Long ago on independence square (Kansas City, Liberty: insurance, shopper, plantation) - Missouri (MO) - Page 61 - City-Data Forum

WCHS'59 · 08-06-2012, 10:38 AM

Major Andrew Drumm, a cattleman, purchased 312 acres along south Lee’s Summit Road in Independence for $85,000 in 1912. The land came with a house of fourteen rooms and is 3.8 miles southeast of the square.

When Drumm died in 1919 he left almost two million dollars to create a home for needy boys whose parents could not afford to care for them. The Andrew Drumm Institute for Boys was born a few years later in 1928 at the Lee’s Summit site.

Today, both needy boys and girls are accepted at the Andrew Drumm Institute for Children.

When Mrs. Drumm died in 1937, her estate went to endow the McCune Home for Boys, which had been founded in 1906 on north Twyman Road in Independence by a Judge McCune, the first juvenile court judge for Jackson County. The home is 8.5 miles northeast of the square.

Unlike the Drumm Institute, this home was for boys who strayed from the law.

I toured the Drumm Institute when it was a farm and when I was in the Cub Scouts.

I recall being a passenger and driving into the McCune Home grounds one time but I cannot recall how old I was or why I was there.

pearjas · 08-06-2012, 02:07 PM

I wish there were some good photos of the square in the old days. I think it's fascinating to see what the buildings that are still standing were. I actually looked through this entire thread over the weekend, and I have been quite rude in not addressing a few questions that were asked of me. I am actually 29 years old. I bought a house in Independence recently right on the square (Lexington). I previously lived at the Maple Avenue Apartments for 6 years, so I have been on the square for a while.

The house was definitely a fixer-upper, but it's coming along. It was previously a rental, so I guess that's what you get.

In addition to all this, I work in the square area, so I find myself in this part of town more often than not, so any pictures are very easy to take. I'd like to do a video of what the square looks like now... if someone else hasn't already. : P

WCHS'59 · 08-06-2012, 02:26 PM

I doubt if anyone has taken a video, although I recall seeing a Halloween parade but that might have been on You Tube.

Mad says his photos are all on negatives and he needs to scan them before he can post. It seems like he took a good many when he was younger.

I never took any photos around the square when I was younger, and I do not know why. My first camera was a $2.95 Brownie photo flash. Could only afford to use B&W film back then.

As as aside, the Sears catalog in the sixties had B&W do-it-yourself photo developing kits that were not very expensive. I always wanted to get one but never did. I think the kit even came with a red light bulb. At Independence junior high we learned how to take photos with a pin-hole homemade camera. It was in Mr. Berg's science class and all I can recall is the homemade box sitting on a table in the classroom. It took several seconds to take a photo.

WCHS'59 · 08-06-2012, 07:59 PM

Winifred Biorck has a claim to fame in Independence. She was the first policewoman appointed in the Independence Police Department.

Mrs. K. K. Biorck, as she was known, went to work in September 1915. She came under the direct supervision of the chief of police but the city did not pay her wages. The Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) paid her a ten dollar per month salary.

Her position called for her to work on cases concerning women and girls. She apparently also worked where young boys were involved.

Mrs. Biorck had marched in Washington, D. C., with the WCTU. No word on whether she knew Carrie Nation (who by the way graduated from what is now the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg).

A few years after appointment as a policewoman, she was listed as being president of the Kansas City Poultry Association.

Meaning not to discredit Mrs. Biorck--but maybe Mad Anthonie can provide some information as to when the first policewoman hit the streets as a regular patrol officer. Maybe he also has some info on female detectives, supervisors, etc.

I do not recall there being any policewomen, uniformed or in the background, on the force when I was a youngster.

MRG Dallas · 08-07-2012, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pearjas

I wish there were some good photos of the square in the old days. I think it's fascinating to see what the buildings that are still standing were. I actually looked through this entire thread over the weekend, and I have been quite rude in not addressing a few questions that were asked of me. I am actually 29 years old. I bought a house in Independence recently right on the square (Lexington). I previously lived at the Maple Avenue Apartments for 6 years, so I have been on the square for a while.

