Provence Village: A Short-Lived Johnson County City

Pop quiz: How many cities in Johnson County begin with the letter “P”? The answer may surprise you. Of course, we all know Prairie Village, but what about Provence Village? The city, which was an independent third-class city, existed southwest of Olathe for less than a decade. What was this little-known town and why did it cease to exist? Read on to find out!

George and Aletha Provence filed this plat map for the Provence Village neighborhood with the county in 1948. North is to the right. Courtesy myAIMS.

Postwar Population Boom

In the postwar era, northeastern Johnson County was rapidly suburbanizing. As master-planned subdivisions grew into communities, many became large enough to incorporate as state-recognized cities. Third-class cities, the smallest in Kansas, had less than 2,000 residents. Between 1948 and 1951, a whopping 11 suburban developments were incorporated as new third-class cities in Johnson County. These included: Leawood (in 1948); Fairway, Mission Hills, Mission Woods, Westwood, and Westwood Hills (in 1949); Merriam (in 1950); and Countryside, Mission, Roeland Park, and Prairie Village (in 1951). The number of incorporated cities in the county more than doubled.

While it was expanding like many of Johnson County’s existing towns, Olathe was not experiencing the boom of the county’s northeast. The 1950 census recorded 5,600 residents in Olathe, a second-class city. Still, WWI Navy veteran George Provence and his wife Aletha thought the area was well-suited for a new suburban development. In 1947, George and Aletha Provence purchased a tract of land southwest of the City of Olathe. It was bounded by the Santa Fe Railroad tracks to the south, Dennis Avenue to the north, and U.S. 50 bisected the land running from the southwest to the northeast.

The Provences filed this declaration of restrictions with the county in 1948 as well, creating a set of rules for the properties in their neighborhood. Included as number five is a racially restrictive covenant, limiting potential buyers of property to “the white race.” Johnson County Museum, abstract collection.

Laying the Groundwork

The Provences platted their neighborhood in 1948. The plat map filed with the county shows a community of fewer than 200 lots with a lake prominently located on the south end, and the “proposed new U.S. 50 Highway” arcing through the center of the development. The Provences also filed a declaration of restrictions, creating a list of rules for how the property could be used. Many suburban developers in the county and across the nation used this type of document. The Provences limited their development to residential purposes and, as was typical, defined what building materials could and could not be used, as well as how the land could be used. For the Provences, that meant no livestock or commercial buildings. Like 96% of other developments in Johnson County in 1950 (148 of 154 suburban neighborhoods), the Provences also limited who could live in Provence Village. The declaration of restrictions for Provence Village contained a racially restrictive covenant that read, “no lot in the said subdivision shall be sold, leased, or occupied by any person or family other than persons of the white race.” Like other suburban developers, Aletha and George Provence made all items outlined in their declaration of restrictions enforceable for 25 years.

Over the next four years, the Provences executed agreements for a sewer system, water service from Olathe, and streetlights from Kansas City Power and Light Company. Property records show that some of the development’s lots began selling right away. The earliest homes still standing in the neighborhood were built in 1948 and 1950, with many others constructed later in the 1950s and the 1960s.

Interestingly, portions of Provence Village were constructed as duplexes. Some were two stories, while others were single story ranch-style duplexes. Duplexes were fairly rare by suburban development standards at this time. The American Dream was defined as owning a single family home and, while some developers used apartments as buffers between commercial districts and individual houses, there may have been a practical, local reason for the Provences to include duplexes in their postwar suburban development. According to a Kansas City Star article from December 1950, the 1,000 workers at the nearby Olathe Naval Air Station (ONAS) would have options to rent homes (duplexes) within the development. Other portions of Provence Village were constructed as single-family homes.

In 1955, the neighborhood of Provence Village was incorporated as the City of Provence Village, a small third-class city of only a few hundred people. This page is from the articles of incorporation, approved by the board of county commissioners. Johnson County Museum, abstract collection.

A Village Becomes a City

In 1955, the Board of County Commissioners approved the incorporation of Provence Village as a city. With just 295 residents, Provence Village was incorporated as a third-class city. Provence Village joined a growing list of third-class cities across Johnson County: De Soto, Edgerton, Fairway, Gardner, Leawood, Lenexa, Merriam, Mission Hills, Mission Woods, Spring Hill, Shawnee, Westwood, and Westwood Hills.

Provence Village was small compared with other third-class cities. According to the 1950 census, Fairway and Leawood had nearly 2,000 residents, Mission Hills counted 1,281 residents, and Westwood recorded 1,707. Despite its small population, Provence Village had officials – a mayor and council – elected to run the community’s affairs. The Stuck School, located nearby, served the 70 or so students in the vicinity. We do not know why the community decided to incorporate – it is not required – but given it meant extra work by elected officials, it must have been important to those who called Provence Village home.

In 1960, Provence Village and its much larger neighbor, Olathe, merged. The residents of Provence Village voted in favor of annexation, as did Olathe’s city council. The neighborhood became part of Olathe’s Sixth Ward in February 1960. Johnson County Museum, abstract collection.

A Short Run Comes to an End

In 1960, the residents of Provence Village voted in favor of annexation by Olathe by a vote of 30 to 21 – a low turnout for even such a small town. Mayor Billy P. Allenbrand led the small community through the change in jurisdiction. With no protest from residents of either city, the Olathe City Council approved the merger, and Provence Village was reduced to a neighborhood name once again. It entered Olathe’s Sixth Ward in February 1960.

Despite its short run as a third-class city, the name Provence Village lives on in a subdivision name featured on maps today. The area has been largely redeveloped with businesses, a National Guard Armory, and several Johnson County facility buildings in the western half. Two suburban streets of mainly duplexes remain on the eastern side and north of U.S. 50. While not much is known about its originators, George and Aletha Provence, George’s 1972 obituary referred to him as a long-time contractor and noted that he and Aletha raised four sons. He may have helped build some of the homes in Provence Village. Aletha died in 2005 in Lenexa. The family name lives on through the community they envisioned and developed.

