Long ago on independence square (Kansas City, Union: rust, 2013, mobile home)

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

While Googling outdoor clotheslines, I was reminded of the "umbrella" style that looked similar to outdoors TV antenna. My Mom had one. If I recall, you could raise or lower it a bit, and tilt the apparatus to take advantage of wind direction. Those are still for sale, at least online.

I mentioned the T posts being 40 feet from each other with four lines strung between the posts.

That gives around 160 lineal feet of wire to hang clothes.

The umbrella style you mentioned says that it has 165 lineal feet of line space. Sort of hard to imagine.

[RBCOPELAND]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Get well soon Sally, we miss you!


The reason the remnants look like a Sonic layout is that Sonic Drive-In is listed at this address in the 1988 Polk's directory. My Beloved thinks the Candy Stripe may have sat closer to the road and been torn down when the road was widened.

The Alton School building is still standing, although it has undergone extensive remodeling. One of the many splits from the RLDS church owns it.

Noland School was named for one of the members of the Noland family, but I don't recall which one. The City of Independence Health Department is now there.

My Beloved and I both recall seeing the Dekalb name on an old school building in recent years. We just can't remember where we saw it. I'll update after my memory gets rebooted!

When I was in 6th grade (1960-61) at Benton School, some of the kids were bussed to Benton from DeKalb Elementary. I don't remember why they were sent to Benton. It may have been because the population of DeKalb exceeded its capacity. Some of the kids from DeKalb lived on farms. Altjhough I do not remember exactly where DeKalb School was located, I think it was east of Benton and maybe a little south too. I'd be interested to hear if anyne could locate it.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by RBCOPELAND

When I was in 6th grade (1960-61) at Benton School, some of the kids were bussed to Benton from DeKalb Elementary. I don't remember why they were sent to Benton. It may have been because the population of DeKalb exceeded its capacity. Some of the kids from DeKalb lived on farms. Altjhough I do not remember exactly where DeKalb School was located, I think it was east of Benton and maybe a little south too. I'd be interested to hear if anyne could locate it.

DeKalb was southeast of Benton out on the northeast corner of Speck and Holke Roads. One can still see the footprint of the school building from the aerial of Google Maps. It was 2.5 miles as the crow flies and three driving miles from Benton.

I did not know the kids were transferred to Benton but after it closed as a grade school, it was used for special education purposes before the building gave out.

[WCHS'59]

An anomaly?

On January 2, 1966, the city of Independence celebrated its 100,000th citizen according to The Examiner this morning.

The School district was expecting to build a new high school in the east by 1970, which has never happened.


Independence was founded on March 29, 1827.

From 1827 to 1966, it took approximately 139 years to get to a population of 100,000—an overall average of 719 people per year.

However, during the sixteen-year period between 1950 and 1966, the city gained a whopping 3,939 people per year, fueled by several annexations.

The current population is estimated at 117,240. This means that in the fifty years since 1966 the city has gained an average of only about 345 people per year.

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Take another look at this photo and see if you can see something that resembles what every (99.9%) Independence resident had in their yard back in the 50's.

I think the pole in the picture looks just like this one. Now, does anyone know where this photo was taken?

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

I think the pole in the picture looks just like this one. Now, does anyone know where this photo was taken?

That one appears to have only two lines for clothes.

In Independence?

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by RBCOPELAND

When I was in 6th grade (1960-61) at Benton School, some of the kids were bussed to Benton from DeKalb Elementary. I don't remember why they were sent to Benton. It may have been because the population of DeKalb exceeded its capacity. Some of the kids from DeKalb lived on farms. Altjhough I do not remember exactly where DeKalb School was located, I think it was east of Benton and maybe a little south too. I'd be interested to hear if anyne could locate it.

I too went to Benton, but in 1956, we were bussed across town to an elementary school where WCHS stands now for 6th grade. It may have been that DeKalb became overcrowded and the number of students at Benton had fallen.

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

That one appears to have only two lines for clothes.

In Independence?

I don't recall now how many lines it had. Yes, it is in Independence, but need something a little more specific.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

I think the pole in the picture looks just like this one. Now, does anyone know where this photo was taken?

In your backyard, of course! Those houses across the gully appear very similar to those in the 1700 block of Trail Ridge.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

I think the pole in the picture looks just like this one. Now, does anyone know where this photo was taken?

That was the one we had (before the umbrella one)

I remember a neighborhood kid climbing onto it and using the end as a megaphone to insult me "Calling all cars, calling all cars, (MRG Dallas) . . . ."

He was older and bigger so I couldn't do anything about it except tell on him