Forecast Calls for Windy Departure

This is last week for Wendy Shay, the City of Independence Historic Preservation Manager, who recently resigned. We wish her luck on her new career moves. It is our understanding that she has agreed to work, as needed and part-time, for the city to maintain the current program of oversight of the Heritage Commission and their management of our small historic district until, we hope, a replacement is found. We appreciate her dedication to the cause even in her departure. Wendy was the fourth Historic Preservation Manager for the City of Independence since the 1970’s when the city started what was then one the earliest and most significant preservation programs in the state. As with all the city preservation staff in the last 4 decades, you’re either criticized for doing too much and/or for not doing enough. And while you search for the appropriate balance that you would expect to see in a normal community, you realize that a balance really doesn’t exist in Independence. City Hall needs to know that this position and its important oversight of the Heritage Commission is important, especially here in Independence where there are absolutely no local preservation groups to be found. The absence of this position is an issue with our accreditation with the State Office (Certified Local Government Program), our eligibility for grants, our ability to administer grants, and our capacity to review and provide input into public improvement projects that impact historical and cultural resources. And with the city being under the weather with their budget, there is not a lot of incentive to fill the position anytime soon. With Windy’s departure, what is the long range forecast for our historic community here in Independence, one of the most historic communities in the Midwest?

The Big Heist in the Little Blue Valley

No, it was not a gang of ambitious retail developers of recent times, although that saga has yet to run its course. The date was October 8^th, 1879. The most notorious criminal was about to come out of hiding in Tennessee after three years to again hit the region and the institutions that fought him in the War of Northern Aggression. Yes, we are talking about the infamous Jesse James and he was coming with a new group of outlaws totaling six. Finding old Confederates and guerrilla bushwhackers to join his new gang proved difficult this time around since it had been 14 years since the end of the Civil War. His new band proved to have issues with loyalty and reliability but their first robbery ended up a success. It started at the Chicago & Alton Railroad Depot located in a small rural community called Glendale near what is today the intersection of 39^th Street and Little Blue Parkway. You can see the same railroad tracks just north of that intersection. The big heist started with holding hostages at the depot and smashing the telegraph equipment. Then they rolled stones on the tracks to make sure the train would stop and it finally did at 8:00 pm. No one was shot or killed, a few were hit with the back of their guns, and no passengers were robbed. But the Jesse James Gang road away with $5,000 to $60,000 in cash taken from the safe in the train’s express car. The new Jesse James Gang would strike again on this same stretch of railroad track several years later on September 7, 1881 which was reported to be their last train robbery before Jesse was murdered with a shot in the back in St. Joseph by one of his own men (the subject of a recent Brad Pitt movie). The rich history and dramatic stories of our community are not limited to those areas on and around the Square. And our past experience of treating our history as an obstacle instead of an opportunity does not need to be followed in our precious valley. The fact is that this important history in the valley can add value and attract cash to our retail centers and hungry visitors to our restaurants. And those interested in Jesse James may also be interested in the jail cell that held his brother, Frank, or the city park where Frank was buried. This is how “Heritage Tourism” works. We do not have to fabricate stuff that is not real to add value to our community. The diverse and rich history of Independence extends from sinners to Saints and from pioneers to presidents. We should learn and promote this history so we can give all areas of our city, including the Little Blue Valley, every opportunity to have value and to be successful.

Double Standards

The photo above shows the tall weeds and grass on the empty lots owned and maintained by the Midtown / Truman Road Corridor (MTRC) Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation. The photo speaks for itself. MTRC is the group that decides if local property owners meet minimum property maintenance codes while investing their property in order to get tax abatement. This corner was originally intended to mark the entrance into the Truman National Historic Landmark District. Unfortunately, the National Park Service moved the entrance back to its original location at the corner of Union & Truman. It appears MTRC not only has problems with preservation standards but also has difficulty with basic property maintenance standards. If the MTRC Board managed the program into the red, then I would expect board members to show up and mow the grass and cut the weeds. That’s what “responsibility” is all about. That’s right, I used the “R” word. MTRC needs to be setting the example for property owners, especially on such a visible corner, especially adjacent to a “Presidential” neighborhood, and especially during these peak months of tourism.