This composite of three aerial images shows the development of the Provence Village area. On the left, an aerial from 1941, showing farmland, a rural route in the upper portion, and a small section of the Santa Fe Railroad track at bottom right. In the center, an aerial from 1954, showing the Provence Village neighborhood development, including its lake, tract homes, an expansion of the rural route (now as U.S. 50), and railroad track at bottom right. On the right, a 2023 aerial showing industrial and commercial development around the residential community. All courtesy myAIMS.

Provence Village was not the only city in Johnson County to exist and disappear from the map and records. A handful of early towns faded from the maps in the 1850s, ‘60s, and ‘70s. More recently, the City of Countryside – which had been incorporated as a third-class city in 1951 – was annexed by Mission in 2003. We may think of cities as permanent fixtures on a map, but they are really ideas that are created, unmade, and remade by their residents.

You can learn more about Johnson County’s cities and towns by visiting: www.jocohistory.org. Do you have stories or photographs to share about Provence Village? Reach out at jcmuseum@jocogov.org.  

The Story of Prairie Village

This account was prepared by the Public Relations Department of the J.C. Nichols Company in the late 1960s. It has been edited for length and clarity. To learn more about J.C. Nichols impact on the Kansas City metro area, see Johnson County Library’s Dividing Lines tour and Johnson County Museum’s Digital Redlined exhibit, opening May 2024.

---

The community of Prairie Village is the result of residential and shopping center developments by J.C. Nichols Company, pioneer Realtor and Developer. The Nichols Company has been nationally recognized for its Country Club District residential developments which began in Missouri in 1908 and which expanded across the state line into Johnson County, Kansas, as early as 1912. This marked the start of Mission Hills and the beginning of a vast residential expansion in Johnson County.

Prairie Village city marker. Photo courtesy Johnson County Library staff

The major area of Prairie Village is in eight residential subdivisions and two business districts developed by J.C. Nichols Company over a 20 year span. The name “Prairie Village” was selected by the Nichols Company for the first grouping of homes and over the years, this name has become the identification for the whole. The eight residential areas are listed below along with the year development began:

Prairie Village, 1941
Prairie Hills, 1950
Indian Fields, 1951
Prairie Ridge, 1952
Prairie Fields, 1953
Prairie Fields-South, 1955
Corinth Hills, 1955
Kenilworth, 1961

The major business center developments are the Prairie Village Shopping Center, started in 1947, and Corinth Square Shopping Center, which began in 1955. Later, in 1963, the Kenilworth Shops, northwest corner 95th and Mission Road, were built. These residential and business center developments within the city limits of Prairie Village have been augmented by four large apartment projects totaling 426 apartments and townhouses.

Aerial view of Prairie Village Shopping Center. Johnson County Museum Collection on JoCoHistory

Prairie Village began in 1941. The Nichols Company had acquired considerable acreage along both sides of Mission Road and Tomahawk Road. The property was to provide expansion for the Country Club District areas of Indian Hills and Sagamore Hills, which were extending west from State Line and along Tomahawk Road.

The Indian Hills Country Club was already in operation. Years earlier, the property (a former flying field), had been purchased by the Nichols Company and an 18-hole golf course and the original club house constructed by the firm. It was intended for the Community Golf Club, an organization formed by the Nichols Company as a recreational facility for Country Club District residents. When the club moved from an earlier location to this property, the name was changed to Indian Hills Golf and Country Club. For many years, the Nichols Company continued the ownership and upkeep of the club. It was leased to the membership until such time as the members were able to take it over themselves in the late 1930s.

Mission Road was a narrow black-top roadway and the main north-south artery. 67th Street extended west as a dirt and gravel road. The Prairie School was at the northwest corner of 67th Street and Mission Road. The Prairie School District #44 had been in existence for many years and this inspired the Nichols Company to name the new subdivision “Prairie Village.”

A class in front of first Prairie School in Prairie Village, Kansas. Johnson County Museum Collection on JoCoHistory

The Prairie School District #44 was created in 1865 with the first school house at 63rd Street and Mission Road. This one room building, because of structural deficiencies, leaned towards the north and was nicknamed, “The little crooked schoolhouse.” In 1874, one acre of ground was obtained at the northwest corner of 67th and Mission Road and a new one room building was built at that location.

All of the property west of Mission Road was farmland. It was spotted here and there with the usual farm improvements and a hog lot covered a large area west of today’s intersection of 71st Street and Tomahawk Road.

The first home development in Prairie Village was on an 80-acre tract purchased from Annie and Maggie Lewis and their brother, William T. Lewis. Their father was the grandson of Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1803-6. The ground extended from Mission Road west to Roe Boulevard and between 67th and just south of 69th Streets. The Lewis family obtained the property by patent from the State of Kansas in February 1881.

The first platting of Prairie Village extended between 67th and 69th Streets from Mission Road to Delmar and the first 10 homes were constructed on 69th Street just west of Mission Road. The first Prairie Village home owner was Charles B. Briggs, who purchased the home located at 3913 West 69th Street in September 1941.

89 homes were completed in the area between Mission Road and Delmar and from 69th Street north to 67th Street. All construction work was stopped in 1942 because of World War II and the development of Prairie Village was dormant for four years.

The next 80 acres immediately adjacent south of the Lewis property had previously been purchased from four members of the Porter family; 16 acres from Elizabeth, 28 acres from Edgar, 26 acres from Harold, and 10 acres from Thomas Porter.

The Porter family in front of their house. Family members are, left to right: Carrie Porter, sister; Elizabeth Jane Porter, daughter; and Thomas Porter. Johnson County Museum Collection on JoCoHistory

The 16 acres purchased from Elizabeth Porter is the area occupied today by the Prairie Village Shopping Center. This was the site of the Porter family home which was then occupied by Elizabeth and her brother, Edgar. This was her birthplace and a condition of the sale was that she retain occupancy of the home as long as she desired.

In 1946 after World War II, work was resumed in Prairie Village. Tomahawk Road was extended southwest from Mission Road. A service station was built at the southwest corner of Mission Road and Tomahawk Road but further development of the business center remained dormant because of the Porter home.

One year later, in 1947, Elizabeth and her brother, Edgar, elected to move to a new, modern home which the Nichols Company built and presented to them on the northern edge of the family property. this was on Prairie Lane, a few blocks west of Mission Road.

