Springfield Union Stockyard 1951
From Pasture to Packer -- Bigger Yards.
Bias, September 26, 1951, front and back cover.
"Traffic congestion around Springfield's big Union Stockyards is terrific, as Chief of Police Walker pointed out to City Council last week and our cover picture and the photo above prove his point. Livestock trading is one of Springfield's major businesses -- a much bigger business than many citizens realize -- and million dollar days are not uncommon. Business at Union has become even bigger since the MFA Stockyards moved in.
"Floyd Stafford, general manager of the yards, disclosed last week that $40,000 is being spent for further enlargement and expansion of facilities. An addition to the hog house, enlarging it by 10,000 square feet, will be completed within the next two weeks and another hog scale is being installed. An added sales pen will increase the cattle facilities by 10%. Week ago Monday, 3,700 cattle and 1,400 calves were handled, just about capacity.
"Talk that the yards will be extended to adjoining available property is being heard but nothing official has been announced.
"Our cover picture shows a typical morning scene in the 1400 West Locust street block, with the stockyards exchange building in the right background and the unloading headquarters beyond. Above, a scene in the unloading yards, where activity, particularly in the earlier part of the week, goes on day and night.
"Council now has prohibited parking on Division [Street] between Johnston and Kansas and on Newton between Division and Hovey in an effort to ease traffic problems. There are problems all right but no one wants to see them completely solved since the perfect solution would be no traffic."
The stockyard was sold and the name changed to Southwest Regional Stockyards, which was closed in 2007. Later most of the buildings were demolished.
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