Joplin, Missouri – "A Community with Character"

As the Memorial Day Weekend approached, I knew I could get the phone call at any time and it came at 4:00 pm late Friday afternoon. By 8:00 am Saturday morning, I was in Joplin, Missouri at ground zero of the recent F-5 tornado assisting the City of Joplin and the State Emergency Management Agency with public safety issues related to damaged buildings and homes. Now you’ve seen the reports and stories all over each of the news networks and CNN. But the real story is the sense of community and the wonderful spirit that we experienced as we went house-to-house and block-to-block. The property owners, families, friends, and the multitudes of volunteers were working hard and were bound and determined to not only clean up what was left of their lives but to make the city even better. Everyone was grateful and appreciative of our support. It was clear to me that the city leadership, local public safety leaders and employees, and the local building engineers and inspectors were not only dedicated to their jobs and their community but also lived within the city limits of the community they served. Their leadership was not outsourced to non-residents and you could tell it from the touch of their handshakes and the quiver in their voices. I was proud to stand with them in their important work. But this experience got me thinking. How would Independence handle a similar situation? If entire blocks of homes in my neighborhood were wiped off the face of the earth, would those displaced families and souls choose to rebuild their lives here? How would our leadership handle such a catastrophe? Would the high concentration of absentee landlords help or hinder a successful recovery? Is having only one hospital better than two? Is Independence a community with character? Local folks need to ask these questions now about the preparedness of our community instead of pointing fingers in the aftermath of such an event. The photo above was taken six days after the tornado and you can see the overwhelming task the good folks in Joplin have ahead of them. Please support the recovery efforts in Joplin, “A Community with Character.” They need supplies, financial support, and your prayers.

No “Landmark” Left Behind

It has been over three years since March 2008 when the old Palmer School building was evacuated and judged to be uninhabitable due to issues with mold. Before the Independence School District (ISD) had invested all that tax money into the facility, it had successfully served as a school building for 8 decades. And, yes, it is an important contributing element in the Harry S Truman National Historic Landmark District. With that said, I believe this situation needs to be put in perspective. To my knowledge, the Palmer School building is one of only a very few public school buildings in the entire country that are designated as either National Historic Landmarks or part of Landmark Districts. The only ones I can think of in this region are the two school buildings in Topeka associated with the Brown vs. Board of Education and Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas (Landmarks associated with the story of our nation’s civil rights movement in the 1950’s). All buildings designated as National Historic Landmarks and those contributing to Landmark Districts are not just important but are critical to the education of US citizens on the history of this great and exceptional country. From our struggles in civil rights to one of the great American stories of a young man with just a high school diploma from ISD and no college degree becoming one of the greatest US Presidents and world leaders in the 20^th century. Actually Palmer Junior High has its own history as it relates to civil rights. During its early years, Independence was a segregated community and African-American students were not allowed to attend there. ISD deserves high marks for its success in Western Independence and for its leadership in completing the new Ennovation Center and administrative offices at the old hospital site. But here in Independence, time and time again, the things that we do poorly overshadow the things we do right. We should all be proud to live in Independence and be a part of a public school district that has been a part of educational excellence since 1866. But that pride can be stronger and radiate beyond our boundaries if we would just remove the large “For Sale” banner on the Palmer building, clean it up, fix the problem, and make it again a contributing component to the educational and civic life of the Truman National Historic Landmark District. I’m reminded of one of the basic principles of stewardship I learned as a young Boy Scout. You “always” leave an area cleaner and in better condition than it was before you occupied it.

City Planning by “Trial & Error”

