Brian & Sharon Snyder
We are Brian & Sharon Snyder, owners and residents of the Owens-McCoy House and lifelong residents of Independence, Missouri. Our goal is to preserve important history in relationship to this site and make it accessible to public and future generations while working as an advocate for historic preservation, heritage tourism, local history education, and appropriate city planning that promotes and enhances our history, our community’s biggest asset.
This home is where we raised our family and where they attended the local neighborhood school, Bryant Elementary. It is not a museum yet, but that is our plan for the future when our preservation goals are met and when its historic setting is suitable for visitors. We have huge family connections to Farmer Street, our neighborhood church – First Presbyterian, and the Independence Square that go back three generations. As strong as our bond was to the neighborhood through family, it grew stronger after we leaped into the purchase of the McCoy House in September of 1992. Our discoveries through historic research from archival collections in Missouri and Ohio and through archaeological digging into wall, ceilings, and through the dirt in the back yard have been exciting. Our restoration projects have been unique and meaningful. Our struggles through deteriorated lumber, crumbling brick and mortar, and falling plaster have been great. We always tell guest to our home that we are in continual rehab. The greatest challenge for our property and many of the landmark properties in Independence has been the protection of their historic settings and lack of zoning protections.
The purpose of this website is to disseminate historic information on two of our most prominent pioneer families, that of Samuel Combs Owens and William McCoy. We intend to present the history of the original 14 acre McCoy property which includes our national trails history here in Independence, the old public springs, McCoy’s sponsorship of free African-American business entrepreneurs, Civil War history, the established African-American neighborhood to the north and their forced eviction through Urban Renewal, and the history we are making today with our restoration projects and the redevelopment of properties surrounding us. There are very few properties in this region that have had a bigger impact on our important local and national history than the Owens-McCoy property. And these paragraphs have been compiled without stating the obvious: We live in one of the most important residential neighborhoods in the country with respect to our national and international leadership with the presidency of Harry S Truman. The Owens-McCoy House, individually listed on the National Historic Registry, is also an important part of the Truman National Historic Landmark District and anchors the northeast corner of the District. We have the components of what should be one of the greatest success stories for heritage tourism.
If you like what you see here on this website, please come to Independence, Missouri, visit our historic sites and museums, and enjoy our restaurants and shops on the Independence Square. Check the links and see what we have to offer. Our neighborhood has many stories to tell. Come to Independence, stake out your own chapter and make history while making this your hometown, too.
What We Believe
We believe in the principles eloquently presented by David McCullough in a speech he gave in the Truman Neighborhood in 1994 that it is an expression of respect and national patriotism to support historic preservation in Independence, Missouri. And to the contrary, those projects that negatively impact our historic resources and distract us from our stewardship responsibilities are expressions of disrespect and should be called out as such.
We believe a community is more vibrant and sustainable when it is founded on diversity. Programs that segregate and place social and architectural barriers in our community should not be encouraged, even if subsidized by the taxpayers. These will ultimately fail.
We believe our historic built environment is an asset and a foundation for a successful community not a liability that gets in the way of progress. To quote noted Pulitzer Prize author, historian, and former Librarian of Congress, Daniel Boorstin, “Planning for the future without a sense of the past is similar to planting cut flowers.” Future planning while ignoring the past will lead to failure. Unfortunately, you do not have to look far to witness examples of this.
We believe that successful communities are those that attract private investments, especially from within their own community. Success should not be measured in the volume of government-funded projects and programs we have. We’re lucky to have the National Park Service and the Truman Library - National Archives here in our community with their sole purpose to preserve and interpret the story of Harry Truman and they do that job very well. But their success makes us overlook our local responsibilities in protecting his neighborhood and other sites in town that provide footnotes and complete this great American story.
We believe in an open and transparent government that allows citizens and neighbors opportunities for direct participation in providing valuable public input in a timely manner. This is especially important on projects that involve the taxpayer’s money and historic assets. Too many times, comments are only welcomed after votes are taken, plans are on paper, and financing is in place. We believe that successful historic communities have historic preservation interests and principles incorporated in the “planning” processes. Successful historic preservation planning can attract private investment.
We believe in the basic principles of stewardship adopted by the Boy Scouts of America decades ago to always leave a property in better condition than it was before you occupied it. If local property owners, landlords, institutions, and churches followed this principle, then the revitalization and preservation efforts needed today would not be so monumental.
We believe the historic importance of Independence extend beyond our city limits, our state, and our nation. The pioneer trails that were outfitted here handled international trade. And the impact of the leadership of Harry Truman was global. Another presidential site has the designation of “World Heritage Site.” The Truman Home and its neighborhood setting is the Monticello of the 20th century.
We believe successful heritage tourism programs lead to jobs, economic development, educational opportunities, civic pride, and an improved quality of life.
We believe that history is not just what happened way back then. Future generations will be looking back on what is happening today and making judgments on our plans and accomplishments. What will they say about the community they will inherit?
The above beliefs and principles are not radical, conservative, liberal, and/or complex. They are actually common throughout our nation. It is our goal and priority to make them common here in Independence.