Construction on the shopping center began and the first building was completed and occupied in May 1948, by John Watkins and Sons Drugs. Today, this is the Prairie Village Drugs and this building is on the former site of the Porter family home.

Elizabeth Porter was residing in her Prairie Lane home at the time of her death in 1951. She lived to see the family’s vast farmlands criss-crossed with paved streets and sidewalks and change to a thriving and active residential and business community.

During the next decade after development was resumed, the community making up today’s City of Prairie Village expanded in almost every direction and mushroomed so rapidly that for several years it was the fastest growing area in Johnson County. There were few professional homebuilders following World War II and the Nichols Company maintained a large construction staff to meet the big demand for Prairie Village homes. For nearly five years in the early 1950s, the Company’s home construction department was delivering an average of one completed home per day. In later years, as more professional homebuilders became active, this department was discontinued. The Nichols Company no longer builds home for the market older than an occasional custom-designed residence.

Aerial view of Prairie Village. Johnson County Museum Collection on JoCoHistory

In 1949, when more than 1,000 homes were finished and occupied in Prairie Village and the main business district had become established, the National Association of Home Builders honored the Nichols Company by designating Prairie Village as “the best-planned community in America.”

Conserving a Time Capsule Treasure – An 1891 Photograph

Guest written by Anne Jones, curator of collections

The Johnson County Museum’s special exhibit, Inside the Box: A 1951 Time Capsule, contains well over 100 items representing aspects of the county in 1951 – newspapers, letters, government documents, maps, directories, and photographs. One photograph from the time capsule is actually much older, dating to 1891, and shows another time capsule moment from the county’s history. It is just one of the more than 1.5 million items in the museum’s permanent collections. Adding the 1891 photograph to the collections provided an opportunity to have the artifact professionally conserved, ensuring that it will exist far into the future. Read on to learn more!

The 1891 albumen photograph in its original condition – faded, with foxing and discoloration, and materials adhered to the backside.

A Glimpse of 1891

The albumen photograph (a type of photograph developed using egg whites and silver nitrate) was taken on July 4, 1891, and captured county residents gathering in Olathe’s downtown square to witness the dedication of the then-newly constructed courthouse that Kansas architect, George P. Washburn designed. On that date, county residents observed the laying of the courthouse cornerstone and a time capsule for future generations to find. Pictured at the center of the photograph is a group of young women dressed in white, surrounded by local organizations such as the Masons, the Grand Army of the Republic (a group of Civil War veterans), and a community band. Individuals holding umbrellas to protect themselves from the July heat and a bandstand are visible in the background, along with horses and buggies. This picture of the crowd in 1891 was included in the 1951 time capsule, a nod to the container’s predecessor.

When this photograph was unwrapped in 2022, staff found a piece of George W. Norris Drug Store letterhead, dated May 5, 1951, attached to the back of it. According to the typed note, George Black, editor of the Patron Grange newspaper, gave the photograph to Norris in 1925. The note includes the names of drugstore employees and their addresses, the address of the Norris family, and a small black and white photograph of the Norris home. Black also noted that the blue encircled “x” located in the upper right corner of the albumen photograph identified the location for Johnson County’s original stone courthouse among the buildings located near the square shown in the photograph’s background (including the First National Bank, Norvels Dry Goods, Cristy Drug Store, Star Restaurant, and the C.H. Hyer Boot Shop). The note does not mention the name of the photographer who took the image in 1891.

The reverse of the 1891 photograph in its original condition – the small black and white photo and typed note were adhered to the cardstock backing, on which the photograph itself was adhered.

Preservation and the 1951 Time Capsule

When the time capsule was assembled in 1951, the process involved taking precautions to protect its contents, especially photographs, from possible exposure to moisture. More than 50 8 x 10 black and white photographs were wrapped in tin foil envelopes and the outer seams sealed with wax (handy containers such as saran wrap or sealable plastic bags were not invented yet in 1951). The 1891 photograph was separated from the other images, and carefully wrapped in layers of wax coated paper and tin foil, then sealed with beeswax.

The photo was originally mounted to a large piece of thick cardstock. It showed evidence of natural aging, discoloration, and foxing – the appearance of small brown spots or blotches brought on by mold and other environmental contaminants. The letterhead attached to the reverse was likely trimmed to fit. The adhesive tape had penetrated the letterhead, leaving dark stains on the cardstock and along the edges of the letterhead. In short, the condition of the photograph and the materials used to bind it to the additional note, photograph, and cardstock, threatened its future. The tape and adhesives could eat away at the image, and the discoloration on the photograph could eventually obscure its subjects completely. The Museum’s collections staff determined that something needed to be done to save the historic image.

The waxed paper envelope in which the 1891 photograph was stored inside the 1951 time capsule. Faintly visible around the outer edges is the bees wax used to seal the envelope to keep out moisture.

Conservation for the 1891 Photograph

The Museum contracted with local photograph conservator, Tom Edmondson, who determined the photograph was structurally sound, and that a course of treatment would brighten and enhance the 1891 photo, restoring the image. After consultation with Museum staff, it was determined that the cardstock backboard was not important to retain, and that the piece of letterhead and small black and white house print would be removed, treated, and stored separately from the photograph. Initial treatment activities included photographing both sides of the image and writing a condition report.

Edmondson utilized a variety of conservation methods while working on the 1891 photograph. Dry white vinyl erasers were used to remove soil from both the 1891 image and the small black and white house photo. The small print was then humidified and placed in a stack of blotters to dry and flatten the image. The cardstock backing was removed from the 1891 photograph by sheering it away with a small spatula. Washing the image in water loosened and removed any residual cardstock and adhesive. Additional water baths and light-bleaching enhanced the image quality by removing stains and discoloration. Following a humidification and pressing process, the photograph was lined with a medium weight Japanese paper and mounted to archival cardstock for support. Edmondson submitted a final treatment report and photograph documentation that will be retained as part of the photograph’s permanent record.

The 1891 photograph after conservation. The image is crisper, truer in color, and preserved with a new, acid-free backing to stabilize the image. Museum staff decided to keep the pen “x” on the image due to its relationship with the explanatory note that was originally adhered to the photo’s backside.