Here it comes again! The Plaza in Kansas City, our neighbor to the west, is ready for round 4. The local preservation community and even the National Trust for Historic Preservation had already claimed victory last month when the law firm, Polsinelli Shughart, withdrew its proposal to locate its new office building in The Plaza. But the plan is being revived again in the Kansas City Council chambers. Because the property is not a designated historic district, there are no helpful design guidelines, standards, or tax incentives for the property leaving its redevelopment in the hands of its North Carolina owner. The project has been designed, redesigned, redesigned again, and then repackaged to get the local city government on board. Unfortunately, the process has become painful and time-consuming, while making all parties look bad and creating a lose-lose situation, whatever the outcome. Situations were, in a way, similar in Independence in 2003 when Jim Harpool agreed to redevelop residential property on Truman Road but demanded that he be allowed to demolish two properties. He had to bypass the Heritage Commission and go directly to the City Council in order to get his way. But in the end, Harpool never bothered to finish his project leaving empty lots where historic structures once stood and leaving the National Park Service with the task of redrawing the proposed boundaries of the Truman National Historic Landmark District. And all this occurred under the guidance of the publically-funded M/TRC revitalization folks. “Historic Districts” designated and supported by local communities can provide appropriate and reasonable design standards, attractive tax credits, and a level playing field for anyone wanting to invest and contribute in a positive way to historic communities. It protects the valuable assets of our communities and our nation. Opportunities are created for tourism, economic development, and education. Yes, it creates win-win-win-win-win-win situations. Independence leaders need to realize that we do not have to have a successful minor league sports franchise to be considered a winner. And we hope that redevelopment efforts in Kansas City at The Plaza will not cast shadows on the beautiful facades and fountains of this truly architectural treasure. And if Polsinlli Shughart really wants to make a positive contribution in the community where they choose to locate their headquarters, there is a place called The Falls at Crackerneck Creek in the valley of the Little Blue River that is desperate for some tenants.

A “Spring” Story of Lessons Learned – “The Rest of the Story”

Reading of shortfalls at The Falls at Crackerneck Creek, I am reminded of another story several decades ago which also involved lots of public money and water. It was a program called “Urban Renewal” and its target was the Historic Independence Square. Streets were rerouted, entire blocks of historic buildings were clear cut leaving only bare asphalt with no landscaping, and concrete barrier walls were added to fortify the courthouse grounds. It was projected by the experts that wiping the slate clean and creating something new and not-so-authentic was necessary to attract businesses and new generations of shoppers. And as they did at Crackerneck Creek, extra water was pumped into the area to supply a new fountain smack dab in the middle of Main Street and to a new area on the southeast corner of the rerouted Noland Road to simulate what used to be an active spring. A log cabin was uncovered during the road relocation process. It was dismantled and reconstructed to appear as a historic setting of the city’s public spring and today we call it “Pioneer Spring” at the Sermon Center. The actual site of the historic public spring was to the west, located in the path of progress. City water had to be piped in to the faux spring to make it appear as an active spring to visiting tourists. Unfortunately, the syndicated commentator, Paul Harvey, exposed the scam decades ago in his nationally broadcasted radio program called “The Rest of the Story.” The water was eventually turned off. Practically everything that was built in the name of Urban Renewal has since been removed (requiring even further public investments). Was Urban Renewal in Independence considered a success? Have we been successful in maintaining “Pioneer Spring”? Are we learning from past history? Just image, if we as a community would have spent only half the money we invested in plans to create a false sense of place and invest that money in restoring those valuable assets that we already have.

“Taking It to the Next Level”

Most of the blog entries have been related to our neighborhood within the context of our nation’s important presidential history. But there is so much more to Independence. The Independence Square is the epicenter of our nation’s rich pioneer trails history. Most folks know that there are 3 major trails, Santa Fe - California - Oregon, with their beginnings here. Other trails of importance include the Mormon Trail, Lewis & Clark Trail, and the little-known “Trail of Death” of the Potawatomi Indian Tribe in 1838 (yet to be designated). The National Park Service (NPS) has a very active program with professional staff located in 15 states to interpret our nation’s 30 designated National Historic Trails traversing through practically every corner of the country, including Hawaii & Alaska. Independence is the only city in the country to have a connection to more than 3 or 4 of these national trails and we are actually important to 6. And with our central location, one would think that the federal government would include Independence as a prominent location for their staff and resources for national trails. But they do not. In fact, Independence would be the logical choice for the headquarters of the NPS National Trails System. We already have the presence of the NPS here in town, but their primary mission and focus is all about Truman. And most folks don’t know this but our National Frontier Trails Center hosts the national headquarters for the Oregon California Trails Association (OCTA), a not-for-profit group that is very active in promoting and interpreting the history of those two national trails. The City of Independence has done a respectable job with the operation of the “National” Frontier Trails Center with their dedicated staff and volunteers. But with shrinking budgets from City Hall, no federal assistance, and city priorities elsewhere, we cannot take it to the next level. And the expression “Taking It to the Next Level” was meant to be literal. There is an entire second floor in the old mill building that could potentially open up much more space for exhibition, archives, education, and offices. More recent history reminds us that our community did not roll out the red carpet for the NPS decades ago during confrontations between national preservation interests and churches. During that time, good Christian folks sent letters to their congressmen complaining about the NPS’s presence in their community. It becomes evident how our past struggles in preserving and protecting our presidential history spills over into many other aspects of our community. We should not be shy about telling our important stories to the world. And we should not be shy in inviting others outside our community to participate in this exciting venture.

