Long ago on independence square (Kansas City, Jackson: architecture, park, area)

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

I have also heard of a Paschall Truck Line in Independence. I don't remember a Paschall in school.

But now that I think about it, the school mates I recall were not named Parish but were named Paris. (big difference, chuckle.)

Still looking the elusive Parish Dairy. In interim, there was this from 1957:

Meyer's Famous Dairy. 612. N Dodgion.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Still looking the elusive Parish Dairy. In interim, there was this from 1957:

Meyer's Famous Dairy. 612. N Dodgion.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Dairy's all over the place. Here is a photo of 612 N. Dodgion. That would be six blocks north and three blocks east of the square. I dont recall a dairy in 1957, but I seem to recall Meyer's Cottage Cheese.

Hope everyone had a good chow down today.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Still looking the elusive Parish Dairy. In interim, there was this from 1957:

Meyer's Famous Dairy. 612. N Dodgion.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

I don't find it in any of my resources either. Perhaps on my next trip to the library...

[WCHS'59]

An old history says that Independence began in 1827 with a size of 240 acres within which there were sixteen springs.

In 1880, the size of the city was 600 acres, which is pretty close to one square mile.

The current size of Independence is 78 square miles or 48,360 acres.

In 1827, a temporary thirty six by eighteen foot log court house cost $150 and is still standing in the 100 west block of Kansas Street. The court house was “chinked with seasoned chinking and points outside and inside with lime mortar…” The cost of the building was paid out of town lot sales. A slave built the structure with his owner collecting the payment.

A two story log jail was built at the same time as the courthouse and measured sixteen feet square and fifteen feet high. The upper floor was a “debtor’s room,” apparently a debtor’s prison of some sort. The lower floor had no doors and only one or two very small high placed windows and was the dungeon for criminals. The only entrance to the jail was a set of stairs leading up to the second floor debtor’s room. Within the debtor’s room was a trap door in which all criminals were lowered into the community cell. The jail burned in 1841.

A brick jail of the same size and design was built in 1841 and then replaced in 1859 by the larger brick and stone structure that sits on the 100 block of north Main.

The 1841 jail was sold to a slave trader who kept his wares in the building prior to their auction.

I recall years ago a movie company covered the 100 block of north Main with dirt and used the jail as a frontier jail backdrop. I cannot recall the name of the movie.

[Mad Anthonie]

Sorry that I haven't been active lately, RL has kept me very busy. To atone for my neglect I have selected a couple of items that most of us can relate to.

First is a postcard we have. It is undated, but I'm guessing 1940-ish. Perhaps others can narrow it down based on the vehicles.



Next is a commemorative bronze medallion that we purchased at a charitable auction. It is about 7 inches across.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Sorry that I haven't been active lately, RL has kept me very busy. To atone for my neglect I have selected a couple of items that most of us can relate to.

First is a postcard we have. It is undated, but I'm guessing 1940-ish. Perhaps others can narrow it down based on the vehicles.



Next is a commemorative bronze medallion that we purchased at a charitable auction. It is about 7 inches across.

A(n) (in)famous place if I must say so myself !

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

A(n) (in)famous place if I must say so myself !

I wonder what the cost was to tear it down. Definitely more than the cost to build it.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

I wonder what the cost was to tear it down. Definitely more than the cost to build it.

Yep. Shame they couldnt use on old building like that

[WCHS'59]

We have had photos of the old jail on here before, but these walls never cease to amaze me. The stones were two feet thick and were quarried from somewhere in the Rock Creek area.

There were ventilation shafts in the outer walls with no heat in the cell blocks. If I recall correctly from my tour, snow could come in through the ventilation in the winter time.

The last door on the left may have been the Frank James cell where he spent six months under somewhat lavish living conditions, at least for this facility.

If there is anyone looking in on this thread from the metro area (or anywhere else) and have never seen or heard of the old jail in the 100 block of north Main in Independence, it is an eye opener. It is open for touring on a regular basis. The Frank James cell has been fixed up with the amenities accorded to him at the time.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Yep. Shame they couldnt use on old building like that

Should be on Register of Historic Places.