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THE RENNER-BRENNER SITE
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INDEX FOR THIS PAGE.
1. Prominate sites in and around the Renner Site.
2. A map of all excavations at the Renner Site.
3. How I got started in archaeology and how that turned into a political career to save the site
4. A photo of me on the council a few hours before the council voted to save the Renner Site.
5. A sad day. Mett Shippee passes away.
6. Happy day! Park Dedication.
7. King Tut's Disease and the dig is over. Final excavation photos.
8. Publications and photos.
9. Other artifacts recovered from Renner.
1. Prominate Sites Near Renner.
Prominate sites in and near the Riverside and Renner Site Area.Because of MAS security and other privacy issues, not every site is shown.
That day I met with Mett was extremely special. We bonded and now 25 years older, I don't know why other than he expected something from me. I left his house with a hand sifter he made and a prodding rod. A prodding rod is used to 'feel' things in the ground. It's about the size of a pencil and 3 feet long with a handle. His had wooden handles and his rod was made from a WW2 tank antennae. He also gave me a packet of papers. At the time, I just thought it was a box of papers. Later I found out the papers contained his original applications to the National Register of Historic Places for the Renner Site. It included his hand drawn maps of the Renner Site, which he drew in at his first observations in 1921.
I never thought of myself as a treasure hunter. I thought of myself as a person trying to salvage what he could. I know in Mett's mind when he was looking into my hole, that he must have seen something in me. Or, I was his last hope in saving the Renner Site.
I began looking though his box of photos and papers and it was a few months before I realized he had given me the most ultimate papers. It was and still is, overwhelming.
I gathered all the reading material I could about the site and began an overwhelming pile of papers and maps. I needed to know who had officially dug where and what they found. By now, I had all the original maps and papers. A cousin of mine drew out on a computer what I knew by 1982.
2.A map excavations at Renner 
All my excavations are painted red. This map was based on Shippe's original sketch of the site and compiled from every evidence I have of every excavation and includeds Shippee's original notes. The current gazebo is towards the left where the map says Shippee 1937 and has an arrow. The shelter house is approximately where the map shows the elevation to the middle right. Towards the left side I noted where a treasure hunter had worked for a couple of day before I caught him. It is noted as 'vandals.' There was quite a bit of vegetation which blocked the view of that part at the time. You can also see where Wedel's original datum point is marked and is still there, towards the left center of the map.
3.How I got started and how that became a goal to save the site.
In 1982 the property was put up for sale. I came home one day to see a 'for sale' sign in the front yard. I was devastated. By now, I had continued my own excavations and had met a Dr. Walter Burks who had been given permission by the estate to excavate there. He worked though Maple Woods Community College and I eventually got that job thanks to Dr. Burks. I would eventually teach the class from then to 1993.
In the summer of 1982, we had placed a bid to buy the house and one acre and by the end of that year, we owned a home. We had to borrow money to buy the gas to drive to Independence for the closing. We wanted to celebrate with a bottle of champagne, but had to settle for Dr. Pepper. That same summer, our son Chris was born. To buy the house, the estate had the home inspection done and had to fix the roof. I called Mett after the closing. He had told me the richest part of the site was around the house. By now, Mett wasn't doing so good and asked to come by to watch over my Saturday class.
We were digging where my future garage would be. On the map, it's the lowest bottom left dig. I had been called by KCPT-TV who wanted to film a 30 minute spot for their show and Bill Graham was to be there from the KC Star paper. I also had Betty Sexton from KCTV-5 who would be there about noon. All their lead stories ran like, "prehistoric site saved", etc.
I didn't know until the day before about all this media and the fact Mett would be there. I forgot why, but my dad had bought an old mess tent from the Army which was about 30 x 20. He had made cedar poles he cut from his farm. We used this tent at Riverside Fall Festivals so the Riverside Chamber of Commerce had a place to sell hot dogs. The rest of the year, I had it.