Unpleasantness Continues on Pleasant Street

We are encouraged by the latest proposal to expand the Truman National Historic Landmark District along Pleasant Street. And we appreciated attempts to revitalize Pleasant Street with the award-winning Midtown / Truman Road Corridor Neighborhood Revitalization Plan. These important blocks link the Truman Neighborhood and Square area with McCoy Park and the front steps of the Truman Library. Unfortunately, this blog has reported about arson, abandon & boarded up homes, an abandon school building contaminated with mold, storm water problems, and more recently the rape of an 8-year-old child, all within a few blocks on this street ironically labeled as “Pleasant.” An additional incident to report actually occurred last year at 527/529 N. Pleasant. The duplex mysteriously exploded in the middle of the night. The building has sat vacant, boarded up, and tagged “dangerous” since. Then, just a few weeks ago, the danger actually became evident in the form of a fire. Imagine trying to sell a home or getting an appraisal for a refinance of your home near this duplex. Would you consider investing in this block and moving your family here? As Independence goes through the motions of neighborhood revitalization, we need to realize that current situations on Pleasant Street are considered blight to any neighborhood. When these situations affect one of the nation’s most important residential neighborhoods, it should be considered a national disgrace. As with 1306 W. Maple, these properties seem insignificant by themselves, but within the context of a neighborhood, they can drag down an entire block and beyond. Investments in neighborhood revitalization and historic preservation pay back dividends in the city budgets of tourism, fire, police, and health departments while preserving the tax base and public revenues. And as City Hall attempts to quietly funnel millions of dollars to developers in the Little Blue Valley, our historic neighborhoods scream loud for assistance.

The War We Fought Against Us

One of the most important chapters in American history is that of the Civil War. Many know of strategic battles and military conquests, but one of the most notable military directives ever implemented by the US government was “Order No. 11.” In fact, noted author and historian Albert Castel described Order No. 11 as “the most drastic and repressive military measures directed against civilians by the Union Army during the Civil War.” And he goes on to describe it as “the harshest treatment ever imposed on United States citizens under the plea of military necessity in our Nation’s History." This atrocity was centered here in the 4 border counties of Missouri (Jackson, Cass, Bates, and Vernon) making the town of Independence one of few safe havens for Union loyalist. Artist, George Caleb Bingham, painted the image shown above to make sure citizens did not forget about the atrocities committed by General Ewing’s Order and to make sure his political career after the war was unsuccessful. The stories along the Missouri-Kansas border get left out of many history books. During every college sports season we miss opportunities to tell our youth what the real “Border Showdown” was all about. Important Civil War history is all around us here in Independence. It is in the 1859 Jail & Marshall’s Home, on The Square, in the valley of the Little Blue River, and from March 10 through September 8, it will be featured at the Truman Library in an exhibition of “Bingham’s Missouri.” With the assistance of the State Historical Society of Missouri, the painting, “Order No. 11” by Bingham, made a journey from Columbia, Missouri to Independence for this historic history exhibition. During the sesquicentennial of this “War against Ourselves” we have tremendous opportunities as citizens of the state of Missouri and the city of Independence to make sure these important stories are told to the nation. The story of the Civil War is incomplete without talking about the Missouri-Kansas Border Wars. Visit this wonderful exhibit at the Truman Library and support local and state-wide institutions and historical societies that are presenting this important history to new generations.