Higher Learning Regarding Higher Ground

The history of historic preservation in Independence is now the subject of a book available at Barnes & Noble, “A President, a Church, and Trails West - Competing Histories in Independence, Missouri” by Dr. Jon Taylor, University of Central Missouri History Professor. It was also the subject of a presentation and panel discussion at last year’s annual conference of the National Council on Public History (NCPH) in Louisville, Kentucky which included Dr. Taylor, Dr. Dwight Pitcaithley of New Mexico State University, Dr. Craig Campbell of Youngstown State University, and Dr. Patrick O’Brien of the National Parks Service, Tucson, Arizona (first Preservation Manager with the City of Independence). That presentation was entitled “When Histories Compete, Who Wins?: Zion, Three Trails, and a President: Competing Histories and Memories in Independence, Missouri.” The preservation story of our community and Truman’s neighborhood is becoming well-know and has become, itself, a landmark in the pages of our nation’s preservation history. It is likely that more people outside of Independence understand our problems and conflicts with historic preservation than those inside our community and at City Hall. During conversations with Park Service leaders in other states, the question routinely comes up, “What’s wrong with Independence?” These issues are not just about preservation but also affect the success of economic development through heritage tourism and just basic community pride. On the question of “Who Wins?”, it appears that there are many in town with “L’s” on their foreheads!

How much asphalt is enough?

Prudent Preservation, I knew you'd enjoy seeing your favorite parking lot all spruced up after its annual utilization for that festival of all festivals. Ah yes, the piquant smell of gently decaying garbage and a flurry of activity (including early morning trash trucks) all herald the end of Santa-Caligon with a another perfectly good Labor Day holiday shot all to hell. Thanks, Bank of America for allowing one little non-profit to tie up a less-than-attractive piece of real estate for the entire year. We neighbors enjoy the ambiance of asphalt, especially with weeds peeking through it.
And speaking of the festival of festivals, I think it's time to move it. I feel sorry for the McClain's businesses, especially this year since the tents were set up so early - they must've lost a lot of business in their restaurants.
Why do we have to experience the love every year? There's that new sales-tax supported events center in southern Independence near I-70. It would be some great exposure for the Missouri Mavericks. All those lovely handicrafts could be indoors - I think it's the perfect solution.

Boundary Fractious-Disorientation (BFD) – Historic Districts

It seems that the Truman Neighborhood has a case of BFD, Boundary Fractious-Disorientation. This disorder occurs when the historic district boundaries have been drawn and redrawn several times to minimize hostilities from local churches so that a community is really not sure what is considered historic, while the final historic district boundaries ends up only a fraction of what it was. The local Heritage District boundaries have been in 3 different configurations since 1974. The last reconfiguration in 1984 significantly reduced its size leaving it 1/3 of what it used to be. During a time while communities across the country were expanding their historic districts and creating new districts, our City Council, with co-sponsorship of the First Baptist Church (and no objection from the RLDS Church), choose to reduce our program, thus, attempting to rewrite history to make our community appear less important than it really is. They were successful. Current boundaries leave out approximately 1/5 of the Truman National Historic Landmark District. Yes, I failed to mention that there is another district, the nationally designated Truman National Historic Landmark District, whose boundaries have never changed, although there is a current proposal to expand those boundaries to cover additional residential areas and the Square. That proposal has been around for 9 years. Yes, it appears those representing the national interests here in town believe our community is more important than we do. The Midtown / Truman Road Corridor Neighborhood Revitalization project was in a position to clear things up, but their boundaries unfortunately fractured the National Historic Landmark District again leaving out approximately 1/2 of the district. They eventually expanded those boundaries but not after most of the public money was spent. There are even a few properties on Delaware Street where the front 1/2 of the lots are in both the local and the national districts while the back 1/2 of the lots are only in the national district. You don’t even have to leave your own back yard to experience BFD. I sure hope students in the public schools are learning their lessons in geometry & fractions. It will come in handy when future generations recognize these problems and decide they want it fixed. Will the neighborhood be the same when this eventually happens?

High Water of Biblical Proportions

Storm water gets so high in the west section of the First Baptist Church parking lot; full-immersion baptisms could be performed there. With the tall weeds growing up between the cracks and the high water, we now have a “wetlands” to add to this preservation district. But be careful, the native mosquito will end up being a protected species. I believe this is a first for our country’s portfolio of National Historic Landmarks. During the vehicle parking frenzy of Santa-Cali-Gon, someone needs to alert the water rescue folks if there’s rain in the forecast. And, good neighbors, don’t forget to pick up trash out of the streets, sidewalks, and front yards of your neighborhood block during Santa-Cali-Gon so at least some areas of town will look respectable. If you see trash in a church parking lot, you might pick that up too so it does not end up clogging their storm drain, again.

Hell in a calico-lined handbasket

Brace yourself. It's time to breathe in a rich lungful of grease and watch the largest white trash extravaganza in the country invade Harry Truman's neighborhood. How patriotic. Seriously, one can only dream of a Labor Day weekend of peace and tranquility (unless you're willing to leave town). In the last 20 years, I've gotten out more than a few times while the getting was good. Now, if all these Chamber types lived anywhere near here, would they possibly have an aversion to wall to wall (bad) music, toothless revelers, and don't forget the smell of funnel cakes and all other manner of foodstuffs on the diabetes 2 forbidden food list?
Let's not forget the Examiner's hard-hitting brand of journalism this week featuring a front page story about the ten favorite foods of Santa-Caligon. . . Forget about unemployment, crumbling infrastructure, crappy mass transit and a rash of foreclosures here on the north side - have a funnel cake and a lemon freeze! Why worry?
Just to be clear, I'm not opposed to a festival on the Independence Square. I am opposed to a carnival that brings tons of crime and the need for extra police protection all in the name of profits for the Chamber. Can we aspire to a better event, like the Irish Fest, maybe? Do we really have to cater to the lowest common denominator? This festival used to mean something historic in the community. It's unfortunately morphed into an orgy of bad food and entertainment all in the name of the almighty dollar. Anyway, I think the crowds are dwindling from previous years and eventually this cockroach on the pie of square progress will die a quiet death. Until then, yipee-yo-kay-yea motherfuckers!