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History

The area that is now Independence was originally inhabited by Missouri and Osage Native Americans. Later made part of the territory of Louisiana that was alternately part of New France and New Spain, it became part of the United States with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The Lewis and Clark Expedition stopped in what would become Independence in 1804.

Named after the Declaration of Independence, Independence was founded on March 29, 1827, and quickly became an important frontier town. Independence was the farthest point westward on the Missouri River where steamboats or other cargo vessels could travel, due to the convergence of the Kansas River with the Missouri River approximately six miles west of town. Independence immediately became a jumping-off point for the emerging fur trade, accommodating merchants and adventurers beginning the long trek westward on the Santa Fe Trail.

In 1831, members of the Latter Day Saint movement began moving to the area. Shortly thereafter, founder Joseph Smith declared a spot west of the Courthouse Square to be the place for his prophesied temple of the New Jerusalem, in expectation of the Second Coming of Christ. Tension grew with local Missourians until the Latter Day Saints were driven from the area in 1833, the beginning of a conflict which culminated in the 1838 Mormon War. Several branches of this movement gradually returned to the city beginning in 1867, with many making their headquarters there. These include the Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), the Church of Christ (Temple Lot), the Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite), and the Restoration Branches.

Independence saw great prosperity from the late 1830s through the mid-1840s, while the business of outfitting pioneers boomed. Between 1848 and 1868, it was a hub of the California Trail. The Donner Party, an ill-fated group of wagon train emigrants whose westward journey along the trail from Springfield, Illinois, ended in disaster, stopped in Independence. On March 8, 1849, the Missouri General Assembly granted a home-rule charter to the town, and on July 18, 1849, William McCoy was elected as its first mayor. In the mid-19th century, an Act of the United States Congress defined Independence as the start of the Oregon Trail.

Two important American Civil War battles occurred at Independence: the first on August 11, 1862, when Confederate soldiers took control of the town, and the second in October 1864, which resulted in a Union victory. The war took its toll on Independence, and the town was never able to regain its previous prosperity, although a flurry of building activity took place soon after the war. The rise of nearby Kansas City, Missouri also contributed to the town's relegation to a place of secondary prominence in Jackson County, though Independence has retained its position as co-county seat to the present day.

United States President Harry S. Truman grew up in Independence and, in 1922, was elected judge of the Court of Jackson County with the support of Kansas City political boss Tom Pendergast. Although he was defeated for reelection in 1924, he won back the office in 1926 and was reelected in 1930. Truman won acclaim for several popular public works projects, including an extensive series of roads for the growing use of automobiles, the building of a new County Court building in Independence, and a series of 12 Madonna of the Trail monuments to pioneer women dedicated across the country in 1928 and 1929. He returned to the city following his presidency. His wife, Bess, was born and raised in Independence, and both are buried there. The Harry S. Truman National Historic Site (Truman's home) and the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum are both located in Independence, as is one of Truman's boyhood residences.

Highways and roads

Interstate 70 – Major east–west interstate highway, connecting Independence to Kansas City, Columbia, and St. Louis.

Interstate 470 – Follows MO-291 starting at 39th St./I-70 south into Lee's Summit.

Interstate 435 – Runs just outside the western city limits, between Independence and Kansas City.

U.S. Route 24 – A major east/west U.S. highway that links Independence with Kansas City and Buckner, and forms part of Independence's northern border with Sugar Creek. It passes through the Fairmount Business District, by the Truman Presidential Library and Museum, by William Chrisman High School, and north of the Independence Square. Parts of U.S. 24 are known as Winner Road, and Independence Avenue.

U.S. Route 40 – Connects Independence with Lee's Summit, Lake Tapawingo, and Blue Springs, and forms part of Independence's southern border with Kansas City.

Route 7 – Links U.S. 24 and Twyman Road (near Fort Osage High School) with Blue Springs, and passes by the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant.

Route 12 is a short highway that connects the Independence Square to I-435 in Kansas City, and is commonly known as Truman Rd.

