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"By allowing Les into our homes, we have visual proof that Independence residents value the themes of "home and family, spirituality, strong adherence to principles, and music and literature." These are the colors, threads, and textures in Independence's tapestry that keep our town as vibrant as the compositions in his photographs. Participants, treasure your memories of this unique experience..."
Donna M. Rothgeb, Astra (Festival) Visual Arts Chairperson

Private Spaces:
The Independence Project

Independence, Kansas, in the far southeast corner of the state, was settled on land that was purchased from the Osage Indians in September, 1869, for the price of $50. The Osage were, in turn, displaced to "Indian Territory" in what is now Oklahoma. In 2012, the city had an official population of 9,242, down from a high of about 20,000 in the 1930s and '40s.

That said, there is nothing in town to indicate that it is hurting in any respect. Storefronts are occupied, restaurants are full even on weekdays, and the arts scene is, in a word, unbelievable. With a host of volunteers, the community presents as many as three arts-related events a year, the latest being the Astra Arts Festival (for which this project was a part), and the largest being the Neewollah Festival in late October. Neewollah is Halloween spelled backwards.

The largest employers in the area are Wal-Mart, with both a retail Super Store and a regional distribution center nearby; Amazon, which also has a nearby distribution center; and Cessna, which recently produced its 43,000th single-engine Skyhawk, making it the world's best selling, most-flown airplane ever built. Fifteen miles north in Neodesha, KS, with no lake in sight, is the home of the well-known Cobalt boat factory.

Food is one of Independence's strong suits, and it's safe to say that you never leave an Indy restaurant hungry. The biggest unexpected surprise was Mike and Marcia Conway's Brother's Railroad Inn Restaurant, which serves reasonably priced large portions of gourmet-prepared meals with panache and cloth napkins and table covers - a class act for a city of any size. For lunch, try downtown's Ane Maes Coffee House, which serves up delicious sandwiches, subs, and other lunch fare, with a staff that is always friendly, helpful, and polite. And for breakfast, there's only one choice: Eggberts, a regional chain that bakes the most delicious biscuits I have ever eaten, period. They literally melt in your mouth.

Some famous folks have come out of Independence. They include Harry Sinclair, founder of Sinclair Oil, now Arco and relocated to Texas (Most folks in town will tell you that Arco's move to Texas signaled the decline of Independence's population); Vivian Vance, made famous as Ethel on the all-time classic TV series I Love Lucy; Alf Landon, who ran for president in 1936 against Franklin D. Roosevelt and suffered a landslide defeat; and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright William Inge, after whom Indy's annual Inge Festial is named. Independence is now home to the brilliant children's books author and illustrator Timothy C. Raglin, and to architect Andre Topacio, original designer of Disney World's famous Contemporary Hotel.

The city's very popular and active library system, along with Independence Community College (ICC), contributes significantly to the quality of life. At the time of this writing, ICC was rated #32 out of 1132 U.S. community colleges by TheBestSchools.org, which puts ICC in the top 3% in the nation. The 5-days-a-week Independence Daily Reporter does an incredible job of mixing just the right amount of local, regional, and national news on its front page, without yielding to the temptation of placing more lucrative advertisements or banners beneath the fold. It's a late afternoon paper, so morning events and photos can appear that same day. The Reporter is a wonderful and refreshing throwback to top-tier, classical print journalism.

For additional information about Private Spaces: The Independence Project, or to exhibit the project at your facility or venue, please contact Donna Rothgeb in Independence at (620) 331-0108, or email at rdrothgeb@cableone.net.

From the center of town, at the intersection of Main and Penn, looking east, west, north, and south.
All images above © Sharon Gorman and used with permission.

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