St. Johns Gone But Not Forgotten

Back in the 1880s St. John the Baptist Catholic Church was built roughly at Independence Boulevard and Paseo to serve the burgeoning population in Pendleton Heights. The Rectory was right next door to the west. St. John's was torn down in the 50s to make way for a car dealership and the parish was served from a new building east of this location at Garfield Avenue and Independence Boulevard. Above, a view of the rectory and the church... below just the church. Second shot down shows St. Johns' in relation to the Fountain Place Apartments.

Above, another shot of the rectory and, below, the interior of St. Johns showing the main altar..... very ornate.

Above, St. John's also had a school that I don't know the exact location of but was just west of Paseo.... the school was shared with Holy Rosary Church further west in Columbus Park.
Caption, "St. John's Church First May Crowning 1943." A big thank you to Father Michael Coleman, Archivist of the Diocese of St. Joseph Kansas City, and Virginia Collura who furnished these pictures. According to AnnaMarie Inzenga, long-time friend, the Church was right across the street from what used to be Scimecas and the Capri Motel.

Coming soon a new book from Pendleton Heights, "Then and Now".... showing early pictures of 82 sites in Pendleton and a picture of what is there now. Of course St. Johns' is included. I'll keep you posted.