In celebration of National Preservation Month, we are
reminded of the very heart of the national campaign led by the National Trust
for Historic Preservation that encourages people to celebrate the places that
are meaningful to them and to their communities. Preservation Month is the perfect time to
share it with the world so it compels me communicate that message here. That campaign which is simply put, “This Place
Matters”, is more than just brick and mortar.
It’s about people and institutions with their own visions, values, and
stories to tell and pass down to the next generation. Here in Independence, our stories go beyond our locality to the entire nation and to the world. The geographic location of those institutions
becomes the very setting of their important mission and an extension of their
values while facilitating the physical connections necessary for successful community
partnerships. High institutional standards
radiate to the adjacent environs and extend to the corridors
resulting in community assets that anchor successful city/regional planning for
land use, education, economic development, tourism, and preservation. These places that matter end up attracting
other organizations, people, and investment.
So does this describe what is going on in Independence? Tuesday, we learned that, in order to better
fulfill their mission, the Truman Library Institute is leaving the Truman Library,
leaving the Truman National Historic Landmark District, and leaving the City of
Independence to space in Midtown Kansas City.
And so we should ask these questions. In its current location, does the adjacent alternative school building
that serves young students who aspire to achieve their GED contribute to the
mission of the Institute? Does the
adjacent green space with a hiking/biking trail marked as a National Historic
Trail which will soon host rows of low-income rental duplexes
represent a setting for high institutional standards? Did the exit of the Midwest Genealogical Center
from across the street on 24 Highway open the door for more strategic exits of
institutions and investments? Does the
24 Highway Corridor provide a conduit that encourages high standards of
community investments while welcoming visitors to these internationally-recognized
institutional properties? From the
historic context of this geography and the local landscape along the Mill Creek
Valley, does the “Place” of the Truman Library and its supporting organizations
“Matter?” The front cover and title of
Dr. Jon Taylor’s book, “Harry Truman's Independence: The Center of the World,”
says it all.
Happy National Historic Preservation Month!
“Place Matters,” but does it really here in
Independence?
