Upgrades at Truman Boyhood Home

The Truman Boyhood Home at South Crysler added a new concrete parking lot to the front lawn area to supplement the gravel parking area to the north side.  This should go a long way to support the 7 mailboxes on this once single-family home on this very visible corner and entrance into our historic community.  This property was actually highlighted in a New York Times article published October 15, 2010 entitled "In Truman Homes, Reflections of a City" written by A.G. Sulzberger, the Times Associate Editor, referring to Independence as the "hardscrabble suburb" that "struggled in recent decades to confront the many faces of urban blight."  The article goes on to describe this property as "decaying" and having the "reputation as a drug house" in a community where our most prominent citizen was referred to as our "less favorite son."  Keep in mind the NY Times reaches hundreds of millions of readers world-wide through its newsprint and website.  Our local reaction to this publication was either ignorance of the article or dismissing it as bad journalism from a writer who just doesn't understand us.  This reaction is typical of the negative press Independence receives.  Rather than providing leadership and investments in active and successful revitalization and historic preservation programs, we prefer to throw public funds into multiple PR and "rebranding" campaigns.  We "pass the buck" for preserving and interpreting the story of Harry S Truman to two federal agencies with our only local responsibility to preserve and protect Truman's neighborhood and local sites.  How are we doing with that?  You could ask City Hall but you would get the same response for their assessment for everything they do.  It's better to get the objective opinion of an outsider representing one of the most respected media companies in the world.

Heritage House Hits Hundred% HUD Housing Highpoint

The H-bomb gets dropped in the Truman Neighborhood targeting Heritage House Apartments and the fall out will be around for decades.  In accordance to the new owner/developer’s recent application for financial support through programs with the Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC), they are converting all 166 units to Section 8 HUD-subsidized, low-income housing.  This was posted on MHDC’s website 6 months ago so it is actually old news.  Keep in mind, the apartment building had already been 20 percent Section 8 housing for many decades under the ownership of the Community of Christ Church.  The 20-80 sustainable balance of mixed-income senior residents instituted their success in creating community within the building that once even had a waiting list to get in.  This balance, sense of community, and the actual demonstration that the site was viable for market rental rates were the very selling points representing the value of the property to this out-of-town investor hand-picked by the Church.  The new owner/developer even made promises to the Church, the Mayor, the City Council, the Planning Commission, the Heritage Commission, neighbors, and, for that matter, to the entire community in public meetings and under an oath of honesty that they would maintain and operate the facility just like the Church had done.  They even promised to use the same local personnel for on-site management.  Statements were made in public meetings that they were NOT going to ask for additional HUD support.  These commitments and promises were the very foundation of the support they received from the community.   Now all of that has changed.  The moving vans have been very busy moving residents out of the building and out the neighborhood where they were supporting the local economy.  And so this decision was made 1,500 miles away to add 133 low-income Section 8 housing rental units into a historic neighborhood that has been under an award-winning comprehensive M/TRC Revitalization Plan established in the very beginning to reduce government-assisted rental properties in order to improve home values and the marketability of the entire neighborhood, as stated by one of the most prominent city planners in the Midwest region, Ralph Ochsner. This transformation is being implemented with no public hearings, open discussion, and/or the participation of community stakeholders.  Even City Council members who voted in favor of this new ownership and redevelopment plan at least four times have called this transformation “unfortunate” and “uncomfortable” to discuss and have attempted to maintain what appears to be a level of secrecy over the situation.  To make matters worse, the only grocery store within walking distance of the apartment building is also going through its own transformation from providing food and fresh produce to selling alcohol and tobacco products.  It seems almost appropriate that a project that began almost 45 years ago by the forced eviction of residents through eminent domain from their well-maintained historic properties and giving them to the RLDS Church would end up with yet another chapter of deception in the history of this real estate.  As the pages turn and the narrative continues to be written, we have a new landmark and chapter in the story of a struggling presidential neighborhood.

