Long ago on independence square (Raytown, Sugar Creek: helmet, teams, football)

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

My fuzzy memory just recalled some sort of medical office on that corner. It was blonde or yellow brick, and sat right against the sidewalks. The entrance was cut diagonally on the corner. In my 1988 Polk's it is shown as the Whetstone Building, 401 W Truman, and occupied by the Community Services League. I don't recall what year it was removed, but my 2002 Cole's directory shows it as Dee's Custom Sewing.

It was the Whetstone way back in 1960, Dr Whetstone was an osteopath. So somewhere along the line it too was knocked down for another parking lot.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

I guess Independence felt it didn't have the activity or infrastructure in the right places to have a combo depot. Is there a place where the major RR lines converged that would have been a good place? I looked at these locations, and while they were close in distance, nevertheless didn't see offhand a place where they converged.

It would have been a railroad decision rather than a city decision but I suppose if one thinks about it, all trains into Independence were headed to or from Kansas City so the logical and cheapest thing was to do the transfers at KC Union Station. I guess that would mean no real economic need for one in Independence. If Independence were many miles to the east of KC, it would be a different story, maybe.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

My fuzzy memory just recalled some sort of medical office on that corner. It was blonde or yellow brick, and sat right against the sidewalks. The entrance was cut diagonally on the corner. In my 1988 Polk's it is shown as the Whetstone Building, 401 W Truman, and occupied by the Community Services League. I don't recall what year it was removed, but my 2002 Cole's directory shows it as Dee's Custom Sewing.

A little search of the internet:

The Whetstone building, a Modern style commercial building constructed around 1955 for Maynard Whetstone, an osteopath, once stood on this site. Whetstone occupied the building for several years, at least through the 1970s, along with other doctors and dentists. In 1968 the building was known as the
"Whetstone Building Clinical Laboratories." It was demolished in April 2003. The site is now a parking lot that is used jointly by the employees of the City of Independence Board of Education, occupants of the Truman Memorial Building, and members of the First United Methodist Church.



When they say jointly by the Board of Education, I think they were referring to when the Independece School District was in the old junior high building across the street on Pleasant.

[pearjas]

I sure did! Only on one of them... but I found it. I didn't know there was a fourth house on the block either! Guess it got torn down... lots of tearing down on the square in it's history... Guess that goes for about anywhere though.

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Sanborn Maps for Missouri: 1 to 20 of 45 hits

If you can't find your house, maybe it is on one of these. Let us know if you do.

[pearjas]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

It's great to see all those houses on the south side of W Maple, between River & Union, as well as on the flip side on Lexington

RIP

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by pearjas

I sure did! Only on one of them... but I found it. I didn't know there was a fourth house on the block either! Guess it got torn down... lots of tearing down on the square in it's history... Guess that goes for about anywhere though.

Do you know how old your house would have been in 1916, the date of that map?

I have been to a register of deeds office and traced the owners and the sales dates of a house from today back to the time it was built. The county was rural and was not and still is not on a computer system for property. Looked through huge bound books.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

A little search of the internet:

The Whetstone building, a Modern style commercial building constructed around 1955 for Maynard Whetstone, an osteopath, once stood on this site. Whetstone occupied the building for several years, at least through the 1970s, along with other doctors and dentists. In 1968 the building was known as the
"Whetstone Building Clinical Laboratories." It was demolished in April 2003. The site is now a parking lot that is used jointly by the employees of the City of Independence Board of Education, occupants of the Truman Memorial Building, and members of the First United Methodist Church.



When they say jointly by the Board of Education, I think they were referring to when the Independence School District was in the old junior high building across the street on Pleasant.

My family went to an osteopath back in the fifties. There was something supposedly different from those fellows back then but I dont know what it was. I mentioned before I think that we went to Dr. Agee, an osteopath, who was on the top floor of the First National Bank building (BOA) and then built a small office complex at Sea and Noland in the early sixties sharing with another dr and a dentist. I just noticed that the building is still up for sale. It was small but a really nice place when it opened.

[WCHS'59]

MRG,

I think you said you were involved with playing baseball in Independence as a youngster.

This may be before your time but do you remember a Tirey J. Ford Legion post baseball team being perennial winners in a 17-18 year old league?

I followed them for a time in the Examiner and recall seeing one of their games at Crysler Stadium. They were a really good team.

I also remember Moody Motors having a Little League, I think, team.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

MRG,

I think you said you were involved with playing baseball in Independence as a youngster.

This may be before your time but do you remember a Tirey J. Ford Legion post baseball team being perennial winners in a 17-18 year old league?

I followed them for a time in the Examiner and recall seeing one of their games at Crysler Stadium. They were a really good team.

I also remember Moody Motors having a Little League, I think, team.

Now that you mentioned it, I have a slight recollection of the Ford team, but Moody Motors definitely yes. Also O&E Motors (24 Highway), Petey Childers, ISL, and Shoco (for LL football). KC 3&2 was also represented by Sugar Creek A's (far better than the KC A's lol), Hale's Trailer Sales. Western Independence was well-repped but I think most Independence kids played Queen City and Kiwanis leagues closer to home. Sheffield Steel was also a big sponsor of teams, as was Gateway. Lee's might have had a team also. I think Inter-City Excavating (24 Highway?) had a dominant, unbeaten team in 1965. One of their players eventually became a pro.

Would love to see a listing of league standings from then, I'm sure would bring back many more Independence players.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Now that you mentioned it, I have a slight recollection of the Ford team, but Moody Motors definitely yes. Also O&E Motors (24 Highway), Petey Childers, ISL, and Shoco (for LL football). KC 3&2 was also represented by Sugar Creek A's (far better than the KC A's lol), Hale's Trailer Sales. Western Independence was well-repped but I think most Independence kids played Queen City and Kiwanis leagues closer to home. Sheffield Steel was also a big sponsor of teams, as was Gateway. Lee's might have had a team also. I think Inter-City Excavating (24 Highway?) had a dominant, unbeaten team in 1965. One of their players eventually became a pro.

Would love to see a listing of league standings from then, I'm sure would bring back many more Independence players.

I don't recall the league name but I think the Legion team more or less represented Independence and I think they traveled a bit in the metro area for their games. The Examiner was always following them. There was only a few teams in this age category in this one senior league.

At the time, there were no high school baseball teams in the area, so I think these kids were pretty popular.

Thinking on it, I believe WCHS had only track and field, cross country, football, basketball, golf and rifle teams. Golf was new in 59 as I recall.