Long ago on independence square (construction, cost, law)

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

At one time there was a Harmony Township in Jackson County south of Fort Osage Township.
Apparently the new Harmony housing development containing 16,000 homes was named for that area.

True. However that Harmony wasn't in Independence, although the new Harmony is.

That is not the Harmony we lost.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Do any of you recall when Independence had Harmony? Whatever became of it?

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

At one time there was a Harmony Township in Jackson County south of Fort Osage Township.
Apparently the new Harmony housing development containing 16,000 homes was named for that area.

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

True. However that Harmony wasn't in Independence, although the new Harmony is.

That is not the Harmony we lost.

Alas, Harmony was booted out for Harrison. Harrison was then ran off for ____________ ?

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Alas, Harmony was booted out for Harrison. Harrison was then ran off for ____________ ?

We lost Harmony when that street was renamed Harrison. Later it was changed again to honor a local family, the Nolands.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Perhaps I am the only one that ever stopped to read the warning signs posted on Raymond Blake's antique shop/museum on Walnut east of Main. Those warnings to burglars seemed to guarantee death for any brave enough to enter after hours.

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

I never stopped at that place because it was never open. It was out of the way enough that I never walked in that area but I would often drive by.

The only thing I ever knew about that place at 106 E Walnut, besides it always being closed, was there was a lot of interesting and valuable antiques in the place. I was also cognizant of the wagon wheel embedded in the cement at the top of the building and the two "rifles" embedded in each corner of the building. Most people, it seems, never noticed the weapons.

It seems Blake might have opened the place up on certain occasions.

I did go in the place in 2012, or so, after it had became a book store. The current owner or occupant said they (whoever) took all the old stuff out in three batches to Liberty where the stuff was auctioned off.

This picture from 2011 is of one of the weapons and it has seen better days. The end of the barrel is still sticking out one end and the stock seems to have broken off somewhat and fallen down. It may have been there since the 1930s, maybe longer.

The rifle in the other corner seems to be gone. The wagon wheel is still there, though.

Way back in 19 and 76, the history students of William Chrisman High School, under the tutelage of Roy Keeland, published a bicentennial edition of "The Old Timer". It contained an interview with Raymond Blake conducted by a student. This portion may be of interest to CaseyMO:

It was a funny experience the first time I saw an automobile. We lived on a farm at the corner of Kiger & Walnut at that time. The mailman used to drive a horse-drawn two-wheeled cart to deliver the mail. It was a rural route and we had a mailbox on a post down by the road. One day I heard something coming down the road, 'chug-chug-chug,' and I looked and it was a horseless carriage, one of the first types of automobile. The mailman had bought himself a new International high buggy wheel automobile. He made the turn where our mailbox was and cut the corner too sharp and went into the ditch. In about thirty minutes every farmer in the area was down there to help lift that thing out of the ditch and put it back on the road.

I have checked several different years of plat maps, but have yet to find the Blake farm. Later this week I'll post more of his story about growing up in that area.

[WCHS'59]

I saw two items of significance in the Examiner today.


Polly’s Pop in bottles is supposed to be available at the end of January 2016. The date, though, seems to be more of a hope rather than a set goal. Polly’s Pop went out in 1972. Six flavors will be available.



A 3.3 megawatt solar farm capable of reaching 10 megawatts is going to be erected on top of the Space Center caves and leased to the Independence Power and Light. Of significant note, though, is that if you want to purchase city power generated from the site it will cost your household more money than power coming from current sources.


The current megawatt capacity of IPL is 288 megawatts.

[MRG Dallas]

Any idea what those six flavors might be?

I remember the dark grape and the sweet orange.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Any idea what those six flavors might be?

I remember the dark grape and the sweet orange.

Grape, pineapple, orange, root beer, creme soda, strawberry but there will be more in the future. I recall they even made a cola but it did not compare to the biggies.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Way back in 19 and 76, the history students of William Chrisman High School, under the tutelage of Roy Keeland, published a bicentennial edition of "The Old Timer". It contained an interview with Raymond Blake conducted by a student. This portion may be of interest to CaseyMO:

It was a funny experience the first time I saw an automobile. We lived on a farm at the corner of Kiger & Walnut at that time. The mailman used to drive a horse-drawn two-wheeled cart to deliver the mail. It was a rural route and we had a mailbox on a post down by the road. One day I heard something coming down the road, 'chug-chug-chug,' and I looked and it was a horseless carriage, one of the first types of automobile. The mailman had bought himself a new International high buggy wheel automobile. He made the turn where our mailbox was and cut the corner too sharp and went into the ditch. In about thirty minutes every farmer in the area was down there to help lift that thing out of the ditch and put it back on the road.

I have checked several different years of plat maps, but have yet to find the Blake farm. Later this week I'll post more of his story about growing up in that area.

In that same area a little later on, I was up on top of the hill there on Kiger Road up from Walnut and here comes a touring car. The fellow driving it had his big old gauntlet gloves on and his duster coat and his funny looking hat, and he pulls this thing up -- I had been playing and was pretty dirty -- and he says, "Sonny, you want a ride?" I says "I sure do!" I can vividly remember him putting a paper down on the seat to be sure I didn't get some of that dirt on his seat. After we came down the hill and crossed the railroad track and up a little past Walnut, he stopped and let me out at home.

Tune in again tomorrow for another installment.

[WCHS'59]

Where is this?

[WCHS'59]

Here is what the square looked like after the "awnings" were added and some of the streets were closed after Urban Renewal. That is a circular fountain in from of J.C. Pennys in the middle of the closed off Liberty Street.

Under the awnings were shingles in front of each store with the store name.

I had forgotten that J.C. Penny went into the Jones Store after Jones closed. That could not have lasted for very many years.