Top Ten for 2015

10.  MACO proposed to construct rental duplexes on undeveloped land between Jones and Nickells Streets right on the hiking/biking trail marked with National Park Service (NPS) National Historic Trail signs that connects four city parks, trails interpretive panels, and the Truman Library.  This land located in the Mill Creek Valley would have been a coveted camping and staging area for early pioneers getting ready for their long journey on the trails.  In spite of its obvious historical setting, the project was not reviewed by the Heritage Commission, Parks & Recreation, NPS, the Truman Library, or even the Oregon California Trails Association (OCTA) prior to Planning Commission review and approval.  Public Works called the plan “objectionable” due to its impact to the trail.  The Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) was more polite in calling its location next to the trail “not ideal.”  But for some strange reason, two officials of OCTA representing the national trails interest back the high-density housing rezoning plan without revision in the final days of Council approval leaving no time for responses or an actual historical review process.  Ironically, OCTA was publicly advocating for the preservation green space along the national trails during this same time period.

9.  While declaring that economic development in Independence is thriving, the city ended up giving away, for free, several prime pieces of real estate to developers.  One property worth noting here is the city block bounded by Main, Truman, Liberty, and White Oak Streets given to Ken McClain.   This block used to host a wagon/blacksmith shop, stables, businesses that supported the pioneer trails, and had potential ties to the slavery trade.  This represented one of the prime archaeological sites in this region.   The property was handed over to McClain with the idea of developing townhouses through an emergency ordinance to the City Council which did not allow for open public comment.  The property is flanked on two sides by the Truman National Historic Landmark District (NHLD) and by Liberty Street which is the National Historic Trail not to mention it is across the street from the NPS Visitors Center. With this said, there was no Heritage Commission review, archaeological study, NPS review nor preservation review of any kind at any level of government in spite of the fact they are pursuing Preservation Tax Credits from the state of Missouri.  In fact, the architect described any archaeological resources as “rubbish” to be hauled away as unwanted waste.

8.  With McClain’s redevelopment project at Main and Truman Road, the Farmer’s Market had to be relocated to the other side of the Square where there is even more blighted asphalt.  Moving the Farmer’s Market, from a logistical standpoint, is actually pretty easy.  All you have to do is pick up the port-a-potty and move it to the new location.  The port-a-potty, which is left there year-round, is really the only public improvement on the site to support the Farmer’s Market.  There is a move to commemorate the old Farmer’s Market with a historic marker at the old location.  Yes, this will be the first historical marker to commemorate a port-a-potty.

7.  The Thriftway neighborhood grocery store at the corner of River Boulevard and 24 Highway is planning a renovation.  Unfortunately, plans call for it to concentrate on selling liquor and tobacco.  This was years in the making with the adjacent influences of the vagrant camps behind them, crime, panhandling, surrounding housing dominated by government subsidies and limited buying power, and the continuing trend of blight all along the 24 Highway corridor which hosts a prestigious presidential library.

6.  Work progresses on one of the NSP projects at 419 North Pleasant Street in the Truman NHLD in spite of the persistence of thieves routinely stealing building materials and tools.  One afternoon they were actually caught on camera and their photos posted on social media, including this blog, resulting in their identification.  The thieves were actually brothers so their crimes were part of a family outing.  Workers for this non-for-profit redevelopment corporation mentioned that the projects they have worked on in Independence had suffered from the worse thief problems they’ve ever encountered in the KC area.

5.  On June 24, the National Parks Serviced named Carol Dage its new Superintendent of the Harry S Truman National Historic Site (NHS).  Carol is a 26-year veteran of the site and should have a wealth of knowledge and background with respect to the NHS and the Truman Neighborhood.  We wish her and our federal preservation partners success.

4.  Cori Day, Tourism Director, and Robert Heacock, City Manager, disappear from City Hall in early August.  Both served as leaders for the Independence Events Center which currently owes more in revenue bonds today than it did when it first opened 7 years ago.  The city consolidated resources with promoting the Event Center and heritage tourism while visitor counts to historic sites dropped significantly.  Now the city wants to combine the Event Center and Tourism and place it under the direction of Parks & Recreation.  This will even further dilute heritage tourism resources from the hotel tax that were intended to be from their very inception solely dedicated to promoting our rich national history.

