From Accidental History Blog - Peggy Nuckles
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| Always Inn, Centerview - Columbus, MO James C. Thomas in the Photo, identified by his great niece, Stephanie Leary. Sherol Bell....Always Inn was on the North side of 50 where road 475 and 50 meet. Always was where the white house is on the north side of road. There was also a gas station where 50 and M meet, east bound 50 destroyed it. Thank you Sherol. 
Jobman's Always Inn, 12 Miles West of Warrensburg, MO
Cabins Gas & Oil
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Always Inn - Centerview, MO
Back in the 1930s Buddy Baker and his best friend Homer Cline would ride their bicycles 11 miles west of Warrensburg down the old two-lane winding 50 Hiway. They were going to see Big Fat Auntie (Neomia Baker Kinder) and spend the night with her. They would swim in her pond, help her in the garden, and run in the woods.
Her house was right beside the Always Inn and she worked there part time as a waitress (a welcome job during the depression).
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| Located West of M at Country Road 475 and 50 Highway, about 11 miles West of Warrensburg. Always Inn, Johnson County, MO |
Since neither of the boys had any money they would rarely step inside the roadside restaurant, but Buddy remembers the occasions when they did.
One side was a restaurant with a booth or two and some stools at a counter. The other was a little country store witth quite a bit of stuff - kind of a general store. It had one gas pump out in front.
Unfortunately, he doesn't remember the name of the owner.
It says Wakeman's Always Inn on the sign.
Always Inn was also owned by James Corbett Thomas and Artonia "Toni" Thomas for 18 years!
1952 Advertisement in KC Star, reads
Always Inn - U. S. 50 frontage; pond on 22: will build; 75 acres, house, barn, poultry house. 3 ponds, wells, cistern, water 100 years, electricity, phone, cabins, gas, business site, $11,000; good corn crop. O. Perdue, route No. 1. Centerview. Mo.
According to this extra piece of information dated Sept. 1948, submitted by Bruce Uhler, Always Inn changed hands several times. So we don't know if we have a picture of Mr. Wakeman, Mr. Terry or the fellow who bought the business from the Terrys.
A little additional information from Neomia May Baker Taraba (named after Anna Neomia Baker Kinder): Always Inn had a few cabins to rent out to travelers. They also were a bus stop. We'd ride the bus out of Warrensburg and stop at Always Inn to go see Aunt Neomia. She lived beside there and she cooked for Toni.
Me: Who's Toni.
May May: She's the woman who ran Always Inn. I don't know her last name.
Me: Did you ever call Aunt Neomia 'Big Fat Auntie?'
May May: NO! The boys did. Did you Buddy?
Buddy: No. Never!
Anna N. Kinder lived with her husband Vard M. Kinder in Columbus Twp. Their son T. Woodroe Kinder is listed as living with them on the 1940 census, and his occupation is "Filling Station Attend. at a "Gasoline Station". There were several Wakeman families living in Columbus and Jackson Twps., as well. Perhaps there is a connection?
Thanks, Franglaiseduh. I suspect that the gas station he worked at was the Always Inn. Woodroe Kinder became a truck driver. His son Bobby Roe Kinder was the Chief of Police in Odessa for many years.
Sept. 28, 1948 Sedalia Democrat
Sept. 28, 1948 Sedalia Democrat
Erna Helena Albers Terry, Mrs. William L. Terry, Always Inn, Johnson County, MO
1900-1948
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