So, the night before all this media and thunderstorms were due to arrive, I had this open excavation, which was the size of the tent, but four feet deep. In the rain at 11 PM, I went out and put the tent up myself. It's not hard to put up a tent, but this tent weighed about 600 lbs and I had to put it over my excavation. I did it and got about 3 hours of sleep and woke up to clear skies.
The day went great. I had about 20 students, TV and Movie cameras and had it all going on when a little car pulled up and I could see it was Mett in the passenger seat. He looked out the window as if it was the first time he'd seen the Grand Canyon. His daughter unfolded a wheel chair out of her trunk to my surprise. It haden't been that long ago that I saw him painting on a ladder.
Now, I was seeing him wheeled to the edge of our excavation, where he sat until the early afternoon hours over a couple of Saturday afternoons. Everybody in my class showed him all their findings and although they may not have completely understood they were like meeting with the god of KC archaeology. He had lost a lot of it by then, but he never lost his love of discovery. I assure you that Mett enjoyed every moment. When his daughter picked him up that afternoon, I would never see him again. We shook hands before he was driven away. All he had to say was, "I wish I was younger to help you. I know you can save this. It's so important."
I would never see Mett again. I ran for city council in 1982 and won. My only goal was to have the City save the site.
4.A photo of the Riverside City Council hours before they voted to save the Renner Site.
This photo was taken the night the Council voted to save the Renner Site. Left to right: Jim Karr , Ron Gordy, Lou Rodeburg, Winston Peeler (mayor protem), Jim Wedua and Gary Brenner. Mayor Mike Holmes was absent.
If you look really close, you'll see my note card on how I was going to make my proposal to the City. It's obvious by the other pile in front of me that we had a long night to go.
While sitting on the council, knowing the City had very little funds at the time, I waited till the right moment to bring up the ordinance where the City would buy the remaining acreage for a preserved City park. That happened around a midnight meeting where I was the last one to call on. This would be about June, 1984.
By a phone call, I was proudly able to tell Mett the site was saved. He was extremely happy and passed away about 4 months later. Before his death, I had read how Park College (now Park University) had given him a long overdue honary degree in archaeology. I wish I could have been there. It's somewhat ironic that in the early 80's, the best professors from KU and MU, were all originally taught by Mett in some way.
5.Mett Shippee passes away.
Excerpted from the obituary of J. Mett Shippee in the The Sun from 27 March 1985, page 6
J. Mett Shippee, who spent more than 70 years of life researching Indian cultures to become the leading archaeologist in this area for several decades, is dead at the age of 89 on March 26, 1985.
Mr. Shippee, a millwright, became an amateur archaeology in 1915, at the age of 19. He opened the Kansas City area to national attention on Indian studies.
Archaeologists from the Smithsonian Institute came to Kansas City in 1937 to look into the enormous wealth of Indian material that lay in every direction from the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri rivers. They not only found a treasure of artifacts but they found Mr. Shippee.
The Northlander guided them in their search and excelled in the field so well that he went on become one of them. For the next 40 years, he was to work the length of the Missouri River Valley from Illinois to the Northwest for the [Smithsonian] Institute and the University of Missouri.
A World War I Navy veteran, Mr. Shippee credited oneof his finest moments with a ceremony in 1983 in which Park College presented him an honorary doctorate degree in science. He had nevered received a college degree but had earned his way with his collegues in archaeology through his years in the field, his discoveries and contributions to archaeology.
Mr. Shippee arrived in Kasnas City in 1907 at teh age of 11. He was born March 6, 1896, in Greenleaf, Kansas. Kansas City depended on Mr. Shippee for much of the work that brought the Hopewell Museum (no longer maintained by the county) and Indian archaeological digging site to Line Creek Park. Mr. Shippee had discovered a significant number of artifacts at the site during the 1930s. Bulldozers ripped through the site to install sewer lines and some of the site was salvaged, some lost, and a portion eventually protected. His greatest credit lies at the Renner Site where a granite monument bears his name as the discoverer where Gary Brenner ultimately finished his vision.
