The extension of the Kansas Expressway is a project currently underway after 30 years of discussion.
If you've never heard of Patterson Cemetery, it's near the intersection of South Farm Road 141 and West Farm Road 190, not far from the Missouri Institute of Natural Science, 2327 W. Farm Road 190.
The cemetery was created in 1822 and Arnold Malcolm “Mickey” Owen is one of over 300 people buried there. Owen is a former Big League baseball player as well as a former Greene County sheriff. I'll tell you more about the cemetery later.
Since I don't want to bury the lede: The answer is no, the 200-year-old cemetery will not be directly impacted by the extension.
Extension expected to relieve congestion
Construction of the extension began in 2022. When finished, it will provide a north-south roadway expected to relieve congestion along Campbell Avenue and Cox Road, also known as South Farm Road 141.
Today, the Kansas Expressway dead ends at Republic Road, near the Gene Taylor Veterans' Outpatient Clinic.
The extension will consist of a new two-lane road with turning lanes at major intersections and a pedestrian and bicycle path from Republic Road south through Weaver Road, through Plainview Road (Farm Road 182) and through Farm Road 186.
It will join West Farm Road 190 and then connect with nearby Farm Road 141.
The reason I was confused
Phase I from Republic to Plainview Road is expected to be finished by Nov. 1, 2023.
Phase II from Plainview to West Farm Road 190 is expected to start in the winter of 2023 and finish in the spring of 2025.
I was initially confused by the wording of where the project will finish. It says West Farm Road 190.
That wording made me think the extension would, in fact, pass right in front of the cemetery.
But the maps associated with the project seem clear the extension will pass near the cemetery but will not pass in front of the cemetery.
Here's why: West Farm Road 190 is not a four-way intersection with Farm Road 141.
West Farm Road 190 hits Farm Road 141 at two different points. One is to the north and one is a very short distance to the south.
The cemetery is on the part of West Farm Road 190 to the south.
The Kansas Expressway extension connects with the part of West Farm Road 190 to the north — so it swings west just north of the cemetery.
2 members of cemetery board not 100 percent sure
On Wednesday, I spoke to two members of the board of the Patterson Cemetery Association: Randy Bass, president, and Sandra Byrd, secretary and treasurer. They are siblings.
They both said they did not believe the extension would have a direct impact on the cemetery, but even at this late date were not 100 percent sure.
They can rest easy.
For this column, I contacted Robert Jehle, spokesman for the Greene County Commission, to see if I could make it absolutely clear the extension will not directly impact the 201-year-old cemetery.
Jehle told me via email: “The Kansas Expressway Extension will *not* impact the Patterson cemetery.”
Cemetery was created in 1822
Let me tell you a bit about the 3-acre rural cemetery.
It was created by Thomas Patterson, one of the first white settlers along the James River. He set aside land for the cemetery in 1822.
According to the cemetery's website, the first person buried here was Sally Patterson, daughter of Thomas and Jane Patterson. This was in 1848.
Thomas was buried at the cemetery in 1851 and Jane in 1853.
Several Civil War veterans are buried here.
“Mickey” Owen is buried here, too. He was a catcher for four Major League Baseball teams between 1937 and 1954: St. Louis Cardinals, Brooklyn Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox.
Owen, born in Nixa, was later elected four times as Greene County sheriff.
His first victory was in 1964 and he served in office until 1981. He died in 2005 at age 89.
This is Pokin Around column No. 88.
