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I certainly remember the drive. I don't recall that much traffic, but I do remember going by the San, St. Paul's School of Theology, Sears, Roebuck, & Co., the Paseo, and when one looked straight ahead there was a big sign at the end of Truman. I want to say it was a sign for tires and it had a big clock on the sign. Whatever the sign said, I read it to my parents and older brother far east of the sign and they could not believe that I could read the sign. It may have been a memory, but I had it right. As for the street at the end of Truman, wasn't it west of Grand. I am thinking that it was at Broadway. There was a hill immediately behind the sign. My recollection is that the sign was on the face of the cliff and not on top. I wonder if we can find a map from the early 50s and a picture of that sign.
The street was one or the other, chuckle. Probably an old KC map would nail it. The sign was up the side of the bluff and not on the top.
I mentioned that it took a long time to open that stretch of the Interstate. I seem to have a recollection that I drove downtown in late '73 and the bluff was still there. I am not sure about that but I had never known where the company was that advertised on the sign. On this trip I parked and noticed the company. it was west of Truman but I cannot recall the exact street.
I also never realized what was going on behind that bluff. They were building a huge internet exchange back there that was probably finished by the time the bluff was cut out.
I certainly remember the drive. I don't recall that much traffic, but I do remember going by the San, St. Paul's School of Theology, Sears, Roebuck, & Co., the Paseo, and when one looked straight ahead there was a big sign at the end of Truman. I want to say it was a sign for tires and it had a big clock on the sign. Whatever the sign said, I read it to my parents and older brother far east of the sign and they could not believe that I could read the sign. It may have been a memory, but I had it right. As for the street at the end of Truman, wasn't it west of Grand. I am thinking that it was at Broadway. There was a hill immediately behind the sign. My recollection is that the sign was on the face of the cliff and not on top. I wonder if we can find a map from the early 50s and a picture of that sign.
I think by 1963, there was a bridge across the tracks at Centropolis.
Further, I think that bridge was replaced or redone when the bridge west from I-435 was put in across the same tracks.
That bridge could only have helped with the traffic flow all up and down Truman.
When I would cross the Centropolis tracks as a young boy I always noticed some concrete footings on each side of the road spaced intermittently and I would ask what they were for but no one knew. These footings were only two or three feet tall but to me they stuck out like a sore thumb.
Sometime in the very early sixties, the City of Kansas City “discovered” that bonds had been approved by the voters in the late thirties to put a bridge across the Centropolis tracks on Truman Road. The KC Star reported that work had been started back then and the footings were actually in place. Work then stopped for some reason.
Apparently, WWII came along and the city somehow lost track of the bridge and the bond vote. Work was started and the bridge completed by 1963, I do believe.
I think by 1963, there was a bridge across the tracks at Centropolis.
Further, I think that bridge was replaced or redone when the bridge west from I-435 was put in across the same tracks.
That bridge could only have helped with the traffic flow all up and down Truman.
When I would cross the Centropolis tracks as a young boy I always noticed some concrete footings on each side of the road spaced intermittently and I would ask what they were for but no one knew. These footings were only two or three feet tall but to me they stuck out like a sore thumb.
Sometime in the very early sixties, the City of Kansas City “discovered” that bonds had been approved by the voters in the late thirties to put a bridge across the Centropolis tracks on Truman Road. The KC Star reported that work had been started back then and the footings were actually in place. Work then stopped for some reason.
Apparently, WWII came along and the city somehow lost track of the bridge and the bond vote. Work was started and the bridge completed by 1963, I do believe.
Found it. KC Star, Dec 4, 1963.
MAYOR Hus W. Davis of Kansas City and Mayor L. F. P. Curry of Independence will officiate December 10 at the dedication of the Truman road viaduct. The ceremonies will be held in the center of the 2,800-foot span which cost $2,796,000 and is expected to greatly improve traffic connections between Kansas City and Independence. A Bad Crossing The viaduct was authorized in 1938 at one of the city’s worst railroad grade crossings. The area is better known as Centropolis or the Sheffield area. It marks the eastern-most extension of old Fifteenth street, now Truman road, before it connects with the main artery linking the two main cities. Actual construction of the viaduct did not begin until September 4, 1962. It is a 4-lane span consisting of two 26 foot roadways separated by a four- foot median and two 18-inch safety curbs. The bridge is regarded as one of the most unusual structures of its type in the United States, according to highway engineers. The 60-foot width of the span is supported by “T” piers which also allow for maximum flow beneath the bridge. Miles of Piling Steel pilings were used to make the foundation solid.
From what this is saying, they did not use the old footings that were on either side of Truman Road.
I forgot what time you said you were in the Army. But, when I arrived at Ft Leonard Wood, in Jan 66, a number of the WWII wood barracks were heated with coal. An all night fire guard had to be posted with a changeover every hour between the trainees to stoke the fire and sound the alarm should a fire occur.
Some trainees lived in 20-man tents in the dead of winter. I always felt sorry for those poor so and so's.
And some lived in brand new modern barracks with three-man rooms and a new concept of a battalion mess hall rather than a company mess hall.
None of the wood barracks or orderly rooms or company mess halls had insulation.
I wound up in an updated wood barracks heated by a gas furnace but the two by four framing could still be seen and there was still no insulation. We may still have had to post a fire guard, I cannot recall.
For our outdoor training we wore the standard Army issue underwear, Army issue long johns, fatigue uniform covered by a separate olive drab wool uniform and an insulated field jacket. I was still cold. We also wore Army issue galoshes during snow periods.