The note that had been taped to the back of the 1891 photograph following conservation. The tape marks are permanently visible, but the adhesive was removed to stabilize the document and prevent further damage. The small black and white photo that was originally attached with it was also conserved, separated, and is now stored separately.

Collecting and Preserving History – the Johnson County Museum

When the Museum’s Collections Committee accepted the time capsule and its contents from Johnson County Facilities in 2022, those items were accepted into the Museum’s permanent collections and its permanent care. Over the course of several months, Museum staff photographed and catalogued all of the items. Like each item the Museum accepts into the permanent collections, the time capsule and its contents will be carefully stored and preserved. Photographs of the artifacts will help limit future handling while also maximizing accessibility for exhibits, presentations, research, and public perusal.

The story of this photograph reflects the Museum’s approach to caring for items in the collections. When the Collections Committee considers a donation to the collections, condition is always evaluated. Some items warrant conservation to stabilize items of unique historical value. Others are accepted as-is. Conservation needs are determined through regular inventorying of the collections and exhibition planning. Photo #6

The 1891 photograph from the 1951 time capsule is on display in the Museum’s Inside the Box exhibition, now on view. The photo is accompanied by three-dimensional objects from the 1891 time capsule, also in the Museum’s permanent collections, as well as a graphic of the 1891 photograph in its original condition and coloring.

Because of its significance in documenting a special moment in time – that 1891 time capsule and cornerstone laying at the Johnson County Courthouse – Museum staff made the decision to devote resources to conserve the image. The results saved the past for the future.

You can view the newly conserved 1891 photograph, along with other 1951 time capsule contents and stories, in the museum’s special exhibit, Inside the Box, through May 4. Visit jcprd.com/museum to plan your visit!

Transitioning to Merriam Plaza Library

Elizabeth Freise moved to Johnson County in the mid-1970s when she was only four years old. One of the first places her mother took her was the Antioch Library. They regularly checked out books and attended library storytimes where her mom got to know her new neighbors, and Elizabeth became familiar with the other kids in attendance. She told me that she even met her lifelong best friend at an Antioch storytime. Today her mother looks back on the Antioch branch as the first real sense of community that she had in the area.

Antioch branch of Johnson County Library. Johnson County Library collection on JoCoHistory

The branch changed a lot over the decades, but Elizabeth remembers that when she was a kid Antioch had very low shelves that kids could easily browse. Her mom would let her check out as many books as she could hold, and she specifically liked that she didn’t need her mom’s help to reach the books she was interested in. There was a particular book about sea otters that she loved and checked out frequently. She knew just where to find it on the shelves. She told me that the more she returned to that section, the more she noticed and checked out books about other animals.

“Looking back as a librarian,” she told me, “it’s that spontaneous discovery, right? Cataloging allows that to be possible.”

Oh yeah, I guess I forgot to mention that about 45 years after she started attending storytimes, Elizabeth came to work at the Antioch branch, and she was there right up until the end of that branch’s lifespan. Pretty cool, no?

Interior of the Antioch branch ca. 1956-57. Johnson County Library collection on JoCoHistory

She told me that a lot has changed about the layout of the branch over the years, from how and where patrons check out books, to the amount of space for quiet studying, to the placement of the reference desks. She said that she and her friends used to love to ask the librarians at the reference desk totally random questions. The librarians would always tell them how to look up the answer or look it up with them. She remembers that there was one librarian in particular who was always very kind and happily brought them the encyclopedia, the World Almanac, books on geography, or even the library’s resident globe.

Eventually Elizabeth left the area and went to college out of state, but she returned to Johnson County after graduate school. When she revisited Antioch in the 1990s, she found that the old card catalog had been replaced by a computer catalog. She told me that the big difference with a computer catalog was that on a physical card catalog, you had to know what the subject was to the catalogers. You couldn’t just search for a keyword, but you had to know what the first word was in the subject that you were interested in, which was sometimes easier said than done.

Interior view of patrons at the Antioch branch of Johnson County Library. Johnson County Library collection on JoCoHistory

“There was a lot more intermediation with the librarians,” she told me. Patrons would oftentimes have to consult with library staff to find materials relevant to what they were interested in. She said that once it moved to a more computerized system, it was a lot easier to find things on your own, and had the added bonus of increased patron privacy.

Since she has the unique position of having been both a patron at Antioch and a staff member, I asked her what patrons might find interesting about the behind-the-scenes spaces at the branch. She mentioned the upstairs level of the building, which was always off-limits to patrons but had served as office space for library administrators in the building’s early years. For decades the upstairs of Antioch was rarely ever used by staff, but one room up there was set aside as a systemwide storage space for the Youth Services program materials. It housed puppets and toys and many other things, and was right at the top of the stairs. Elizabeth told me that there were two enormous mannequins in there that always “surprised” her when she went upstairs for the occasional safety inspection.

Interior view of patrons at the newly opened Antioch branch of Johnson County Library. Johnson County Library collection on JoCoHistory

As an adult, Elizabeth worked at a University of Kansas satellite library around 135th and Quivira. “When I went into libraries,” she told me, “my positive experiences [at Antioch as a kid] certainly informed what I thought a librarian could be, and that was part of why I wanted to become one.” When the KU library closed, she took the opportunity to hop over to Johnson County Library. She worked at the Central Resource branch for a few years, and then moved over to Antioch where she served as an Information Specialist. Now she’s making the leap to the Merriam Plaza branch as it opens in March!

It’s always bittersweet when a branch moves, but she’s excited. “There are things I really love about the [old Antioch] building and the space, and I have very fond memories there. But I think the new space is going to be really cool. Antioch is really used by the local community, and one of the great things about the new branch is that it’s right by the Merriam Community Center. I think that’s really going to open up our patron base to people who are using the community center for other things.”

She’s also very excited about the “green roof.”

Come check out the new Merriam Plaza Branch when it opens on March 20th, and maybe say hello to Elizabeth while you’re there. And if you’re the parent of a kid who always has to be dragged away from the library kicking and screaming… consider picking up a library job application. For future use, of course.