3.  The Jackson County Historical Society (JCHS) published an article in their Journal about the Harry S Truman National Historic Landmark District (NHLD) rehashing the 1984 local historic district reduction debacle and highlighting recent efforts by the NPS to expand the NHLD.  Unfortunately they published the wrong map making the NHLD appear larger than it actually was while omitting the fact that the local district boundaries from 1984 indignity still remain.  Keep in mind; this organization took a leadership role in 1996 to make a proclamation to the entire world through the National Trust for Historic Preservation and even David McCullough that the local historic district boundaries were alarmingly inadequate to protect the smaller NHLD.  Two decades later, JCHS appears not only uninformed about federal boundaries but indifferent about the local district boundaries and their own history on the matter.

2.  OCTA announces a 40-mile long national hiking and biking trail between Wayne’s City Landing in Sugar Creek and Gardner, Kansas.  Interestingly, they choose the River Boulevard Route from the Square to the river instead the more historic and direct route on Liberty Street that has actual historic sites and tourist destinations.  Those sites include the Vaile Mansion, the city premier museum, along with the Lewis-Jones House, antebellum home of wagon-maker, owner of the Nebraska House Hotel, and financial backer of merchants on the trails.  One of Harry Truman’s boyhood homes is also located on North Liberty Street.  The most important asset on the Liberty Street route is the Mill Creek Elementary School which could provide huge opportunities for youth involvement and public education partnerships for the national trails, always a goal of the NPS and partners.  Plus the Liberty Street route goes much further to promote Independence history, tourism, education, and revitalization.  Now I’m wondering if they were under the influence of wine when deciding on the River Boulevard route.

1.  Independence continues to struggle with no preservation not-for-profit group, a city-run preservation commission that routinely cancels meetings because there is nothing to talk about, and city officials content with a struggling heritage tourism program.  At least in 1984, when the city’s preservation program was slashed by 2/3’s, there was public outrage.  Outrage is better than indifference.

Real People Block Real Progress



The above photo was published on several social media sites so we might as well perpetuate the story.  It is a photograph of two men allegedly in the process of stealing valuable building materials from the restoration site of 419 North Pleasant Street, a Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) project implemented by Builders Development Corporation (BDC), not-for-profit organization with the lofty goal of neighborhood revitalization and stabilization.  In this location, BDC is contributing positively to the Truman National Historic Landmark District shortly after it was listed on the state’s “Top Ten Most Endangered and Threatened List” in 2009.  Yes, that’s right, they are stealing from a “national” treasure and stealing from a not-for-profit (charity) trying to accomplish this project against all odds including the local criminal elements.  It is not unlike the thief problems suffered by Habitat for Humanity before they moved out the neighborhood (see “Crimes Against Humanity” blog post dated 2-9-10) except in this case it was in broad daylight.  In fact, it was under the watchful eye of 80 apartment balconies.  In the photo, they are using the unsecure/unmonitored parking lot of Heritage House Apartments to stage this crime, secure the lumber, and place a red flag at the end of the long pieces, you know, so it is legal. If you recognize these folks, please let them know how pathetic this behavior is and notify the police.  It is obvious the person who took this photo cares about the neighborhood and hopes for the success of hard-working people who want to restore and improve the Truman Neighborhood, not just for us local folks, but to help preserve the important “national” story of Harry Truman and his beloved neighborhood.  Please be vigilant!

Mortality Rate Goes Down on 400 Block of Spring Street

The Independence Police Department reported only a single mysterious death this calendar year on the 400 block of North Spring Street, in the Truman National Historic Landmark District, which is actually down from two deaths reported in the year 2012, see blog posts “Mortality Rate Goes Up on Spring Street” on 8/3/12 and “Landlord Loses Two Tenants” on 1/30/12.  We understand that there also was a death investigation reported at Heritage House Apartments on 1/2/15 which also included a parade of police vehicles and an unmarked white van, but that property is a block away and has its own statistical data base.  And just a few weeks ago, on the other side of McCoy Park, another dead body was discovered.  The labeling of death posts on the crime reports website has a cartoon figure of feet with a toe tag, cute!  Whether these deaths are judged to be of natural causes or crimes, this certainly isn’t the most healthy location to live in Independence or anywhere in the metro area for that matter.  When we look back and evaluate the failures of neighborhood revitalization, public health and safety concerns never seem to be mentioned.  Maybe they should!  Oh well, life goes on, but sometimes it doesn’t so be careful out there!

