Long ago on independence square (Jackson, Lexington: journalist, city hall, hotel)

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

I think I remember ol' Freddie! Wasn't he the keeper o' the clock in the Courthouse tower? The rest of his day was spent in jewelry and watch repair.

Chuckle, you got that right. That is he wound the courthouse clock each day. They may have worked six day weeks back then so I wonder who did it on Sunday. What do you know about the vice presidential rumor?

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Chuckle, you got that right. That is he wound the courthouse clock each day. They may have worked six day weeks back then so I wonder who did it on Sunday. What do you know about the vice presidential rumor?

I have nothing on that rumor.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

What does the current Truman Courthouse in Independence have to do with a Missouri River steamboat?

The bell in the clock tower came from an 1879 stern wheeler that had seen better days. The bell does not have a clapper but rings by being struck with a steel bar. That device has stopped working several times over the years but supposedly was fixed during the recent restoration.

I am on another historical site in southeast Kansas. The folks there recently replaced their clock bell with electronic sounds.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

What is the difference between

• the Andrew Jackson statue in front of the Jackson County Truman Courthouse in Independence
• the Andrew Jackson statue in front of the Jackson County Courthouse in Kansas City

I vaguely remember the General Andrew Jackson statue being installed on the Main Street side of the Truman Courthouse in 1949. A short time later, the square received the name Jackson Square, which apparently did not go over very well. The name was subsequently renamed Independence Square. The Jackson statue seems to have been switched to the Liberty Street side around 1976.

There was something odd about the Independence statue that did not seem right to me from the time I learned more about it. The pigmy statue just did not measure up to the Kansas City statue and I wondered why.

The horse and rider statue in Independence is smaller than the horse and rider statue situated in front of the Jackson County courthouse in Kansas City. I felt the larger statue should be in Independence where the real county seat is. The KC statue by famous sculptor Charles Keck is life size and was installed in 1934 apparently as part of the huge budget for the new KC building.

The smaller Independence statue is listed as being five feet, which would seem to be from hoof to the top of Jackson’s head. This statue was actually given to Truman as a gift by the sculptor and may have been used as the working model for the larger life size statue.

In my opinion, the smaller statute being on the square was an afterthought—and a long-time afterthought at that.

Officially, apparently, the reason the smaller statute was never placed at the Independence courthouse until 1949 was that there was not any money available. However, Truman had moved his county office into the Kansas City courthouse upon its completion in late 1934 and within a year of that move he left for Washington, DC. He did not come back as a resident until nineteen years later. He probably thought little about the five-foot statue during most of this time.

If it were true that funds were not available, it was not until fifteen years after 1934 and five years after Truman became president that the county supposedly found the necessary funds to put the smaller statue in Independence.

My thinking is that Truman probably did not think about giving it to the county until around 1949 and the funds were then readily and eagerly found to erect it. This was also around the time Fifteenth Street and Van Horn Road was renamed to Truman Road. Truman may have thought he needed to give something in return to Independence and Eastern Jackson County. The inscription on the Independence statue reads, "This statue presented to the people of Jackson County by Harry S. Truman, President of the United States - 1949."

Where Truman stored the statue for fifteen years would be interesting. A US Senate web site does say he kept it in his White House office.

Charles Keck’s numerous accomplishments list only the statue in front of the Kansas City courthouse. There is no mention of the Independence statue or the sculptor’s gift to Truman.

[WCHS'59]

"The jail used is at the Independence Police headquarters building and another cemetary in Independence with 2 IPD cars used in the funeral. Also the court scene and traffic stop were at the Independence city hall and in front of the police headquarters building."

Quote from a movie reviewer. The court scene may have actually been in the courtroom in the Truman Courthouse rather than city hall.

What was the name of this movie that had a $5m budget and four generally well-known stars, but was a huge flop?

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

I vaguely remember the General Andrew Jackson statue being installed on the Main Street side of the Truman Courthouse in 1949. A short time later, the square received the name Jackson Square, which apparently did not go over very well. The name was subsequently renamed Independence Square. The Jackson statue seems to have been switched to the Liberty Street side around 1976.

There was something odd about the Independence statue that did not seem right to me from the time I learned more about it. The pigmy statue just did not measure up to the Kansas City statue and I wondered why.

The horse and rider statue in Independence is smaller than the horse and rider statue situated in front of the Jackson County courthouse in Kansas City. I felt the larger statue should be in Independence where the real county seat is. The KC statue by famous sculptor Charles Keck is life size and was installed in 1934 apparently as part of the huge budget for the new KC building.