Today the Renner Monument is the only public information the bears the name of the great archaeologist; and I did preserve and save the park- for him if nothing else.
As they say, the rest is history. I went on to teach until the park was dedicated in 1991.
This was my first excavation in 1982. The area was under where the garage would be located. Later it would prove to be one of the richest areas per square foot on the site.
Sifting in at the garage location in 1985.
Students having lunch at the center of what is now the Renner-Brenner Site Park in 1985.
The beginning of the excavation that would last from 1986 until 1991 while the early stages of the park was being constructed. Note the monument was the first thing in the park.
6.The Park Dedication HAPPY DAY.
The park dedication didin't just happen overnight. From the moment the City owned the remainder of the property in 1984, until it was dedicated in 1991. Several thousand man hours were spent building the park in a way that wouldn't destroy its archaeological importance.
I leterally designed and built most everything in the park as it appeared in 1991, from the lamp fixtures, the monument and trees; to the shelter, gazebo and ampitheater.
That's my dad giving me instructions on how to cut the ribbon, 1991. Photo by Gary Brenner.
7.King Tut calls on Gary.
It was July of 1991. Back then, it was common for me and my assistant Steve, to keep digging after class hours. In that pit, I contracted a form of "King Tut's Disease" from a rich pit. That ended my archaeological career. I inhaled a 2,000 year old enzyme that had laid dormant for 2,000 years. All it took for the enzyme to become active; was for me to inhale it where it had water and oxygen. It only took about 30 minutes for the enzyme to start shutting down all my main plumbing. I had blamed it on a Sonic chili dog, but within an hour I was peeing blood and had a temp of 106'. My wife, Mary (at the time), rushed me to the hospital where she was told if I was there 30 minutes later, it would have been too late. I do remember having strange dreams and visions and ended up writing a screenplay about it.
I don't remember breathing the dust and don't remember much at the hospital. I do know I was there for 14 days and it was a month later before they figured it out.
When I arrived at the hospital, the doctors sent me naked to the morgue; which was the only chilled place with metal tables. They packed me in ice under my arm pits, my neck and my groin. At some point I do remember waking up there and looked around seeing at least one dead person who had no ice. It was definately a "come to Jesus" moment as I laid back down and passed out for probably 2 more days.
Today, I'm one of like 5 people who have contracted a 2,000 year old enzyme and survived. It's still in my lung in a dormant state and is a little larger than a BB. I have it check often as these things tend to cause cancer. Other than that, It has left me with 20% failure in my right lung. I'm the only person in the world who came in contact with a living thing from the Hopewell Period and still have it in the safest place it can be - my right lung. Some of those enzymes were indentified as: Pseudomonas and Staphylococcus.
Just a note about King Tut's Disease. That term is a very generic term and has nothing to do with some crazy curse or King Tut. It is based on Howard Carter's team entering the tomb where most all died within a year or so. Medical evidence was not that advance then, certainly in Egypt, but it was believed they too inhaled dust containing an enzyme and was activated by the moisture when it hit their lungs. That enyzme was not there on purpose. I do know when I contracted it, I nearly died within hours and that's why the doctors called it King Tut's disease. The doctors didn't figure it out for 3 weeks after I was released from the hospital. I think about it everytime I take a breath or cough........ A former student sent me a medical description of King Tut's disease. Pseudomonads are important in the balance of nature and also in the economy
of human affairs. Pseudomonads are globally active in aerobic decomposition
and biodegradation, and hence, they play a key role in the carbon cycle.
Pseudomonas species are renowned for their abilities to degrade compounds
which are highly refractory to other organisms, including aliphatic and
aromatic hydrocarbons, fatty acids, insecticides and other environmental
pollutants. Apparently, the only organic compounds that these pseudomonads
can't attack are teflon, styrofoam and one-carbon organic compounds
(methane, methanol, formaldehyde, etc.). Pseudomonads are also a regular
component of microbial food spoilage in the field, in the market place, and
in the home.