Come visit Merriam Plaza Library on March 20!

Wives, Mothers, and Activists: Postwar Politics in Suburban Johnson County

Guest written by Jessica Sapien, Emerging Museum Professional Intern, Johnson County Museum

In honor of Women’s History Month, the Johnson County Museum celebrates the women who work to make social, cultural, and political change in Johnson County. This blog is based on an exhibit case that Emerging Museum Professional Intern Jessica Sapien curated last year. The museum acknowledges that not all women of various racial, ethnic, and class backgrounds have been equally represented in our exhibitions. With the help of the Johnson County community, we are working to change how we record and remember women’s history as part of our overarching effort to tell a fuller and more inclusive history of Johnson County. To view the curated exhibit case on this history, visit the Johnson County Museum’s Becoming Johnson County exhibit. Also on view is the exhibit Inside the Box: A 1951 Time Capsule, where you can learn more about the contributions women have made to recording the history of Johnson County.

A suburban woman’s home life has never been isolated from outside events. Household work, childcare, education, and other duties associated with the home are essential to shaping society at large. In the postwar era, suburban women worked to change their communities. Despite cultural pressure to work only in the home, they formed political and social organizations across the country, including in Johnson County, Kansas. The local chapters of these organizations were founded and/or run by women. Most of the members of Johnson County women’s organizations were white, middle-class women. While each organization held different social, cultural, and political perspectives, they all advocated for and believed in the active role women have in shaping their communities.

Members of the League of Women Voters of Johnson County marching in the Old Settlers Days Parade in Olathe, Kansas, 1998. Johnson County Museum

THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS

The League of Women Voters (LVW) was founded nationally in 1920 as an extension of the Women’s Suffrage Movement. The LWV’s purpose is to establish positions on public policy through member participation, take action that secures public policy consistent with their positions, and encourage citizens to be involved at all levels of government and in the electoral process. Women involved in the League are encouraged to work for candidates or parties of their choice, and to run for offices themselves.

Founded in 1952, the League of Women Voters of Shawnee Mission changed their name to the League of Women Voters of Johnson County in 1972. The LVW of Johnson County continues to be active in studying county issues, supporting initiatives on various political, social, educational, and economic topics, and working on behalf of Johnson County residents.

Newspaper collage about League of Women Voters of Shawnee Mission, 1960–1961.

Delores Furtado, a member of the League of Women Voters of Johnson County, mentoring two students, 1998. Johnson County Museum

THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN

The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) was founded in 1893 and the Greater Kansas City Section was organized in August 1894 with 17 members. The organization states, “inspired by Jewish values, NCJW strives for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children, and families.” Later headquartered in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, some of the first projects facilitated by the local section included a Free Baths program for working class residents, free racially integrated kindergartens, and an industrial school to teach children from ages eight to 18 to make garments for family use.

As of 2023, the NCJW of Greater Kansas City has approximately 550 members. They work to better the local community through diverse programming, such as free meals, reading programs, community service events, and scholarships. 

Five members of the Greater Kansas City Section of the National Council of Jewish Women pose with U. S. Representative Jan Meyers, third from left, in her Washington, D.C. office, March 1989. Johnson County Museum

JOHNSON COUNTY DEMOCRATIC WOMEN

With chapters in both North and South Johnson County, the Johnson County Democratic Women of Kansas state their mission is “working together to engage women in politics at every point in the spectrum” by educating members on political processes and current issues. The local sections are part of the larger Kansas Federation of Democratic Women and the National Federation of Democratic Women. 

NORTHEAST JOHNSON COUNTY REPUBLICAN WOMEN’S CLUB

The Northeast Johnson County Republican Women’s Club (RWC) was organized in 1936 as a continuation of the National Federation of Republican Women and the Kansas Federation of Republican Women. The Northeast Johnson County RWC states their mission “is to provide programs of interest to women politically, socially, and culturally,” and has participated in Republican National Conventions since their founding.

A program for the General Federation of Women’s Clubs 58th International Convention at Hollywood by the Sea, Florida, April 25-30, 1959. Johnson County Museum

GENERAL FEDERATION OF WOMEN’S CLUBS OF KANSAS

The General Federation of Women’s Clubs of Kansas (GFWCK) became a member of the National Federation of Women’s Clubs in 1890. The organization states, “Kansas club women represent the full spectrum of lifestyles of women today: married, single, with or without children, homemakers, women in the marketplace, professional women, career women – all interested in self improvement as well as community improvement.” The Olathe Federation of Women’s Clubs operates as Johnson County’s local chapter and supports the programs of various Johnson County organizations.

There are many women’s organizations in Johnson County who work to make change in the community that have not been represented here. Museums can only interpret based on the collections they have. Help us tell a fuller and more inclusive history of Johnson County by reaching out to our collections team to learn more about how to donate to the museum’s collections. Visit the museum Monday through Saturday, 9am to 4:30pm to view the Becoming Johnson County exhibit, and the Inside the Box special exhibit through May 4, 2024. Learn more at www.jcprd.com/museum.

The People Spoke for the Library

This address was originally given by Dorothy Ballard, a member of the core group that organized the library effort and a signer of the Articles of Incorporation, to the Friends of the Johnson County Library in May of 1982. It has been edited for length and clarity.

---

The Johnson County Library story is an exciting one and I was one privileged to witness its unfolding.

If you have moved to Johnson County since 1956, it is hard to imagine this County without a library.

Throughout the Governance and Structure Committee study of the Johnson County Library on which I served, the question often posed was “Who will speak for the Library?”

For an overview of the County Library and its development, let me take you back almost 30 years. In 1952 the Johnson County population was 62,000, having tripled in the last 10 years. There was a housing boom that followed World War II and J.C. Nichols, one of the largest developers, had just been awarded the Best Planned Community in the U.S. with their Prairie Village development. The many new homes meant many new families and almost every household had children. There was only a handful of cities in the county, separate high school and many elementary school districts. Olathe, the county seat, was the only city providing all the usual services of a city, including a library. Therefore the fast growing northeast part of the county sought urban services through county government – fire protection, sewers, water, etc. – which took special legislation to accomplish.