The smaller Independence statue is listed as being five feet, which would seem to be from hoof to the top of Jackson’s head. This statue was actually given to Truman as a gift by the sculptor and may have been used as the working model for the larger life size statue.

In my opinion, the smaller statute being on the square was an afterthought—and a long-time afterthought at that.

Officially, apparently, the reason the smaller statute was never placed at the Independence courthouse until 1949 was that there was not any money available. However, Truman had moved his county office into the Kansas City courthouse upon its completion in late 1934 and within a year of that move he left for Washington, DC. He did not come back as a resident until nineteen years later. He probably thought little about the five-foot statue during most of this time.

If it were true that funds were not available, it was not until fifteen years after 1934 and five years after Truman became president that the county supposedly found the necessary funds to put the smaller statue in Independence.

My thinking is that Truman probably did not think about giving it to the county until around 1949 and the funds were then readily and eagerly found to erect it. This was also around the time Fifteenth Street and Van Horn Road was renamed to Truman Road. Truman may have thought he needed to give something in return to Independence and Eastern Jackson County. The inscription on the Independence statue reads, "This statue presented to the people of Jackson County by Harry S. Truman, President of the United States - 1949."

Where Truman stored the statue for fifteen years would be interesting. A US Senate web site does say he kept it in his White House office.

Charles Keck’s numerous accomplishments list only the statue in front of the Kansas City courthouse. There is no mention of the Independence statue or the sculptor’s gift to Truman.

That explains why I couldn't see a difference when looking at photos of the two! When considering the size of the adjacent buildings it makes sense to have the larger statue downtown. However, as you point out, Independence is the true county seat, a fact a majority of Jackson County residents don't seem to know.

The Jackson statue in Independence was moved to make room for the HST statue, giving Harry what was considered the better side of the courthouse. This also placed him just outside his old courtroom.

A bit of trivia about the HST statue- during the first year of its display person(s) unknown repeatedly cut off the lower portion of his cane. This led to the assignment of a police officer on the Square every night, all night long, to prevent additional thefts. Allegedly the cane is now alarmed.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

"The jail used is at the Independence Police headquarters building and another cemetary in Independence with 2 IPD cars used in the funeral. Also the court scene and traffic stop were at the Independence city hall and in front of the police headquarters building."

Quote from a movie reviewer. The court scene may have actually been in the courtroom in the Truman Courthouse rather than city hall.

What was the name of this movie that had a $5m budget and four generally well-known stars, but was a huge flop?

We were trying to forget "The Last Will". Now you make me want to see it, as long as I don't have to pay!

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

I vaguely remember the General Andrew Jackson statue being installed on the Main Street side of the Truman Courthouse in 1949. A short time later, the square received the name Jackson Square, which apparently did not go over very well. The name was subsequently renamed Independence Square. The Jackson statue seems to have been switched to the Liberty Street side around 1976.

The inscription on the Independence statue reads, "This statue presented to the people of Jackson County by Harry S. Truman, President of the United States - 1949."

A 1949 news article about this...

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

That explains why I couldn't see a difference when looking at photos of the two! When considering the size of the adjacent buildings it makes sense to have the larger statue downtown. However, as you point out, Independence is the true county seat, a fact a majority of Jackson County residents don't seem to know.

The Jackson statue in Independence was moved to make room for the HST statue, giving Harry what was considered the better side of the courthouse. This also placed him just outside his old courtroom.

A bit of trivia about the HST statue- during the first year of its display person(s) unknown repeatedly cut off the lower portion of his cane. This led to the assignment of a police officer on the Square every night, all night long, to prevent additional thefts. Allegedly the cane is now alarmed.

The Truman statue IS life size and cost $70,000, collected from what was described as a nationwide fund drive. That amount of money would be close to $300,000, today. It took a local committee three years to collect the funds.

President Ford dedicated the statue sculpted by Gilbert Franklin, an Englishman, who adopted Rhode Island as his home.

Ford said he first met Truman in 1948 and promptly broke his campaign’s anti-spending pledge to his constituents. Truman had convinced him that the White House was in dire need of rehab and he voted to provide the $5.4m after receiving a tour of the White House.

Truman wanted $5.4m to redo the White House. That amount today is about $54m.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

We were trying to forget "The Last Will". Now you make me want to see it, as long as I don't have to pay!

Tatum O'Neal, Tom Berenger, Peter Coyote, Patrick Muldoon, and James Brolin all combined to provide a stinker.