Discover and Preserve History!

Owen’s-McCoy Park, Independence, Missouri

The Neck Area and Urban Renewal

The Neck which includes McCoy and Slover Parks and areas roughly bounded by both sides of 24 Hwy, West and East Farmer, east of Delaware, west of Osage, all of Ridgeway, parts of College and Pleasant Streets, St. Charles, Nettleton, and McCoy Streets, has a tremendous and complex history.

Native American History

From our study, archaeology, and review of the earliest property records, we believe the large spring just north of us, that Heritage House sits on (on the original Owens-McCoy property) served early settlements of Native Americans, fur traders, and missionaries.

Fur Traders, McCoy Park

Please visit the McCoy Park Historical Trails Interpretative Panels in McCoy Park which provides Trails information and visit the National Trails Museum to hear more about other famous 1st Nation People, Fur Traders, Mountain Men, and Western Expansion.

Jabez Smith

Jabez Smith was one of the largest slave-holders and slave speculators in all of the state of Missouri and lived in Independence, Missouri.

McCoy Park, Mill & Spring Street

Part of many original Treaty agreements the government would provide a gunsmith, blacksmith, mill, and annuities to encourage success in staying in one location. Records indicate there was a mill near what we call presently Mill and Spring Streets and possibly there was a brewery/distillery in the vicinity also (which also require good quality spring water).

Flowers in McCoy Park

We owe it to those who came before us and future generations of the Independence citizens to use the highest preservation standards, beautiful landscaping for public improvement, and have the resources and water lines, underground sprinkler systems, and hydrants to maintain that landscaping.

Sanborn Maps

Sanborn Maps Useful Tool for Researchers If you are interested in researching how historic communities have developed over time, we recommend reviewing the Sanborn Map collections. The collection for Missouri are accessed through the University of Missouri Library website where they have 6,797 images of communities.