Unfortunately the dig was over that summer and the park continues and I still carry that ancient enzyme in my lung. Evidently, my lungs are made of teflon. Over the years since, I've broken the same 5 ribs twice on my left side and had a collapsed lung on the same side.
That's me literally 30 minutes before the hospital. I am actually standing in the deep pit.
Here are some of the artifacts from that pit. These photos were taken by professor Michael Fuller.
A rare deer antler projectile point.
A weaving tool with a fine polish.
A large deer antler with all the tines broken off which was found at the bottom of the pit. The antler had become a digging handle with a stone adz attached to the end. The curved part of the antler was like extra leverage to dig.
I also recovered a 8" copper pin. This pin was rolled into shape from a sheet and then stone hammered into the final form.
8.My publications and photos. I quit teaching and excavating shortly after my King Tut's event and that was for two reasons. The first was my health. The second being the fact we had finished our excavation and there was no need or pupose to proceed. I already had recovered enough artifacts and information to keep someone like me busy for several lifetimes. What remains underground there, will remain there forever.
I went on to publish two articles through the Kansas City Archaeological Society. They are available as reference material at the Mid Continent Public Library at the Riverside Branch. They are called: THE KANSAS CITY ARCHAEOLOGIST, SPECIAL BULLETIN #1 AND #2. Someday, I'll have the full articles here. One of the finding in this report concludes someone, possibly the leader or whatever you want to call him, lived in a somewhat fortified area right where the old Renner-Brenner-Smith house is today. This would make scense since the builder of the house would have wanted to put it on the highest ground possible on otherwise flat land. I had found what appeared to be large post holes fortified with rocks every 8 feet or so in about a 160' diameter around the house. To me, these would have indicated a fence. But why? We don't know.
This is my drawing about 1986. It's under the garage I eventually built just south of the existing house. Most of the pit numbers refer to the date it was found and this excavation was early in my archaeological career. What is important is the beginning of the circle of rocks shown. The existing house sits just to the right. With a probe, I determined these rock features surround the current house and it is my belief they were a fence or other fortifaction for a prehistoric structure long before the builder built the existing house on the highest ground available. What was found during the excavation of the house is unknown, but clearly extremely important. I do know they didn't know or care much about artifacts and the 5' or so of excavating the basement, was fill around the foundation.
In 1995, my wife and I seperated and divorced. She got the house by the park and we remain friends to this day. I've since remarried and now live in Lee's Summit, although all my work is in the Riverside area and I maintain close ties to the Renner-Brenner Site Park.
In 1996 I wrote an unplublished article: THE POPULATION STUDIES OF THE RENNER SITE. This paper tries to resolve the answer as to how many people actually lived on the site and any particular time based on four parameters.
1. The size of the village.
2. The number of burial mounds and estimated internments.
3. The calculated number of pits, based on known pits.
4. The known radiocarbon dates.
My finding concluded this was not a "village". It was more of a fort or family farm operation for the local area where a surprising 4 or 5 people actually lived on the site. Most other people lived in their own nearby places, but came to the village on a day to day basis to work. Maybe as many as 100.
Here are the conclusions of my findings.
-300 BC 1 person
-150 BC 6 people
0 10 people
150 AD 13 people (the highest number)
300 AD 7
450 AD 9
600 AD 5
750 AD 5
900 AD 2
1050 AD 0
9.Other artifacts from Renner.
POTTERY
Renner Zoned with punch and bosses decoration. Thickness = 1.0 to 1.1 cm. Weight = 40 grams.
Renner crosshatched with stamping and rocker decoration
Renner crosshatached. Thickness = 0.7 to 0.8 cm. Weight = 98 grams.
Renner crosshatached rimsherd with stamping. Thickness = 0.6 to 0.7 cm. Weight = 14 grams.
Renner stamped bodysherd. Thickness = 0.5 to 0.7 cm.
Renner Zoned rimsherd. Thickness = 0.6 to 0.7 cm. Weight = 37 grams.
Renner rimsherd with crenulated lip.
