Long ago on independence square (Republic, Lexington: brokers, paint, furniture)

[WCHS'59]

Here is a question for any of the old timers.

In the 50s and 60s, what color were the street signs in Independence?

And what shape were they?

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Greetings Railfans!

I think I can clarify the Fairmount rail lines. Coming out of NE KC that line was the northernmost of the the 3 that crossed Kentucky Road just north of Wilson Road. It ran into Fairmount, behind the businesses on the north side of Independence Ave (24 Hiway, more on that later), then crossed diagonally at the Chevy dealer. It continued SE, where it split just west of Northern, across from the old roller rink. One split curved E then N, wrapping behind the rink, then passing just west of the old Carlisle School, under 24 Hiway, and stayed west of Sterling into the old Standard Oil Refinery. I think it may have went clear through to the other mainline on the north side of the refinery. The other split continued southeast then east, crossing Sterling about 100 feet north Truman. It ran behind several businesses, with a small siding going into Ultch Lumber. Finally it curved NE into the water department.

I think in days before mine it continued on a NE then E run through Sally's old neighborhood. I can see a path through there, but I'll have to research that some more later.

Concerning Independence Avenue in Independence- portions of 24 Hiway share that name. The secret is to look at it on a map. 24 Hiway meanders, but Independence Ave maintains an E-W orientation.

Ok I see where all of this went and my baseball buddy confirmed the tracks right by the ol' ball yard. His Dad in fact worked for KCSRy. I remember trying my hand at roller skating once, and it was likely at the B&G Rolladium Skating Rink at 733 S. Northern. The old tracks must have turned at what is now Independence Hydraulics Inc. adjacent to the rink. It's easy to follow the tree lines to piece together the rest of the puzzle.

Is that Crisp Lake which runs along Hedges and would have been a watering spot for old steam engines?

I do wonder if the Truman Rd-ish tracks continued east thru Sally's neighborhood where they were going and where they would have ended. It seems nothing of industrial significance was along the way or in that direction. Would the street Waldo have paved over the tracks and a newer housing development built there?

[MRG Dallas]

"I do wonder if the Truman Rd-ish tracks continued east thru Sally's neighborhood where they were going and where they would have ended. It seems nothing of industrial significance was along the way or in that direction. Would the street Waldo have paved over the tracks and a newer housing development built there?"


Ok I think I've answered my own question. For several years going back into Polk's, there never is a RR crossing reference @ Forest. There is however, on the east side, a gap from the 200 block to the 700 block, with only one address, that being a Paul Kelsey. I reckon that's the Kelsey who operated the restaurant @ Forest/Truman, across from The San. It would be on that parcel of land, maybe the remnants of a farm perhaps. Also neither Waldo nor White Oak cut thru to Forest at that time. They just dead-ended "west of Crysler." So I suspect that the RR tracks actually ended right before Forest, and Kelsey eventually sold off most of his land on the other side to allow for the extensions of Waldo and White Oak to Forest. The 1960 Polk's begins to list addresses further west on both streets and also changes Paul Kelsey's address to White Oak. This would have occurred between 1956 and 1960.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

I have been looking for portions of Highway 24 labeled as Independence Avenue in Independence.

I went down to street level looking at the green street signs and found only one intersection that designated Highway 24 as Independence Ave and that was at Sterling and Highway 24.


All the intersections to the west of Sterling have either “Route 24” or “US 24 Highway” as the street name. I checked the first intersection east of Sterling and it also has “US 24 Highway.” I am assuming all the others east of 24 are also designated that way.

As mentioned, when I worked at Charlie’s Market in Fairmount it was on Independence Avenue, however Charlie's former site is now on “Route 24” according to the street sign at Huttig and 24 and Ash and 24.

It does not make much sense for that one intersection at Sterling to be labeled Independence Avenue and all the others to be labeled Highway 24, chuckle.


Do you know what control Sugar Creek has over the Sterling intersectlon?

I was following Forest north from Truman Rd to 24 and the signs on both sides of 24 also say Independence Avenue. Park is US 24. So is Sugar Creek Blvd. and Vassar, both of which only travel northbound.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Here is a question for any of the old timers.

In the 50s and 60s, what color were the street signs in Independence?

And what shape were they?

I'm thinking I recall black signs with yellow lettering. The bottom was flat, the topside peaked like a roof. Or maybe not...

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

It would take a library visit to see if Polk's shows the business addressed as 24 Hiway or Independence Ave. All the roadway and traffic signals on 24 Hiway are under MODOT control. The street signs are courtesy Independence, none of the roadway is in Sugar Creek, the city limits are 100 feet north of 24 Hiway, but my fuzzy memory doesn't recall if that was from centerline or right of way. In my dispatch days I had all of those memorized, due to the occasional jurisdictional dispute with the neighboring departments.

