Long ago on independence square (Kansas City, Liberty: conversion, degree, council)

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

MRG,

Another person on another thread says it was Tom Jacobson who committed suicide.

It may be that the guy who I was thinking it was may have taken over for him after the suicide.

I also posted this on the WHB thread. As we've noted before WHB was a pioneer in Top 40 format radio. I loved when The Oldies were brought back, The Sixties at Six with Jeff Roberts, and the Saturday Night Oldies Party, some of which I recorded primitively by setting a mic in front of the radio (still have those "quality" tapes) TSNOP went on for 4-6 hours and often featured songs not often heard otherwise (fond memories!) Even though some were just ten years ago or so, it seemed like ages to hear forgotten songs once again. Good times on dateless Saturday nights (often the case!)

[SIZE=2]WHB moved to 710 in order to broadcast at night. WHB was listed under the Mutual Radio Network from 1936 to 1954. The Storz family of Omaha purchased the station in 1954, and pulled the plug on Mutual.

1954-1981 - WHB - Top 40 "71 WHB"
WHB was one of the original outlets for early popular and rock and roll music in the Midwest, and the flagship for Storz' Mid-Continent broadcasting chain. The owners based the format on the behavior of youngsters picking songs out of a jukebox. They noticed the same ten to twelve songs would be played repeatedly in one night. WHB's first Top 20 countdown aired in mid-1954. The format was copied around the country, years before Elvis Presley ever recorded a song. The station was extremely popular throughout the 1960s. Many famous personalities passed through as well. Todd Storz died in 1964. WHB made it through the 1970s, but could not survive the upstart FM Top 40 competitors.

1981-1993 - WHB - Adult Contemporary/50s-60s Oldies
As WHB made it through the 1970s, FM became a more viable choice for Top 40 music. So WHB capitalized on its heritage by flipping to Adult Contemporary and 50s/60s oldies. "Oldies hours" played at noon and six, as well as all Saturday night. The Storz family sold the station in 1984 to Shamrock Broadcasting. WHB slowly transitioned to full-time oldies in 1985. WHB had no legitimate competition until 1989, when oldies appeared on 94.9. But that competition proved to be too much. Kanza, Inc., which specialized in farm formats, bought the station in 1993. In September 1993, WHB ended its oldies format (some dubbed it "the day the music died").

1993-1997 - WHB - Country/Farm
WHB's farm format began on September 28, 1993. The farm format held its own, helping out KMZU 100.7 in the process with a partial simulcast. But the daytime coverage of rural areas wasn't that great. So WHB swapped frequencies with 810 KCMO, giving up better nighttime coverage in favor of a big daytime stic[/SIZE]

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

WHB was listed under the Mutual Radio Network from 1936 to 1954. The Storz family of Omaha purchased the station in 1954, and pulled the plug on Mutual.

Mutual Broadcasting ran the game of the day (baseball) on WHB every day during the summer. All afternoon games of a different team each day. I would lay in front of the console radio and listen in.

In 1953 or 54 for $1, I ordered a hardback book from the network that contained all the major league statistics of each team's players up to that point in time.

After the game, the neighborhood kids held a game of softball in the middle of the street, girls included. Home base and second base were a rock in the middle of the street. First and third were another rock at the edge of the ditch drainage on each side of the street.

Because we did not have enough players we played "Scrub." A person could bat and remain a batter as long as he got a hit. If he or she got an out they went to the outfield and and the pitcher would come to bat. Every time there was an out, the person going to the outfield would then move up through the outfield and infield and then pitch.

We also played scrub at McCoy School because not enough boys (no girls allowed) expressed interest so there were no teams. To my knowledge, I believe the fifth or six graders were the only ones allowed to play baseball because there was not enough room for more than two diamonds. The grades were separated for sports, also.

[WCHS'59]

Chiefs are 6-0. Next opponent is Houston and they have been having a difficult time as of late.

The Chiefs fans also set a Guinness Book of Records loudness record. 137.5 decibels.

I would hope the fans could break that record when they play Denver at home.

[WCHS'59]

North Main Street home of Frederick Herman Henry Knoepker from 1896 to 1947, founder of the Knoepker mercantile store at 106-108 west Maple.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

North Main Street home of Frederick Herman Henry Knoepker from 1896 to 1947, founder of the Knoepker mercantile store at 106-108 west Maple.

Looks like he was close enough to walk to the office !

[WCHS'59]

Courthouse Exchange revisited.

The Courthouse Exchange restaurant is located in the basement of the former JC Penny building on the south south of the square on Lexington.

The Courthouse Exchange advertises itself as having been in continuous business since 1899 and serving fine hamburgers since that time. Have not had a hamburger there, but their other fare is excellent.

The business was moved from a former location in the 200 west block Maple to Lexington Street.

According to Pearl Wilcox, the business started at 116 W Maple, somewhere in the middle of the above photo. She says it started as a saloon.

The Courthouse Exchange moved from one of these two sites in the 200 block of west Maple to Lexington.

[WCHS'59]

Former home of C.C. Chiles on West Maple Avenue, founder of the Bank of Independence at Maple and Liberty streets.



One can barely make out "BANK OF INDEPENDENCE" above the entry awning.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Former home of C.C. Chiles on West Maple Avenue, founder of the Bank of Independence at Maple and Liberty streets.



One can barely make out "BANK OF INDEPENDENCE" above the entry awning.

If this is 522 W Maple then it was later the Hotel Maples

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

If this is 522 W Maple then it was later the Hotel Maples

It was also the Three Trails Hotel at one time.

[WCHS'59]

Original Independence Home at 900 west White Oak of L.F. Blackburn, Superintendent of Blue Springs Schools, Superintendent of Jackson County Schools, 1909 -1940. Blackburn Elementary School at 17302 R.D. Mize Road named after him.



Home of L.F. Blackburn at 1813 South Northern Boulevard at his death in 1950.