Long ago on independence square (Lee's Summit, Jennings: linear, commute, roach)

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by SilverDoc

Not for sure, but it sounds like they're going to build a bridge over the RR tracks just east of, and just after, you cross Little Blue Parkway (old Selsa).

I went back to the city web site and re-read what is available on the bridge and they only mention a bridge over the Little Blue River and widening 39th where it is two lane now. That looks to be less than a mile. The site mentions having to acquire property from 7 owners.

That RR though is at grade level on a street that can only get busier as the years progress. Maybe they do not intend to take into consideration the railroad unless the traffic on the line increases. That is the same line that went by where my folks bought their second house in Independence in 1963 and the line was not very busy back then. I am thinking one or two trains a day at that time.

[WCHS'59]

The 39th Street four lane bridge over the Little Blue River is $3.6 m.

The city is also replacing an old bridge on Bly Road over Bundschu Creek. The cost is $2.1 m. That seems to be a serious cost for a two lane bridge but who knows they may be looking ahead in that area by making it wider.

Bly Road runs from 78 Highway north to Bundschu Road.

I use to chuckle when we would go by Bly Road as a youngster. It was a strange name to me. I had no idea where that name came from but now I am wondering if it might have been named after Nellie Bly. Nellie Bly was a liberated (had to be) female working as a reporter for a New York newspaper. She went around the world in 72 days in 1888, writing as she went. Come to think of it, she might have come through Independence by train, chuckle.

[WCHS'59]

There was some discussion several posts ago about the Independence Fairgrounds. The fairground area involved seemed to be quite large covering several square blocks and was immediately south of 23rd Street beginning at the end of Fair Street.

My first thought was why Independence would have a fairground and then my brain kicked in: Since Independence was the county seat of Jackson County the fairground land would be used for the Jackson County Fair. That Independence fairground is long gone and there are houses there now.

I don’t ever remember Independence being the site of the county fair. I do remember attending the county fair in Lee’s Summit. I went there one year in the early 50s but have no recollection other than seeing some animals in my memory bank.

I am wondering if the Jackson County Fair is still held in Lee’s Summit or maybe further east now.

I never attended the Missouri State Fair but I have attended the Colorado State Fair and it seems to be a costly thing of the past with dwindling participation by farm people each year.

[WCHS'59]

For many years just north of 23rd Street on Maywood Avenue, if one wanted to cross Rock Creek after a rain, you simply drove into the creek on a low water crossing to continue on Maywood.


After really high rains, one could not make a crossing because the water was swift and deep. People had to take another street as best they could. I actually liked driving through the water to cross the creek but mentally noted many times that this was a bush league way to cross water in a rather big city.

This water crossing was the story before the 50s and during the 60s, 70s, 80s and maybe even 90s until the city finally constructed a good bridge across the creek.

Maywood was an important thoroughfare but a bridge there just did not ever seem to have a priority for many, many years.

Right in that same vicinity is Hill Park. When the county owned the park, one crossed Rock Creek inside that park by driving through the water. This crossing I really enjoyed because it was in a park setting and not on a thoroughfare. Some people would stop in the creek and wash their car. But when the city took over the park they closed the low water crossing. Big mistake if you ask me.

[WCHS'59]

If one is going north on Maywood Avenue from 23rd Street and crossing the Rock Creek bridge you eventually come to 18th Street.

Turning east on 18th for a block or two one comes to, in my opinion, a most dangerous and narrow railroad overpass. This bridge is probably a relic from the early 1900s or even earlier. The two automobile lanes are not only compartmentalized but the side clearance for cars going in each direction is really bad.

[SilverDoc]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

There was some discussion several posts ago about the Independence Fairgrounds. The fairground area involved seemed to be quite large covering several square blocks and was immediately south of 23rd Street beginning at the end of Fair Street.

My first thought was why Independence would have a fairground and then my brain kicked in: Since Independence was the county seat of Jackson County the fairground land would be used for the Jackson County Fair. That Independence fairground is long gone and there are houses there now.

I don’t ever remember Independence being the site of the county fair. I do remember attending the county fair in Lee’s Summit. I went there one year in the early 50s but have no recollection other than seeing some animals in my memory bank.

I am wondering if the Jackson County Fair is still held in Lee’s Summit or maybe further east now.

I never attended the Missouri State Fair but I have attended the Colorado State Fair and it seems to be a costly thing of the past with dwindling participation by farm people each year.

This photo shows the Indep. Fairgrounds on a 1912 Jackson Co. map:

[SilverDoc]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

For many years just north of 23rd Street on Maywood Avenue, if one wanted to cross Rock Creek after a rain, you simply drove into the creek on a low water crossing to continue on Maywood.


After really high rains, one could not make a crossing because the water was swift and deep. People had to take another street as best they could. I actually liked driving through the water to cross the creek but mentally noted many times that this was a bush league way to cross water in a rather big city.

This water crossing was the story before the 50s and during the 60s, 70s, 80s and maybe even 90s until the city finally constructed a good bridge across the creek.

Maywood was an important thoroughfare but a bridge there just did not ever seem to have a priority for many, many years.

Right in that same vicinity is Hill Park. When the county owned the park, one crossed Rock Creek inside that park by driving through the water. This crossing I really enjoyed because it was in a park setting and not on a thoroughfare. Some people would stop in the creek and wash their car. But when the city took over the park they closed the low water crossing. Big mistake if you ask me.

Didn't traveling north of 23rd on Arlington, ford Rock Creek too, at some point in time?

I agree about closing the crossing. My folks would always tell me about how when they were dating, they would go to Hill Park to wash my Dad's car. That was their "date"!

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by SilverDoc

Didn't traveling north of 23rd on Arlington, ford Rock Creek too, at some point in time?

Could have. From my personal experience, I cannot recall traveling Arlington.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by SilverDoc

This photo shows the Indep. Fairgrounds on a 1912 Jackson Co. map:

This map continues to boggle my imagination, not only from the size of the Independence fairground but also because my street of Harkless north of the fairground existed in 1912, chuckle.

[SilverDoc]

Originally Posted by SilverDoc

Didn't traveling north of 23rd on Arlington, ford Rock Creek too, at some point in time?

I agree about closing the crossing. My folks would always tell me about how when they were dating, they would go to Hill Park to wash my Dad's car. That was their "date"!

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

This map continues to boggle my imagination, not only from the size of the Independence fairground but also because my street of Harkless north of the fairground existed in 1912, chuckle.

My street, (South Jones Rd. There was a North Jones that was there first.) didn't exist, until sometime after 1931. I haven't been able to pin point for sure just when that was. I do know it was before 1941, so somewhere in the decade between 1931 & 1941.