Long ago on independence square (Liberty, Alton: condos, internship, attractive)

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Where is this?

Near Walnut & River?

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Near Walnut & River?

Yes.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Near Walnut & River?

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Yes.

Would that be the very humble beginnings of the turtle?

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Would that be the very humble beginnings of the turtle?

I dont know what the turtle is.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

I dont know what the turtle is.

That big building that looks like a turtle when viewed from a distance, say from the Stone Arch Bridge.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

That big building that looks like a turtle when viewed from a distance, say from the Stone Arch Bridge.

I dont have any information indicating the Stone Arch Bridge or a turtle is involved.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

I dont have any information indicating the Stone Arch Bridge or a turtle is involved.

Would the photo be of the failed attempt to build the temple on the official temple lot?

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Would the photo be of the failed attempt to build the temple on the official temple lot?

That it is.

This photo was taken around 1929 after excavation began on the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) temple.

The Temple Lot was involved in a law suit in the 1890s with the Community Church of Christ [formerly RLDS] suing the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) for control and losing.

The Church of Christ (Temple Lot) excavation was 90 by 180 feet and 10 feet deep. The plan was to have a $500,000 temple built within seven years. However, the church treasury held only $889 when excavation began.

Five hundred thousand dollars is the equivalent today to $7m. In comparison, the Community of Christ Temple finished in 1994 cost $35m--$56m, today.

By 1935, the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) treasury held only four dollars. Between 1929 and 1935, the church had solicited donations for building from both the Mormon Church in Utah and the RLDS church in Independence without success.

The excavation was as far as the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) got. About 20 years later the City of Independence offered to fill in the excavation at no cost to the church provided the church would approve, and the members consented.

Even without the resources, the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) must have felt pressured to start construction on their temple after the Community Church of Christ started construction on the south adjacent block Auditorium in 1926 (finally finished in 1958). The Auditorium was originally envisioned to be one-third larger than it is today.

The Community of Christ Temple was constructed on the east adjacent block. This temple was apparently built to satisfy the church’s desire for a temple in Independence replacing any desires they might have on building on the Temple Lot, itself.

The adjacent south east block housing a Mormon’s visitors center is apparently a potential site for a Mormon temple or the Mormon’s might still have their eye on the Temple Lot, itself—something the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) says will not happen.

View of the Temple Lot in the 1940s:

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

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.

It wasn't too many years after that, the airplane became prominent then, that I took my first airplane ride, just south of where Kiger and 23rd are. I went up in the plane and it was quite an experience. When he came down it almost took my breath, but it was a lot of fun.

We didn't have a telephone. We eventually did get electric lights, which were quite a treat. Radio in those days was quite a thing too. I made my own crystal set that picked up dots and dashes and some music from a few radio stations.

[Mad Anthonie]

Back in the 1970s who wanted to turn the Square into a tourist attraction by putting false fronts on the buildings with wooden porches and sidewalks?