Today I came home on 24 Hiway from I-435 to Delaware. On 435 the exit is designated as 24 Hiway, Winner Road, Independence Ave. The street sign on the state controlled light pole said Route 24. The street signs at each side street in KC (anything west of Blue Ridge Blvd) showed Winner Road.

-A digression- Winner Road starts at 12th & Van Brunt, moseying NE until joining 24 Hiway/Independence Ave. As 24 Highway leaves the Independence Ave alignment KC calls it Winner Road. Winner continues to ride along 24 Hiway into the City of Independence until it breaks off just east of Brookside.

Now back to my story- As 24 Hi crosses into Independence the street signs show 24 Hiway. However, any street sign on MODOT owned traffic signal poles shows Winner Road (at Brookside) or Independence Ave (Fairmount east to Forest). At Forest everyone agrees to call it just 24 Hiway.

To make matters worse- Although everyone calls it 24 Hiway the Post Office didn't, at least not in my 1988 Polks. West of Brookside everything was addressed as Winner Road, From Fairmount to Forest most were Independence Ave. A check of the current phone book shows most now using 24 Hiway. Confused yet???

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

I'm thinking I recall black signs with yellow lettering. The bottom was flat, the topside peaked like a roof. Or maybe not...

Independence street signs in the 40s, 50s, and 60s were indeed dark black.

Lettering was yellow but not a brilliant yellow nor was the lettering reflective. The signs were difficult to read at night.

The top and side edges were straight line but the bottom edge angled down and inward toward the pole, somewhat like an inverted triangle, creating sufficient space to place the block address information.


Additionally, the two-sided signs were around a half inch thick with the interior being hollow, apparently to give the sign some fastening strength when attached to the top of the pole.

Kansas City had the same black signs with yellow lettering but they were completely rectangular.

[WCHS'59]

In late 1960, several Independence businessmen gathered and formed the Good Government League. The GGL, as it became known, was an organization that had the express intent of reforming Independence city government. The GGL consisted of mostly Republican leaning individuals but there were also many Democrats.

Just a few months later, in early 1961, the GGL won all six of the city council positions its candidates were running for, beating the incumbent democrats. This victory partially overthrew the corrupt Eastern Jackson County Democratic machine, which had had a stranglehold on Independence city politics since the 1920s. Any democrat running for office during this time was virtually assured of victory. (One Independence mayor was in office for twenty-four consecutive years.)

That same year and as a result of the initial government house cleaning, Independence was awarded its first All-America City award, a meritorious municipal prize then sponsored by Look magazine.

In that 1961 election, among many other things, the GGL candidates ran against the Democrat machine’s practice of using city employees in city and county elections. Each time there was an election, city workers were put to work walking door to door handing out democrat candidate literature. City workers also held rallies supporting the democrat candidates.

Besides the general corruption and the use of city employees for political campaigning, the GGL campaigned against there being no street signs in the newly annexed areas of the city and against the city not having adequate street lighting anywhere. The city complained that each street sign cost $10 a pole and there was no money for street signs or for more street lighting.

In the 1963 city election, six more GGL sponsored candidates won and completed the sweep of all twelve city council positions totally eliminating the EJC Democratic machine from city government.

The first street lighting project was to light up Highway 40 within the city limits. Prior to this time, the highway was dark except for business lights reflecting on the highway. Other projects followed for Highway 24, 23rd Street, and many other dark thoroughfares.

A program was instituted to erect street signs, and a city charter was created prohibiting, among other things, the use of city workers in promoting political campaigns.

The city won the All-America City award again in 1981 and again in 2001.

[MRG Dallas]

I remember the GGL but not the reason(s) for its existence. Good for them they cleaned up some City politics. My GF was a part of that Democratic machine, but mainly as a go-fer. He'd hire me and my buddies for a few bucks to pass out literature and sample ballots, etc. One time we rang Truman's Delaware side gate buzzer to see if he'd come out and accept our literature. No one responded. Another time I worked a primary, my Mom was stunned I lasted from 7 am - 7 pm, especially in the August heat. Not even sure if ten people showed up all day.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

I remember the GGL but not the reason(s) for its existence. Good for them they cleaned up some City politics. My GF was a part of that Democratic machine, but mainly as a go-fer. He'd hire me and my buddies for a few bucks to pass out literature and sample ballots, etc. One time we rang Truman's Delaware side gate buzzer to see if he'd come out and accept our literature. No one responded. Another time I worked a primary, my Mom was stunned I lasted from 7 am - 7 pm, especially in the August heat. Not even sure if ten people showed up all day.

I dont believe Tom Pendergast, when he was alive, had anything directly to do with the Eastern Jackson County democrats. However, I am sure there was much cooperation and mutual back scratching between his organization and the EJC Democrats.

I dont know if the GGL is even still in existence.

[WCHS'59]

Rockwood Golf Club has a new owner.

Rockwood rescue - Independence, MO - The Examiner