Aerial photo of Johnson County, Kansas, ca. 1952. Photo courtesy Johnson County Museum collection on JoCoHistory

When an active Prairie school PTA saw the pressing need for library services, they organized to petition the county to place a proposal for a County Library on the November 1952 ballot — the Election that gave Dwight Eisenhower the U.S. Presidency.

WHO SPOKE FOR THE LIBRARY?? The voters spoke 4 to 1 to approve the proposal for a Johnson County Library District, excluding the City of Olathe. The first 5-member Library Board was appointed by the County Commissioners in March 1953. All the first Board Members had been active in the petitioning procedure — Tom Parrish, Rev. Ira Bales, Dorothy Hoff, Kay Robeson, and Dorothy Snyder. The Library Board was charged to establish library services with persons in the county. The Library Board developed a budget for a 1 1/2 mill levy for a County Library, the county commissioners could not provide for library funds within the 4 mill levy allowed for general obligation funding. Expectations were dashed.

Library board members Kay Robeson, Dorothy Snyder, Ira Bales, and Dorothy Hoff in front of the bookmobile. Photo courtesy Johnson County Library collection on JoCoHistory

WHO WOULD SPEAK FOR THE LIBRARY? It was the people again. A Johnson County Library Volunteer Committee took up the challenge — they collected books and magazines, found donated space in the communities, and catalogued and acted as librarian volunteers. So from the opening of the first Volunteer Library in the County in June 1953, some eleven other sites were functioning throughout the county a year later in the fall of 1954.

A group of women sorting and cataloging books at the Lenexa Volunteer Library. Photo courtesy Johnson County Library collection on JoCoHistory

Johnson County at that time had a population of 105,000 and was represented in the legislature by one representative, Clark Kuppinger, and one State Senator, John Anderson. AGAIN THE PEOPLE SPOKE UP. As voters went to the polls in November 1954, they were asked to sign petitions addressed to the state legislators to introduce legislation that would take on mill of the library levy outside of the county aggregate. This legislation was passed by the 1955 legislature. It had been three years after voter approval for a County Library that the first tax money, $32,000, was received for library services and the first Director of the Johnson County Library was appointed by the Library Board. In October 1955, Shirley Brother, as County Librarian, set up an office with a borrowed card table and chair and telephone in an old post office building in Merriam. the Volunteer Library Committee turned over its collection and agreed to staff the site libraries until January, when the tax funds would become available. A year later there were 5 Library Branches and a bookmobile serving the county.

Interior view of patrons at the newly opened Antioch branch of Johnson County Library in Merriam, KS. Photo courtesy of Johnson County Library collection on JoCoHistory

In 1956, a building was built to library specifications on the Antioch Library site which was then leased to the Library. Thus the Headquarters Library was able to open in November 1956. The Volunteer Library Association was dissolved and the Friends of the Johnson County Library came into being in 1956.

When in 1958, the library funding was found to be woefully inadequate, Friends of the Johnson County Library collected 7,713 signatures to again petition the legislators to allow a levy of 1 1/2 mills outside the county aggregate for library services. On resignation of the County Librarian, the Board appointed Mary Moore from the system as County Librarian in October 1959.

In 1961, the Library Board proposed the first Library Bond Issue for $746,000. AGAIN THE VOTERS SPOKE — YES WE NEED LIBRARY BUILDINGS! The proposal passed. This enabled the Board to buy and enlarge Antioch Headquarters Library and purchase a site, build and equip the Corinth Library, which opened in 1963.

With Mary Moore’s resignation, the Library Board appointed LeRoy Fox as Director of Johnson County Library. Roy came in July 1966 from the State Librarian position where he had developed the Kansas Information Circuit for statewide Interlibrary loan System and had been instrumental in securing legislation to establish seven Regional Library Systems in Kansas. There were pressing needs for services, books and facilities. The first long-range plan was developed; and a second bond issue was taken to the voters for $1,501,000. This was passed in February 1967 by a 70% majority. AGAIN THE PEOPLE SPOKE. These bonds provided for opening Cedar Roe Library in 1969 and Oak Park Library in 1971.

Cedar Roe branch of Johnson County Library. Photo courtesy Johnson County Museum collection on JoCoHistory

In 1975 the Technical Services Building was opened. And in November 1979, the VOTERS AGAIN SPOKE TO APPROVE A $4 MILION BOND ISSUE. This resulted in the recent ground breaking for four new Branch Libraries — Blue Valley, De Soto, Gardner, and Spring Hill, as well as plans to expand Antioch and Oak Park. The late 1970s and 1980s have seen great expansion of library services into areas of telecommunications and interlibrary loan networking.

-Dorothy Ballard, Johnson County Library founding member

Top 5 Reasons to Visit the New “Inside the Box” Exhibit

The Johnson County Museum’s newest special exhibit, Inside the Box: A 1951 Time Capsule, will open on Saturday, February 3.

In May 1951, county officials and a crowd of residents gathered in the courthouse square in Olathe. County leaders, with the help of Masons, were laying the cornerstone for the new, 1952 Johnson County Courthouse. Inside the cornerstone, officials placed a small, hand-made copper box – a time capsule left for future generations to discover. After seventy years safely tucked away, the still-sealed box was retrieved when that courthouse was being demolished in 2020. The Johnson County Museum accepted the time capsule and its contents into its collections and permanent care and opened it up. What was inside the box? That is the topic of the Museum’s newest special exhibit, Inside the Box: A 1951 Time Capsule, which opens Feb. 3, 2024. Below are five reasons you should visit this short-run exhibition!

1. Time capsules are a mystery – and interesting!

Time capsules, by their very construction and configuration, are a mystery to future audiences. What could be inside the box? What did the past leave for the future to find? What new things can we in the present learn from the choices of people in the past? Inside the Box seeks to answer all of these questions about the 1951 time capsule and its contents. The exhibit explores the long history of time capsules, as well as some of the philosophy behind creating them. Learning this background will help visitors think about the 1951 capsule in a broader context.