Route 78 is an east–west highway that links Kansas City to MO-7, near the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant. Parts of MO-78 are known as 23rd St. (formerly E. Alton St.), and Lake City-Buckner Road.

Route 291 – A minor north–south freeway, once designated as U.S. Route 71 Bypass, that links Independence to Lee's Summit, Sugar Creek, and Liberty. The Liberty Bend Bridge carries the highway across the Missouri River. I-470 carries the highway from I-70 south into Lee's Summit. Part of the former alignment, known as Old 71 Bypass, is a street in the Bass Pro area.

Truman Road is a major arterial street that connects Independence with downtown Kansas City, and eastern unincorporated Jackson County. It passes by Van Horn High School, through the Maywood Business District, by President Harry S. Truman's house, and the Independence Square. Truman Road enters Independence with MO-12, and exits with State Route FF.

Notable people

Forrest "Phog" Allen, KU basketball coach, member of Hall of Fame; attended high school in Independence.

John B. Arrington, Utah state legislator.

Rudy Bears, professional mixed martial artist.

George Caleb Bingham, 19th century artist.

James L. Boldridge, celebrated African-American horse trainer

Jim Butcher, New York Times bestselling author.

Teresa Carpenter, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist.

Margaret Truman Daniel, novelist, daughter of Harry and Bess Truman; born in Independence.

Curt Dougherty, councilman and state representative.

Jim Eisenreich, Major League Baseball player; lived in Independence.

Fatal1ty (Jonathan Wendel), professional e-sports player.

EJ Gaines, football player for Missouri and NFL's Los Angeles Rams.

Marla Hanson (born June 18, 1961) American screenwriter, ex-model and victim of a slashing attack by two other men hired by her landlord in 1986.

Paul Henning, created TV series The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, Petticoat Junction; born in Independence.

Sam Hildreth, thoroughbred trainer; born in Independence.

Daniel G. Hill, sociology.

Arliss Howard, actor in films (Full Metal Jacket, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Natural Born Killers, Moneyball) and TV (Rubicon, Medium); born in Independence.

Jared Huffman, Congressman (CA-2), Democrat, was born in Independence and graduated from William Chrisman High School there.

Sharon Kinne, serial killer.

Betty Lennox, former player for the WNBA.

David McCullough, author and historian, lived in Independence while writing and researching his Pulitzer-winning biography of Harry Truman.

Russ Morman, Major League Baseball outfielder and first baseman, coach; born in Independence.

John Noland, black Confederate scout who served with Quantrill's Raiders, buried in Woodlawn cemetery.

Ralph Peer, record producer in Country Music Hall of Fame; born in Independence.

Austin Petersen, 2016 presidential candidate.

Chris Pitman, Guns N' Roses keyboardist.

Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman; attended high school in Independence.

Ginger Rogers, Academy Award-winning actress of musicals, dramas, and comedies; screen dancing partner of Fred Astaire; born in Independence.

Charles E. Spahr, CEO, Standard Oil of Ohio.

David Stover, NASCAR driver.

Rick Sutcliffe, Major League Baseball pitcher and TV commentator; born in Independence.

Tech N9ne (Aaron Yates), rapper and Strange Music vice president.

George M. Todd, Confederate partisan ranger, buried in Woodlawn cemetery.

Bess Truman, 33rd First Lady of the United States, was born in Independence.

Harry S. Truman, Vice President and 33rd President of the United States, was raised in Independence.

Ron Wallace, country music singer.

Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear, folk singers.

Margaret Weis, fantasy novelist.

Cathay Williams, female black Civil War soldier.

Harlene Wood – songwriter and actor, known as Jill Jackson-Miller when she co-composed the international peace anthem "Let There Be Peace on Earth".

Hiram Young, self-freed slave turned wagon-building entrepreneur for the Oregon Trail, "Kansas City's First Colored Man of Means".

Independence

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Missouri Voters Give Boot To 2 City Council Members Who Backed Multi-Billion Dollar AI Data Center Bonanza

Independence

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Missouri Voters Give Boot To 2 City Council Members Who Backed Multi-Billion Dollar AI Data Center Bonanza

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