Renner rimsherd with crenulated lip.
Renner rimsherd with crenulated lip.
Renner bodysherd with Rocker decoration.
Renner bodysherd with rocker decoration.
Renner bodysherd with rocker decoration. Found on 3/15/81. Thickness is 0.8 cm. Weight = 29 grams. Sand, grog and fine grit tempered.
Renner bodysherd with rocker decoration.
Renner bodysherd with rocker decoration.
Renner rimsherd with stamped decoration.
BONE ARTIFACTS
Fish hook carved from bone found at Renner. Length = 3.6 cm. Width = 1.7 cm. Diameter = 0.5 cm. Weight = 1 gram.
Bone awl or pendant (#B34). Found in 1982 at a depth of 51 cm. Length = 6.8 cm. Width = 1.4 cm. Thickness = 0.9 cm. Weight = 3 grams. in pit 6582.
Bone pen or weaving needle (B40). Length = 8.9 cm. width = 1.0 cm. Thickness = 0.7 cm. Weight = 4 grams.
Large mammal bone (deer) modified by the extration of several needles and pens. Length = 24.9 cm. Width = 3.3 cm. Thickness = 2.1 cm. Weight = 83 grams.
Hollow bone tube (B30) possibly from a bird. Length = 5.0 cm. Width = 0.7 cm. Thickness - 0.5 cm. Weight = 1 gram.
Deer Antler flaker (B20) from Renner. Length = 9.5 cm. Diamter = 2.0 cm. Weight = 31 grams.
Freshwater mussel shell from the Renner Site.
THE DOG BURIAL
"BEAR"
One of the most special finds was a prehistoric dog burial. This dog showed no evidence of having been eaten after death. The dog died of problems following an absessed tooth. He was a special dog which I named Bear. He was burried with some very special artifacts shown below. Similar artifacts were never found anywhere else on Renner. I based my screenplay THE LAST HOPEWELL on this burial.
This is a photo of Bear and I'll get a better photo up soon. It is my belief that this dog was an important part in the story on what happened to the Hopewell. Bear wasn't actually a dog as we know dogs. Bear was mostly coyote, but likely was just as faithful as any modern dog. He was burried with more prestige and artifacts than most of us would give our own pet.
In the Renner-Brenner Park, Bear's burial is marked with a post. After 20 something years of excavating, his burial was only 30 feet from the pit I found the other amazing artifacts and from where I contracted the enzyme. It it my belief these two areas were connected by the same family around 750 AD. At that time, they were probably the only ones in the village.
 After looking at Bear's bones, a veterian determined Bear had an absessed molar tooth. He said the animal may have died from the tooth, but was more likley that he became "strange" from the pain and was killed. He also said this skull is from an older dog and probably died of natural causes. There is no evidence of obvous wounds and I have the complete skeleton. Most of the dog burials from this period show evidence of having been skinned and/or eaten. Not Bear. His skeleton was complete and relatively given an a ancient Egyptian type burial with all the ornaments, a rock lined vault (rocks). There is no doubt this animal was significant and was very important to all..
This is a conglomeration of field sketches of Bear's burial in the spring of 1984. The location is marked in the park near the gazebo.
Here are the artifacts found with Bear.
This is a lithic tool kit found with Bear. In this case, a lithic tool kit is where at least two tools were from the same core as these were. The artifact on the right would commonly be known as a knife. The artifact on the left is a scraper which is shown from its non flaked side. During primary flaking the scraper was flaked from the knife portion. This is the only "lithic tool kit" recovered from Renner and was burried with Bear. If you look closely, you can see where the scraper had been flaked off the knife.
These are scans of the broken platform pipe found with Bear.
  The "bowl" was never recovered. This piece is about 1.75" long and about 1.1" wide. This was the mouth piece portion. The completed piece would have been an estimated 3.5" long.
THERE IS MUCH MORE TO ENTER AND I EXPECT IT'LL TAKE YEARS........SO CHECK BACK AND BE PATIENT
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