Long ago on independence square (Kansas City, Raytown: accidents, how to, room)

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by pearjas

Big Spring? Wow.. I've not heard that one! Interesting.

I had not either. Welcome back, pearjas!

I do recall a discussion about the Main/Truman area being the highest elevation in the county. That was part of the reason given for why The Square became "The Square" (ie, the settlement). MAD also posted the accessibility of nearby springs as another reason.

My question is, where were those springs and what is their status now? I believe we said one ran near the Polly's Pop facility.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

This is a photo of the rock work that has been built to hold the output for the famous spring where the covered wagons filled their water barrels before starting out on the Santa Fe, Oregon, or California trails.

The spring is not as productive as during pioneer times. In this photo it is dry.

And its actual location was toward the north under what is now Truman Road. The spring flow was piped almost to the present location at some point during the road building.

When I first saw it in about 1955, there was a steady flow of water coming out of a rock with a sign that said "Do not Drink."

The stonework was added at a later time and the flow again piped to the current reservoir.

The spring is the location of the Indian “Trail of Death” monument shown in my post #126. The monument is just out of the picture on the lower left.

This narrative is from my post #444 and this spring may have been the largest. You will have to find #444 since the picture did not transfer with the quote.

Actually, you can go to the photo by clicking on the arrow at the top of this message next to "Originally posed by WCHS'59."

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by pearjas

Big Spring? Wow.. I've not heard that one! Interesting.

Even if it was called Big Spring by the Indians, none of the springs around the Independence square area could compete with Big Springs, Missouri, in the southeast portion of the state. That monster puts out 470 cubic feet of water per second.

[MRG Dallas]

Back to the RRs for a moment:

As best I can tell, and as MAD once told us, there were three lines that came out of NE Industrial area and split about Kentucky and Wilson.

It looks like the KCSRy was the northernmost route, basically servicing Sugar Creek and the concrete and quarry businesses near the Missouri River. That was also the line with branches that bordered SC Ballpark and pool, crossing 24 at Carlisle and into a little industrial part of town

The two others were closer to The Square action:

MPRR ran near The Natatorium, crossed 23rd at Leroy near the Gas Service Co. plant, ran past Doutt's Lake, ran parallel westside along Noland for a awhile, ran very near to my childhood home :-), then on out to Unity Village and into downtown Lee's Summit. It also looks like it has a branch that ran from the the industrial area near The Natatorium on into The Square Lexington/Dodgion, then eastward, winding up at the area with the cave/underground storage.

Alton RR is the one that went by Crysler Stadium then heads east towards Independence Center, eventually crossing I-70 and into "downtown" Blue Springs.

Do I have this right? Or close enough at least?

[Mad Anthonie]

Wow, y'all got to going and I got real busy with real life. Time to stir things up a bit so WCHS doesn't have to keep talking to himself.

I now present your newest mystery. Good luck!

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Back to the RRs for a moment:

As best I can tell, and as MAD once told us, there were three lines that came out of NE Industrial area and split about Kentucky and Wilson.

It looks like the KCSRy was the northernmost route, basically servicing Sugar Creek and the concrete and quarry businesses near the Missouri River. That was also the line with branches that bordered SC Ballpark and pool, crossing 24 at Carlisle and into a little industrial part of town

The two others were closer to The Square action:

MPRR ran near The Natatorium, crossed 23rd at Leroy near the Gas Service Co. plant, ran past Doutt's Lake, ran parallel westside along Noland for a awhile, ran very near to my childhood home :-), then on out to Unity Village and into downtown Lee's Summit. It also looks like it has a branch that ran from the the industrial area near The Natatorium on into The Square Lexington/Dodgion, then eastward, winding up at the area with the cave/underground storage.

Alton RR is the one that went by Crysler Stadium then heads east towards Independence Center, eventually crossing I-70 and into "downtown" Blue Springs.

Do I have this right? Or close enough at least?

Very good! Each of the lines has had at least two names, but you have the routes fairly accurately. The C&A split off at about Wilson & Brookside, the other two just north of 24 Highway & Wilson.

The MP branch that runs out to the current M-291 & Truman originally continued east, connecting up the current line on the north side of Lake City.

[WCHS'59]

Here are my four suggestions.

1. You got to kidding..............

2. The interior of the building that started out in 1961, or so, as the Central Missouri State College classroom building on Mechanic Street. It is now a high school of some sort. However, That interior does not look like it might be fifty some years old. I took several night classes there in 1962 and 1963.

3. Interior of the Independence City Hall, although I have never been in there.

4. Interior of the Independence Police Building although I have never been in there.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Here are my four suggestions.

1. You got to kidding..............

2. The interior of the building that started out in 1961, or so, as the Central Missouri State College classroom building on Mechanic Street. It is now a high school of some sort. However, That interior does not look like it might be fifty some years old. I took several night classes there in 1962 and 1963.

3. Interior of the Independence City Hall, although I have never been in there.

4. Interior of the Independence Police Building although I have never been in there.

Yeah, really, this looks way too new and "Common" to figure out so let me "process of elimination' strategize here:

This is NOT a Courthouse hallway

This is NOT a corridor of The San

This is NOT a hallway in HST Library

Otherwise, there's that Elephino guy again.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Yeah, really, this looks way too new and "Common" to figure out so let me "process of elimination' strategize here:

This is NOT a Courthouse hallway

This is NOT a corridor of The San

This is NOT a hallway in HST Library

Otherwise, there's that Elephino guy again.

One of my other thoughts was that it might have been a hallway in the closed off work wing of the Truman Library. Harry Truman had an office in that area that he was supposed to have visited daily, at least in the early after Presidency years.

[MRG Dallas]

Just received this 5 minute video, wow, so many memories. Well worth your time to view it.

Warning: pictures go back quickly so have your finger on the Pause button. Photos from all around KC including some of Independence.

Kansas City Wrinkles on Vimeo