Top Ten For 2014

10.  The year started with a bang.  Actually it was 11 bangs from the firing of 11 bullets on the morning of January 21.  No it wasn’t a patriotic salute.  It was Jeffrey Wahl, registered and convicted child sex offender, who fired 11 bullets into the bodies of two of his neighbors over a minor dispute leaving them both near death and now disabled.  He lived just a block away from Randy Lande, the other sex offender who raped an 8-year-old girl in the neighborhood in 2011.  Both these dangerous predators lived near the intersection of Spring & Farmer Streets, near a faith-based child care center, a homeless shelter for families with children, the home of our First District Councilwoman, and the entrance into the Truman Neighborhood National Historic Landmark District.  This neighborhood corner is the same place where there were 2 mysterious deaths in 2012 with no reporting in the media or even the neighborhood newsletter.  Maybe Jeffrey will get a reduced sentence just like the deal Randy got to avoid a messy trial that shows the side of Independence crime that city leaders do not want exposed.

9.  Down the street from Spring & Farmer is the beautiful McCoy Park that is attracting some attention also.  3 to 4 sexual assaults have occurred either in or around the park area in 2014.  One of those was actually inside the Public Library.  The park is popular to vagrants getting kicked out of other communities because of the generosity of faith-based programs, adjacent to the climate-controlled newly-renovated library with public restrooms, close to a metal recycling business where they can get cash for stolen pieces extracted from abandon and occupied buildings, and the availability of dumpsters at the Thriftway grocery store where they can also panhandle, shop lift, and buy liquor.  And to top it off, children play there and they can shower with them in the spray park.  It’s like the “Promise Land.”  IPD doesn’t have the budget and/or manpower to appropriately deal with the issue.  In fact, a “Top Ten” ranking from a real estate research site in April named Independence one of the most dangerous small cities in the country.

8.  The Missouri Highway Department (MODOT) responded to the vagrancy and crime problems in August at McCoy Park at their US 24 Highway concrete bridge over Delaware Street by painting “NO TRESSPASSING” directly on the bridge at multiple locations to inhibit human inhabitation under the bridge.  Ironically, this unsightly piece of our nation’s crumbling infrastructure was added to our expanded Truman Neighborhood National Historic Landmark District in 2011.  Now tourists are greeted with these messages of “NO TRESSPASSING” as they drive under the bridge to enter the beautifully landscaped and manicured front lawn of the Harry S Truman Presidential Library & Museum.

7.  Independence Parks & Recreation has taken steps toward providing a new playground and ball field specially designed for children with special needs and wheelchairs and used private money.  But they chose McCoy Park, one of the hilliest parks in town, and built it into the hillside requiring costly expenditures of earth moving for the site.  The playground still sits incomplete while the ball field has yet to host the multitude of events promised for special needs children.  Several pleas to add security cameras to protect children and these costly investments have been considered by City Hall as unnecessary in spite of Numbers 8 through 10 above.

6.  At the annual meeting of the Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) in May, it announced again that the Maple Avenue Apartments located within the Truman National Historic Landmark District is on the “Watch List” for poor management and maintenance of the facilities.  This marked the 19^th consecutive month for being on the list making it one of the worse facilities in the state being monitored by MHDC.  Ironically, the City of Independence and the M/TRC Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation continues to honor the owner with tax abatement for maintaining its facilities to the highest level of standards.  I guess housing standards in Independence are much lower than those state-wide standards established in Jefferson City.

5.  There was a huge fire on 24-Highway at November 14^th at 314 W. US 24 Hwy, the abandon Fender Building, former home to Town Square Property Management, the Community of Christ property manager of choice and manager of the Section 8 rental properties in Heritage House Apartments.  The building appears to be completely gutted and a complete loss.  Unfortunately, this burned-out building is viewed by visitors coming to see the Truman Library and, ironically, is within view of Fire Station No. 1.  Thank God Poppy’s Donut Shop was spared.  The fire occurred during time when the Public Library across the street was closed to the public while they were updating their I.T. system making library facilities unavailable to vagrants looking for warm place to stay after the temperature dropped. 