My next training was at Fort Ord, CA where the weather was much nicer. This was the only Army post I ever saw that had all the wood buildings painted a light bright green rather than yellow.
I joined the Army on December 29, 1963 and was discharged in California on December 16, 1966.
I was in the old wooden barracks that were heated by coal furnaces. I remember butt cans freezing inside the barracks overnight. I remember the coal furnace rooms as I was fortunate to clean them every night for two or three weeks. Don't ask. LOL!
We were on bivouac for a day or two when a wet snow storm hit us and my pup tent collapsed. It is more fun to look back at those days now than it was then.
Fort Ord, heh? I was lucky to move from Little Korea to Fort Sill, OK. I have never loved red clay soil since those days. And then I went to Germany for nearly two years and returned to the States to the lovely Fort Irwin in California. Being 35 miles straight north of Barstow and only 10 miles from the Death Valley Monument was another interesting post in which to reside. Woof!
I joined the Army on December 29, 1963 and was discharged in California on December 16, 1966.
I was in the old wooden barracks that were heated by coal furnaces. I remember butt cans freezing inside the barracks overnight. I remember the coal furnace rooms as I was fortunate to clean them every night for two or three weeks. Don't ask. LOL!
We were on bivouac for a day or two when a wet snow storm hit us and my pup tent collapsed. It is more fun to look back at those days now than it was then.
Fort Ord, heh? I was lucky to move from Little Korea to Fort Sill, OK. I have never loved red clay soil since those days. And then I went to Germany for nearly two years and returned to the States to the lovely Fort Irwin in California. Being 35 miles straight north of Barstow and only 10 miles from the Death Valley Monument was another interesting post in which to reside. Woof!
Remember these fine bedroom furnishings?
But those were the good old days, right?
At Fort Ord, we had the new Army "cot" that was more like, but not quite, a home bed.
In your photo one can see the two by four framing. The walls are diagonal 1x4s, or 1x6s. Outside was regular lap siding.
I was in advanced infantry training at Ft Ord and never got around much to explore the post because of that. But one day I had to go to the Finance Office for something. Shanks Pony. On the way back to my barracks, I decided to cut through an unfamiliar company street and I looked up and the sign said 7th Cavalry. I dont recall what Troop it was, but I was never so thrilled in all my life, chuckle.
By the way, we did not go out on bivouac while I was in basic at Ft. Leonard Wood. It was cancelled. There was an epidemic of some type that hit the the post. The medics came around and examined everyone. Then we were required to set up a tent pole tied at the head of each bed and holding a shelter half. The shelter half extended down the side of the bed and was tied to the bed spring. This setup looked raggedy but provided a little protection from the other air breathers. The next guy did the same. It seemed stupid at the time but I dont think anyone in our building got the disease. I cannot recall what disease it was and I dont think I had heard of it before that time.
At the end of basic, the medics again came out and examined everyone--and everyone did not get to go home on leave because this time there was a measles epidemic on post. These poor slobs were held over until they were well. I medically passed but two days after I got home on leave, I broke out. Went to my family doctor and he said measles. I spent my leave time mostly in bed.
Several years later, I was discharged at the Oakland Army Terminal but transferred to the active reserve. My last tour of duty was 18 months in Thailand.
I certainly remember the drive. I don't recall that much traffic, but I do remember going by the San, St. Paul's School of Theology, Sears, Roebuck, & Co., the Paseo, and when one looked straight ahead there was a big sign at the end of Truman. I want to say it was a sign for tires and it had a big clock on the sign. Whatever the sign said, I read it to my parents and older brother far east of the sign and they could not believe that I could read the sign. It may have been a memory, but I had it right. As for the street at the end of Truman, wasn't it west of Grand. I am thinking that it was at Broadway. There was a hill immediately behind the sign. My recollection is that the sign was on the face of the cliff and not on top. I wonder if we can find a map from the early 50s and a picture of that sign.
Per a 1925 downtown map of KC, it was Broadway.
National College was on the site of St Paul's School of Theology prior to 1964. I just looked and did not realize that it was also a religious school being National College for Christian Workers affiliated or sponsored by Methodists. I thought it was a regular college.
At a web site that lists Missouri colleges that have closed, the following information is related to Independence.
Draughon Business College, closed 1991
Independence Female College, 1871-1898
Presbyterian College, no opening or closing information provided
Woodland College, 1869-?
The only other Jackson County college I saw, other than for Kansas City, was Lincoln College in Greenwood, opened after the Civil War and closed in 1884.
Basic, not so much. AIT was pretty good as I was a platoon leader. Germany was where the good old days began. I loved my tour there, even if it was not always fun and games.
The photo of the bed was taken this last July at the American History Museum.
Chuckle, everything looks the same but I did think it was strange that those items on the bed were khaki colored rather than fatigue green and maybe a little different.
There was a canteen in that photo. When I was issued my gear in basic and where ever, the canteen had a metal cup in which the metal canteen sat. The whole thing was covered by that canteen cover, which supposedly if you wet it would keep your water cool. Whenever you would walk the metal canteen would clank against the metal cup and could be really loud. The noise was dramatically worse when one ran.
When I got to Vietnam, the issue canteen was olive drab plastic but the cup was still metal. The result was the VC or NVN could not hear you coming. No, noise when you were running or walking. The only problem was the water in that canteen tasted like plastic, sort of like drinking out of hose when you were a kid. But it was still water.
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