Lake Tarsney: A Recreational Haven Hindered by History

 

Lake Tarsney, founded in 1927 by the Sotham Brothers Real Estate Company, was envisioned as a rural recreational haven for affluent individuals from Kansas City, Missouri, and the surrounding areas. Named in honor of the late John Charles Tarsney, a former United States Congressman and close friend of the Sotham family, the lake had high hopes of becoming a sought-after retreat. However, the development faced numerous challenges that prevented it from reaching its full potential.

Unlike its neighboring lakes, Lake Tarsney boasted a unique near-rectangular shape, occupying the lowest point on the western edge of the development. The dam and spillway acted as the lake's northern boundary, providing the sole entrance to the homes on the eastern side. The waterfront on the eastern boundary was limited due to Beach Drive running closely along the lake, leaving only two homes with direct waterfront access. A cove and inlet adorned the southern end, though no homes were built there, and access was limited to a derelict gravel road. The western edge, near Tarsney Road, offered ample waterfront development with ten lakefront homes enjoying spacious yards. However, most homes were located on the eastern hillside, obscured by dense trees, which blocked their views of the beautiful lake. The lack of essential amenities, like a well-maintained boat ramp, further dampened the lake's appeal, leaving many lots on the eastern side vacant to this day.

The dam and spillway posed additional challenges, some of which continue to affect Lake Tarsney's residents today. Originally, the lake had a limited-service spillway in the form of a box culvert on the western side of the dam. However, it proved inadequate during heavy rains and flooding, leading to engineering modifications. In 1965, a new spillway was constructed on the eastern edge of the dam to address the issue. Despite these efforts, structural problems persisted, with an excessive downstream slope on the northern side of the bridge and erosion on the outlet channel of the new spillway.

The Sotham Brothers Real Estate Company's reluctance to maintain the lake and finance improvements ultimately led to the city council purchasing Lake Tarsney for a meager sum in 1976. Emergency measures were later taken to lower the water level when an Army Corps of Engineers inspection in April 1978 revealed the dam's risk of imminent failure due to high-water levels. Though a subsequent project in 2021 brought some improvement, such as a new triple-cell concrete-reinforced box culvert spillway, unresolved issues persist, affecting property values and discouraging further development around the lake.

To revitalize the area and attract renewed interest, it is crucial to address the remaining dam issues and implement additional improvements. Proper planning, community engagement, and ongoing maintenance are essential to fulfill the original vision of Lake Tarsney as a desirable recreational retreat for residents of Kansas City and its surrounding areas.

Discovering George William Nitz

During my visit to the Cologne Cathedral in 2007, I was captivated by the multitude of graffiti adorning its interior walls. Many of the tags bore American-sounding names, followed by the year "1945." It didn't take long to deduce that these markings were likely left by American soldiers during World War II. The sheer number of names intrigued me, and I found myself wanting to learn more about these men, their wartime experiences, and their lives beyond the war.

This curiosity was perhaps what drove me to investigate further when I encountered a name and a year etched into the concrete beneath a window at the Hansen-Mueller grain elevator in Kansas City, Missouri. Delving into the Kansas City Star archive and Ancestry.com, I uncovered that "Geo. Nitz" stood for George William Nitz, born on February 12, 1897, in Carbondale, Kansas, to Frank and Mamie Nitz.

George served in the United States Army during the First World War and later relocated to Bristol, Colorado, after his discharge to assist his aunt and uncle on their farm. It was there that he crossed paths with his future wife, Minnie Mae Denton, who resided in La Junta, Colorado. They exchanged vows on March 21, 1920, and together, they raised three boys.

By 1930, George, Minnie, and their family were living in Independence, and it was during this year that George began his career as a millwright for the Norris Grain Company, the original owner of the Hansen-Mueller grain elevator. He dedicated an impressive 36 years to this position, retiring around the age of 69 in 1966.

After a fulfilling life, George William Nitz passed away on February 7, 1985, and found his final resting place next to his beloved wife in Mount Washington Cemetery. The journey of George's life is a testament to the resilience, dedication, and contributions of those who lived through historic times and shaped their communities through hard work and love for their families.

Choosing an Estate Sale Company in Missouri

Estate sale companies are not regulated by the State of Missouri and as a result, it is very important to be careful when choosing one. Here are some things to look for: 

 A valid business license to operate in the city where you live. 

 Legitimate liability insurance, which among other things, shows that you are protected if your property is damaged or destroyed during the sale. Be sure to read the fine print because not all insurance policies are created equal. 

 A surety bond, which is an agreement by a surety company to pay an estate sale company’s client a certain amount if that estate sale company fails to fulfill the terms of their contract. 

 A current DBA registration with the state of Missouri, which gives a company the ability to do business under a fictitious name. 

 Make sure the company utilizes a written contract that lays out the terms of the agreement and how the sale will be run. For example, how many employees will work your sale, how will sales be registered and reported, what type of payment methods they accept, and what type and amount of marketing the company uses. 

 Read the company’s online reviews on sites like Google, Facebook, and Yelp. Also, pay attention to the number of reviews. A company with 96 reviews with an average of 4.5 stars might be better than one with just 8 reviews with an average of 4.5 stars. 

Additionally, you want to consider possible conflicts of interest. Many estate sale companies in Kansas City own or manage antique stores, flea markets, online marketplaces, or rent booths inside an antique store. These same companies offer to buy the remaining estate after the sale ends. While this type of arrangement can initially appear innocuous, it is a clear conflict of interest as it disincentives a company from selling your estate during the sale for the highest possible amount. Instead, if a less than scrupulous company can over-price your estate, after the sale ends they can buy it at an extreme discount and sell it in their store thus keeping the profits. Trustworthy companies will focus on the liquidation of your assets during the sale. 

Another common conflict of interest has to do with pricing. For an estate sale to take place all of the items in your estate must be priced. Some common items like DVDs, books, clothing, and linens will be priced using a standard pricing chart, but the rest of your estate will be priced by the estate sale company. Many estate sale companies allow the very same employees who set the prices to buy items from the sale. This is also a very clear conflict of interest. If an employee has a desire to buy an item from an estate you can’t trust that employee to price it appropriately. As such, reputable estate sale companies will not allow their staff to buy items from a sale where they work. 

Last but not least, before you decide on a company to host your sale, make sure that you have talked to at least three companies and that you have been to at least one of each of the three company’s sales. Doing so will give you an idea of not only what their sales and marketing look like, but also how they treat their client's home and estate.

The only Kansas City-based estate sale company that I recommend is My Personal Estate Sale.