Like thousands of homes in the early 1950s, this photo shows construction on the White family home in Overland Park in 1951. JoCoHistory

2. The contents reveal the postwar change Johnson County was experiencing was palpable.

The many documents and few objects inside the 1951 time capsule spoke to the major changes Johnson County was undergoing in 1951. The explosion of postwar suburbanization led to new neighborhoods and roads, increasing population, and a growth in county government. The officials who left letters and documents in the capsule revealed the drastic changes that their offices were seeing and experiencing. Exploring these events from 70 years ago will give visitors a better idea of why the county developed the way that it did. The exhibit displays these government documents and letters for visitors to compare the changes revealed in them to stats and facts from 2023.

3. Your city (if it existed in 1951) was feeling those changes, too.

The documents inside the 1951 time capsule did not just reveal a county and its government experiencing growth and change. City leaders were invited to submit letters and documents for the capsule, and these documents reveal changes happening on the ground in locations across the county. Suburban cities like Prairie Village, Mission Hills, and Merriam had only recently incorporated, while cities like Spring Hill, Olathe, and Edgerton had been around for nearly a century by 1951. Whether old or new, residents in these cities were seeing changes in how the land was used, in the total population, and in their community’s prospects for the future. An interactive touchscreen display in the exhibit will allow visitors to explore these city-based letters.

Men and women from the St. Luke’s Church Choir on Spruce Street in Olathe. The church was located in Fairview, Olathe’s historic Black community, and despite the close proximity to the courthouse square, nothing in the 1951 time capsule represents the Fairview neighborhood. Asking why some things were included in or excluded from the time capsule is an important question. JoCoHistory

4. Considering what was not placed in the box is as important as what was.

The 1951 time capsule was not all encompassing of its year or its county. The committee who led the time capsule effort was comprised of prominent, older white men. The government officials who submitted contents were also mostly white men, with the exception of four white women. Items from non-governmental county residents are scarce in the capsule, and items submitted by the county’s Black and/or Latino populations are non-existent. Considering how history is made and shared – what was not included in the box, who the capsule’s creators believed their audience to be, and knowing whose stories were left out – are important questions for visitors to consider. Exhibit visitors are prompted to consider how a hypothetical time capsule made in 2024 might differ from the 1951 capsule.

5. It is only on display for 13 weeks, so don’t miss it!

Inside the Box will only be on display for 13 weeks – from Saturday, February 3 through Saturday, May 4. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to see what was inside the box, to view the copper capsule itself, to learn the history it contained for seven decades, to consider what was left out, and to ponder how you’d collect the history of Johnson County today.

The materials on display in the exhibit were contained in a hand-made copper box that measures just 5.75 x 10.5 x 13 inches. The capsule takes center stage in the exhibition.

The Museum’s Inside the Box: A 1951 Time Capsule special exhibition is included in regular Museum admission ($6 adults, $5 seniors, $4 children) and is open to the public Monday through Saturday, 9am to 4:30pm. Members receive free admission. The public will enjoy free admission on the Museum’s next Quarterly Free Day, Thursday, March 14. You can learn more and plan your visit at jcprd.com/Museum!

Johnson County Library’s Very Own Yertle the Turtle

Snuggle in, friends. We want to tell you a story.

Yertle the Turtle

Once upon a time, around 2013, which is recent history, but longer ago than some librarians care to admit, someone put a turtle in the restroom trash can at the Cedar Roe Library. A nice Librarian named Lynn put on a latex glove and fished, so to speak, the turtle out of the rubbish. Another nice Librarian named Megan found a box where the turtle would be safe, and another nice Librarian named Meredith fed the turtle lettuce and carrots. Yet another nice Librarian named Emily put water in the turtle’s box while another nice Librarian named Debby made sure the turtle’s new home stayed clean.

The Librarians didn’t know anything about turtles, but the great thing about working in a library is that you can find out anything you need to know because that’s what librarians do – they help people find information!

Megan the Librarian called people she knew at the Lakeside Nature Center of KC and at the F. L. Schlagle Environmental Library. Through those helpful people, she found out that the turtle was a red-eared slider: an aquatic turtle. All of the Librarians researched red-eared sliders and found out that the turtle would need a place to swim and a place to bask in the sun as well as special food and green things to eat (and the occasional bug).

Yertle’s home at the Cedar Roe Library

The Librarians chose to name the turtle Yertle, and it wasn’t long before Yertle became Cedar Roe’s mascot. Continuing the community effort of raising Yertle, two more nice Librarians named John and Tricia helped Cedar Roe Library get a big tank with a nifty fountain, some cool rocks, and a special lamp for Yertle to warm himself under.

Yertle enjoying his tank

And then Yertle grew, so much so that the aquarium was quickly becoming too small and the cleaning schedule too much. That was when a local school teacher agreed to take Yertle as a classroom pet.

However, before the folks at Cedar Roe could let Yertle go, they planned Yertle’s Birthday Party. It was a huge event!

They invited the public to come to the Library to celebrate Yertle and wish him adieu. A presenter from Lakeside Nature Center talked about reptiles and there was a photo show, games and crafts, and a station with turtle books where anyone could read to a turtle! And, of course, there was cake.

No one anticipated the turn out: people just kept coming and coming, so much so that librarians had to keep cutting smaller and smaller pieces of cake. All told, approximately 250 people came to say farewell to Yertle.

If you have fond memories of Yertle (or any other library mascot) please let us know in the comments below!

-Johnson County Library Staff

Celebrating 2023 at the Johnson County Museum

The green screen photo booth interactive is a great way to put yourself “in” Johnson County history! You can find it at the end of our signature exhibit, Becoming Johnson County.

As we bid farewell to 2023, the Johnson County Museum is proud to reflect on a year filled with achievements, community engagement, and memorable moments. Throughout the year, we remained dedicated to our mission of fostering a deep understanding of history and community-building as we welcomed over 50,000 visitors to the Museum and Lanesfield Historic Site. Our visitors’ enthusiasm and engagement fuel our commitment to providing quality exhibits, educational programming, and a space for families to create lasting memories in KidScape. Here’s a glimpse into our notable accomplishments and a sneak peek at what’s to come in 2024.