The house was definitely a fixer-upper, but it's coming along. It was previously a rental, so I guess that's what you get.

In addition to all this, I work in the square area, so I find myself in this part of town more often than not, so any pictures are very easy to take. I'd like to do a video of what the square looks like now... if someone else hasn't already. : P

No problem, pearjas, no offense taken by any of us. We are glad you've come to contribute. I agree, wish there were many photos, they are hard to find online but I don't doubt they exist in attics and scrapbooks. Back then there were Polaroids and Kodak Insta-Matics and a host of other cameras, but film and developing was not cheap. It was frustrating to get the pics developed and then see two or three that weren't focused, etc. Waste of money. I remember when I took my buddy's nice camera to LV for the first time, walking up and down The Strip taking pics of every hotel/casino. I still have those somewhere and no doubt some LV Nostaglic sites would like to see them. I wish I had the foresight to have done the same for The Square.

WCHS'59 · 08-08-2012, 08:58 AM

This former Jackson County courthouse, which has been shown previously on this thread, sat at Lexington and Lynn Streets from 1827 to 1916.

In 1916, a new property owner did not want the building on his land and decided to get rid of the old landmark by offering it at no charge if someone would simply move it.

Fairmount Park expressed an interest in having the building at their location as did Swope Park in Kansas City. There was some, but apparently not much, sentiment that the county should put it on permanent display on the square next to the then current courthouse.

Local community activists intervened and raised the necessary money to have the structure moved to its current location on east Kansas Street just east of the then brand new City Hall at Kansas and Main.

Mad Anthonie · 08-08-2012, 06:05 PM

When I started at the IPD way back in 19 and 74 there was only one female officer, Ardyce Yeager, and she was kept in the youth unit. Coincidentally at that time the Youth Unit was housed in the old log courthouse. Ardyce did move into the patrol unit a few years later, and proved she had the right stuff. She served many years, and may have retired from the department. When I have time (yup, you've heard that before) I'll dig out my IPD history book and get a better answer.

Pearjas, there are some photos of old Independence in the online Missouri Valley Collection at the KC Public Library. Just go here...

Missouri Valley Special Collections : Home

Be warned that if you search only for "Independence" you'll get everything to do with Independence Avenue along with the City of. There are some images if you search "Independence Square".

sally36 · 08-08-2012, 07:43 PM

So fun to red all about Polly's Pop. I loved all the flavors, too. I hate drinking pop out of cans--seems it gets warm too fast and my memory tells me the glass-bottled pop stayed cooler ! Probably wishful thinking.

Recently was in Idaho for a few days (southeastern part) and visited the little town of Montpelier where there was a lovely muceum dedicated to the Oregon Trail. Bigger than the one in Indep.! Huge lifesize covered wagon out front with horses and men and children holding back the team as they went down a very big hill. All statues! Loved it.

sally36 · 08-08-2012, 07:52 PM

So proud to read the placque mentioning Indep. MO. It was right there on the historic Santa Fe Trail. Couldn't go in, they had closed for the day but there were directions to drive down a ways and see the actual wheel ruts that had been preserved in the side of the Big Hill (part of a range) depicted by the statuary! Fascinating. I just kept lamenting that my hometown didn't have the beautifully done , almost bigger than life, celebration scene on the Square that was on the main street of Montpelier, Idaho. Couldn't wait to get home and tell y'all about it !!

sally36 · 08-08-2012, 08:00 PM

pearjas -- I can tell you who has a warehouse full of old pix of Indep !!When I was there in 04 there was a big"store" on Lexington run by a Mr. Plowman who had boxes and shelves and tables and files and more boxes full o old photos ! I can't recall his first name but he was brother to Gene Plowman who was in my graduating class. We browsed and talked and he said he was going to go out of business soon. He had a pic I wanted but couldnt afford it then so got his address and said I*d write or call later.

Don't know where he is now or if he still has the collection or not or if he is still living. Wish I couldd give u more info. Don't know where that address is now. Probably in storage in California! I still want tht color photo of the south wall of the old Indep. Laundry with all the beautiful and colorful scrolly writing on it.