4.  There is some good news with the three National Stabilization Program (NSP) properties on North Pleasant and West Farmer all located in the Truman National Historic Landmark District.  Two are actually renovated, one of those was recently occupied, and renovation work has started on the third one at 419 N. Pleasant, a property vacant for at least 10 years and formally owned by the First Baptist Church.  It has taken more time to complete the renovation of these 3 small homes than the construction of the $80-million-dollar Event Center.  You can most definitely see where the city’s priorities are.

3.  Superintendent Larry Villalva of the Truman Home National Historic Site mysteriously disappears.  His tenure included cutting visiting hours for the main house by nearly a third while closing indefinitely the Grandview Farm House and the newly renovated Noland House.  These reductions were in response to a 5 percent “sequester” budget reduction mandated by the federal government.

2.  The Chamber Pot continues to be flushed.  The Independence Chamber of Commerce fired their CEO joining the ranks of others in the last few years that have inadvertently disappeared from our community.  He was the only ICC leader who actually understood the economics of historic preservation and heritage tourism making his disappearance a loss to our history communities.  I guess he was not prepared to take on the rebuilding of ICC in addition to actually trying to refocus the group towards the great historical assets of our community.  We wish him success. 

1.  Independence Heritage Commission serving at the direction of the City Council with representation from the Truman Library and the Truman Home National Historic Site continues to be satisfied to perform “reactive” reviews for the demolition of burned-out and abandon buildings throughout town rather than “proactive” preservation planning.

Conflicts on the Land of the McCoys

The newly incorporated town of Independence was established and led by William McCoy as its first Mayor in 1849.  Even though it was launched as the County Seat of Jackson in 1827 and even a settlement before that for traders and missionaries, Independence started to gain prominence through the pioneer trail period and survival through Civil War years because of leadership of William McCoy.  As an early pioneer, trails merchant engaged in national and international trade, banker, and prominent leader, no one has done more for our community.  William and his brother John did everything they could to promote civic development, education, and prosperity to this new town at the furthest edge of the country and at the gateway to Indian Territory and the wide open prairie.  John even contributed to the formidable years of young Harry Truman as teacher and superintendent of the Presbyterian Church Sunday School where Harry first met a young Bess Wallace.  William was one of the founders of the Independence Public Schools that also provided Harry plenty of education to become leader of the free world without an Ivy League education or even a college diploma.  The McCoy’s 14-acre country estate north of Farmer Street witnessed Civil War battles, trade and emigration on three national trails heading West, the first railroad constructed west of the Mississippi River, racial segregation in the Neck, the discriminatory practices of Urban Renewal, and the struggles of a community gaining national prominence due to its association with one of the greatest world leaders of the 20^th century.  All of these histories converge in McCoy Park, the property that is currently occupied by Heritage House Apartments, and what is left of the old McCoy estate on the corner Farmer Street and Ridgeway Avenue.  These stories matter to the community, but more importantly, they matter to the nation.  It is essential that City Planning efforts, residential & park redevelopment activities, and infrastructure & public safety efforts should be integrated with Historic Preservation planning and reviews that involve open-door meetings and the participation of stakeholders.  In many cases, it is actually mandated by the federal government under Section 106 of the National Preservation Act, a federal law that has been on the books for almost a half century.  In our circumstances in this history epicenter, just the opposite has occurred.  This reminds me of the blog post “Contrary Kingdom” from May 15, 2010 with a familiar story line of a community where everything happens just the opposite way it would in a normal community.  City leaders need to understand that history is not something that just happened 100 years ago.  History is being made today which will be judged by future generations and will very likely be discussed at national forums such as the one mentioned in the blog post from “Higher Learning Regarding Higher Ground” from September 14, 2009.  Yes, this is one of the primary reasons for documenting and studying history: “Learn from our mistakes of the past so we do not repeat them – lest we all be labeled idiots.”