Gloria Smith wants to establish an oversight committee or support group for the Truman Depot at 1111 W. Pacific. The depot, used today primarily as an Amtrak stop and the home of the Jackson County Genealogical Society Research Library, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Smith said the aging structure is owned by the city, but suffers from “step child” status. She wants to form a group that continuously provides support and upkeep to the depot, a spot Smith said Harry S. Truman made famous during his “Whistle Stop” campaign in 1948 when thousands of people gathered there to greet him and listen to his legendary pre-election radio address.
On vacation in New Mexico, Smith took the time Friday to talk via mobile phone with The Examiner from Santa Fe about the ongoing efforts to form Friends of the Depot.
1 What is the Friends of the Depot and what are the goals for the organization?
I believe the Depot is the only historic place in Independence that doesn’t have a support group. We did a bunch of (restoration) work on it back in 1996, but you can’t walk away from a building like that for 12, 13 years without it deteriorating. Even your home you have to upkeep. I just saw a need. I’m trying to form the Friends of the Depot as a group to oversee it, re-paint it and maybe bring a little beautification to the Depot.
2 How has recruiting efforts gone so far to attract citizens to the FOTD? What I’ve’ been doing is giving my “spiel” to different groups and talking to people through community organizations. I’ve already found a few people who have come to me and said ‘I’d like to be on the board.’ I’ve taken names and numbers from different people and tried to put together a mailing list and things like that. One thing I did do was write a letter to (Truman biographer) David McCullough and tell him what my intentions were. He was kind enough to write back and wrote that he loved the Depot and he thought it was a great, historic part of our city and it really should be restored.
3 What is the current status of the Depot? The building itself is owned by the city. It is used by Amtrak as a train stop and on the other half is the Jackson County Genealogical Society. The Depot was built in (1913) and I’m anticipating by the time we celebrate its’ 100th birthday, we will have the organization up and running.
4 Why is it so important to preserve that part of the city’s heritage? First of all, my family has lived in Missouri since the early 1800’s and I am very, very partial to the area. We have a lot of history. Second, anything related to Truman we need to make sure we preserve it. It’s a very cute little building.
5 How has the Depot received “step child” treatment over the years? I have felt like it’s not just a step child, but an orphan. It doesn’t have an oversight or a support group. I think that we have to form a group to ensure that it won’t fall through the cracks.
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Gloria Smith wants to establish an oversight committee or support group for the Truman Depot at 1111 W. Pacific. The depot, used today primarily as an Amtrak stop and the home of the Jackson County Genealogical Society Research Library, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Smith said the aging structure is owned by the city, but suffers from “step child” status. She wants to form a group that continuously provides support and upkeep to the depot, a spot Smith said Harry S. Truman made famous during his “Whistle Stop” campaign in 1948 when thousands of people gathered there to greet him and listen to his legendary pre-election radio address.
On vacation in New Mexico, Smith took the time Friday to talk via mobile phone with The Examiner from Santa Fe about the ongoing efforts to form Friends of the Depot.
1 What is the Friends of the Depot and what are the goals for the organization?
I believe the Depot is the only historic place in Independence that doesn’t have a support group. We did a bunch of (restoration) work on it back in 1996, but you can’t walk away from a building like that for 12, 13 years without it deteriorating. Even your home you have to upkeep. I just saw a need. I’m trying to form the Friends of the Depot as a group to oversee it, re-paint it and maybe bring a little beautification to the Depot.
2 How has recruiting efforts gone so far to attract citizens to the FOTD? What I’ve’ been doing is giving my “spiel” to different groups and talking to people through community organizations. I’ve already found a few people who have come to me and said ‘I’d like to be on the board.’ I’ve taken names and numbers from different people and tried to put together a mailing list and things like that. One thing I did do was write a letter to (Truman biographer) David McCullough and tell him what my intentions were. He was kind enough to write back and wrote that he loved the Depot and he thought it was a great, historic part of our city and it really should be restored.
3 What is the current status of the Depot? The building itself is owned by the city. It is used by Amtrak as a train stop and on the other half is the Jackson County Genealogical Society. The Depot was built in (1913) and I’m anticipating by the time we celebrate its’ 100th birthday, we will have the organization up and running.
4 Why is it so important to preserve that part of the city’s heritage? First of all, my family has lived in Missouri since the early 1800’s and I am very, very partial to the area. We have a lot of history. Second, anything related to Truman we need to make sure we preserve it. It’s a very cute little building.
5 How has the Depot received “step child” treatment over the years? I have felt like it’s not just a step child, but an orphan. It doesn’t have an oversight or a support group. I think that we have to form a group to ensure that it won’t fall through the cracks.
