Independence.
1 City (2020 pop. 6,064), seat of Buchanan co., NE Iowa;
founded 1847. Located on the Wapsipinicon River, the town's grist mill
opened in 1867 (now a museum). The Independence State Hospital (founded in
1873 as the Iowa Hospital for the Insane) is located there. In the late 19th
century, it was a center for horse racing. 2 City (2020 pop.
8,548), seat of Montgomery co., SE Kans., on the Verdigris River, near the
Okla. line, in an important oil-producing area where corn and wheat are also
grown. Light
aircraft,
motor vehicle parts, cement, and printing and publishing are important
industries; natural gas is distributed. The town was founded (1869) on a
former Osage reservation. It boomed with the discovery of natural gas in
1881 and oil in 1903. 3 City (2020 pop. 123,011), seat of
Jackson co., W Mo., a suburb of Kansas City; inc. 1849. Its manufactures
include machinery, building materials, apparel, foods, paper products, and
ordnance. Soybeans, corn, and sorghum are grown, and there is dairying and
natural-gas production in the area. In the 1830s and 40s, Independence was
the starting point for expeditions over the Santa Fe Trail, the Oregon Trail, and
the California Trail. A group of Mormons settled there in 1831, and the city
is the world headquarters of the Community of Christ (formerly the
Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). Independence was
the home of President Harry S. Truman and is the seat of the Harry S.
Truman Library and Museum, on whose grounds the former president is buried.
Other points of interest include the old county jail and museum (1859;
restored); the old county courthouse (1825; restored); and nearby Fort Osage
(1808; reconstructed). Park Univ. has a campus in Independence.
4 City (2020 pop. 7,584), Cayuhoga co., NE Ohio; founded
c.1814, inc. 1914. It is a residential and industrial suburb of Cleveland.
In 1827, the Ohio & Erie Canal came through the city, making it a major
distribution center; further growth came after the railroad in 1880. Through
the 19th century, it was known for sandstone and shale quarries.
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