The ruins of the Mount Washington Christian Church, destroyed by cyclone May 14, 1909, are pictured on a post card mailed in 1910 to Mrs. William Sayles, 500 Newton, Sheffield, Kansas City, Mo. The white frame conventional type country church was built on a hill at Independence and Overton in 1906. Leonard Hunting, a member, then a lad of 6, remembers the day of the cyclone. He stood with his mother and brother ready to descend into their cellar as the storm approached. It demolished the house across the street, as well as the church, six blocks distant. A variety of church meeting places were used after the disaster and finally a new church was erected in 1918 at 8th and Ash. It was at this time that the name was changed from Mount Washington Christian to Fairmount Christian. The chairman of the church board and teacher of the Y.M.P. (Young Married People) class was Bond Kelley, whose son, Clarence Kelley (later head of the FBI) and his wife were class members. Clarence Kelley later taught the class and held various offices on the church board. The hand-written message on the back of the post card reads: Dear Friends: We take great pleasure in announcing to you our dedicatory services Sunday, May 14, 3 p.m. This is the anniversary of the cyclone (1 year) which destroyed our former church. Your presence would be most encouraging to our little band who are endeavoring to re-establish the cause at this place, Mt. Washington Christian Church, Independence and Overton. This year the church celebrates its 75th anniversary. Kansas City Times, February 24, 1978.
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