerator and lists the address as 206 W Maple.

I am wondering, now if we had a Coolerator icebox when we moved to Harkless Street in 1948. I cannot remember what we had prior to that time. We had an icebox in which an ice deliveryman from Independence Ice would come every few days and put a large cake of ice in the upper portion. In the interim, the ice melted and the water collected in a pan, which my mother had to empty every so often. There was no fan to circulate the cold air; the cold air fell from the top of the unit to the bottom where the refrigerated stuff was kept. We did not get a refrigerator until around 1950 at which time we got a thoroughly modern Frigidaire. It was so modern that it did not have the refrigeration coils on top of the machine like seen in old movies.

[Major Tom 58]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Your link wants us to purchase a yearbook. I refused on account'a I'm frugal!

Maybe the next time I win one of your "contest", I'll convert my winnings into a yearbook fund for you. I wasn't able to see an address either other than the Gleam ad said the west side of the square.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Coolerator was there on p 129. I could not get a large enough picture to see the address of the Coolerator store but it looks like Independence Ice & Creamery was involved. Coolerator had an ad in the 1941 Gleam also.

In the 1935 Gleam, Hygrade Ice Cream has an ad.

In the 1936 Gleam, Independence Ice & Creamery has an ad for Coolerator and lists the address as 206 W Maple.

I am wondering, now if we had a Coolerator icebox when we moved to Harkless Street in 1948. I cannot remember what we had prior to that time. We had an icebox in which an ice deliveryman from Independence Ice would come every few days and put a large cake of ice in the upper portion. In the interim, the ice melted and the water collected in a pan, which my mother had to empty every so often. There was no fan to circulate the cold air; the cold air fell from the top of the unit to the bottom where the refrigerated stuff was kept. We did not get a refrigerator until around 1950 at which time we got a thoroughly modern Frigidaire. It was so modern that it did not have the refrigeration coils on top of the machine like seen in old movies.

Originally Posted by Major Tom 58

Maybe the next time I win one of your "contest", I'll convert my winnings into a yearbook fund for you. I wasn't able to see an address either other than the Gleam ad said the west side of the square.

Success! The 1940 directory has the Coolerator Showroom at 104 N Liberty.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Coolerator was there on p 129. I could not get a large enough picture to see the address of the Coolerator store but it looks like Independence Ice & Creamery was involved. Coolerator had an ad in the 1941 Gleam also.

In the 1935 Gleam, Hygrade Ice Cream has an ad.

In the 1936 Gleam, Independence Ice & Creamery has an ad for Coolerator and lists the address as 206 W Maple.

I am wondering, now if we had a Coolerator icebox when we moved to Harkless Street in 1948. I cannot remember what we had prior to that time. We had an icebox in which an ice deliveryman from Independence Ice would come every few days and put a large cake of ice in the upper portion. In the interim, the ice melted and the water collected in a pan, which my mother had to empty every so often. There was no fan to circulate the cold air; the cold air fell from the top of the unit to the bottom where the refrigerated stuff was kept. We did not get a refrigerator until around 1950 at which time we got a thoroughly modern Frigidaire. It was so modern that it did not have the refrigeration coils on top of the machine like seen in old movies.

A story on iceboxes says the ice usually lasted three days.

We had the ice box not in the kitchen but in the room next to the back door, which was a converted porch. The ice man would yell "ice man" and come right on in and put the ice in and leave. I dont know how much the ice cost or how payment was handled. The iceman wore a protective leather flap across his right shoulder and would hoist the ice block with tongs and place it on his shoulder on that leather flap carrying it out back and into the back door. During the summer we would stop play and watch the iceman--and any other delivery men. I dont remember much water drippage but surely there had to have been, especially during hot weather. There must have been a big economic boom in the early 50s as we upgraded to a refrigerator, a television, a central house fan then window air conditioner, our first car, and a garbage disposal within just a short time.

[WCHS'59]

This may be a trick question. But, then again it may not be. I am looking for a particular year.

If you were around at the time, you were aware from attending William Chrisman that this year was longer than any other year.

There was a lot of talk and discussion about it particularly in Miss Clement’s class. Scientists were all agog about it, but I did not really understand what the deal was. Most grownups just seemed to say “ho hum.” However, there is much about it on the internet today.

I remember it more as a time when there were fast rising prices in the C&J United Super grocery store, and (after looking it up) a time when industrial production fell 14%, corporate profits fell 25%, and unemployment rose to 7.5%.

What year was it that was considerably longer than any other year?

[WCHS'59]

From The Examiner on April 20, 2013, quoting The Independence Examiner, April 16, 1913:

"A big wagon from Kansas City backed up to the sidewalk at the southwest corner of the public square and men began to unload a huge block of granite. The monument was to an institution long since passed, yet very well remembered by many citizens, “The Old Santa Fe Trail.” The Daughters of the American Revolution have been working on the Santa Fe Trail project for 2 or 3 years, marking the old trail at intervals along its entire length. It was decided to place a monument on the identical spot that was the starting point for wagon trains heading west over the Santa Fe Trail. The inscription reads: Santa Fe Trail, 1812-1912, marked by the Daughters of the American Revolution and the State of Missouri, 1909, Independence."

Someone in the Examiner either in 1913 or in 2013 seemed confused with the dates.