One of our proudest achievements in 2023 was the impact we made on students throughout the Kansas City area. Over 3,500 students delved into the rich tapestry of history and community through immersive field trips at the Museum and Lanesfield Historic Site. Education is at the core of our work, and it’s exciting to see so many young minds inspired by the stories of our past and thinking about our community’s future.

A uniformed park ranger talks with a group of field trip students in the Museum Classroom.

In collaboration with Klein Collection at The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah, we presented Jewish Holidays in the All-Electric House. This unique exhibit not only showcased the cultural significance of Jewish holidays in a household setting, but also did so with a mid-century flair, fostering cultural understanding and appreciation. It is through such collaborations that we work to tell a more inclusive story about Johnson County residents and their lives.

Our commitment to accessibility was evident in the success of our quarterly Museum Free Days, where over 4,000 visitors came together to explore and enjoy the richness of history. We look forward to hosting four more Free Days in 2024: March 14, June 8, September 14, and November 27. Additionally, Sensory Friendly Mondays, developed in partnership with Britain Development at AdventHealth, provided a welcoming space for over 400 children and their families, creating an environment for those with sensory processing differences and autism spectrum disorders.

Olathe Leadership Lowrider Bike Club members pose with the lowrider bike they created to represent their club for the Museum’s collection. Read more in this JoCoHistory Blog post!

A standout addition to our permanent collection – and one of more than 400 pieces of Johnson County history collected this year – was a lowrider bicycle, a testament to the incredible creativity of local high school students from the Olathe Leadership Lowrider Bike Club. This artifact, supported by the Friends of the Johnson County Museum, proudly features interpretive panels in both Spanish and English, marking a step toward greater inclusivity in our exhibits.

Looking ahead to 2024, we are excited to announce the opening of the Inside the Box: A 1951 Time Capsule exhibit on February 3. In May 1951, Johnson County Government employees laid a time capsule inside the cornerstone of the new Johnson County courthouse. Nearly 70 years later, that courthouse was demolished, and the time capsule was rediscovered. Inside the fully intact, handmade copper box laid an array of documents, carefully selected, wrapped, and sealed by government officials, just waiting for future generations to reopen them. Visitors will be able to view the contents and learn what county and city officials wanted future generations to know about the unprecedented growth and change in postwar Johnson County.

The Museum’s REDLINED exhibit has remained relevant in the community and will find new life as a high-quality online exhibit in 2024!

We’re also looking forward to the launch of the “REDLINED: Cities, Suburbs and Segregation” digital exhibit this summer. Before the in-person exhibit closed in January 2023, we welcomed tens of thousands of visitors and sparked meaningful conversations about our shared history. The exhibit went on to win six national, state, and local awards. With support from donors and local partners, the process of transforming the physical exhibit into a high-quality digital experience is underway! Learn more about the exhibit and give to the campaign on our REDLINED website – jcprd.com/REDLINED.  

Finally, 2024 is a great year to become a Museum Member, with more opportunities and unique ways to enjoy the Museum than ever before. In addition to discounts and unlimited Museum and KidScape visits, Museum Members can look forward to exclusive events like after-hours Member’s Nights, specialty tours, invitations to exhibit openings, and our quarterly Museum Mixers. Memberships start at just $35.

As we step into 2024, the Johnson County Museum remains dedicated to serving our community through innovative exhibits, educational initiatives, and inclusive programming. We look forward to another year of preserving and sharing the stories that shape our collective history, because we know knowledge of the past is critical to making a better future.

Johnson County Museum Collections on JoCoHistory.org

The Johnson County Museum has digitized thousands of images from its collections that are available for viewing on JoCoHistory.org.

Our curator of interpretation loves JoCoHistory.org so much that there is a small sign hanging outside of his cubical that reads “Have you checked JoCoHistory?” This collaborative resource dedicated to regional history is so incredible that we wanted to take a moment to share it with those of you have not yet explored the site.

JoCoHistory.org hosts the digitized collections of the Johnson County Museum and Johnson County Library, as well as partners such as the City of Lenexa, Overland Park Historical Society, Olathe Public Library, Johnson County Archives, and the Kansas School for the Deaf. On the site, the Johnson County Museum has made many of its collections accessible in digital format. Below is a list of five Museum collections available on JoCoHistory we know you’ll love!

1 Historic Photographs

The Johnson County Museum has incredible photographs in its collection, and many have been digitized and are available for viewing on JoCoHistory. On the site’s home page, users can click the Johnson County Museum heading to dive in. By then choosing “browse,” users can search by name, keyword, or date, among other categories. There are also a number of pre-arranged groupings of photos to choose from, such as portraits of men or women, farms, or carriages and buggies. Not finding what you are looking for on JoCoHistory? Reach out to the Johnson County Museum with your inquiry and we will see if we can help! Use the “contact us” function at the bottom of the site or reach out to the museum directly at: jcmuseum@jocogov.org.

The photographs digitized on JoCoHistory.org show the incredible breadth of the Museum’s collections. This image is of an original media photo for the All-Electric House, once located in a Prairie Village neighborhood, now on display inside the Johnson County Museum today – the Museum’s largest artifact!

2 Historical Atlases of Johnson County

Perhaps one of the best kept secrets on JoCoHistory are the Historical Atlases of Johnson County, Kansas. These sources, dating to 1874, 1902, and 1922, include full county maps, township maps showing individual landowners, railroad routes and roads, photographs of prominent citizens, illustrations of homes and businesses, and, in the case of the 1874 Atlas, include a historical sketch of the county’s history to that date. The collection also includes the 1860 Survey Map, which was one of the first maps of what had been the Shawnee Indian Reservation from 1825 to 1854. This hand drawn and hand colored map shows land allotments granted to the Shawnee and the distance measured between geographic features.

When viewing property ownership maps in these sources, there is a trick to translating the historic map to a modern street grid. Sections – the squares with a small number in the center – are 640 acres, or 1 mile wide by 1 mile tall. The vertical section lines running north to south are the major north-south roads in the county today – Mission Road, Nall Avenue, Metcalf Avenue, Antioch Road, and so on. The horizontal section lines running east to west are the major numbered east-west streets today. There are eight numbered streets to a mile in Johnson County – in the screenshot below, “Glenn P.O.” was located at 79^th Street, so the next east-west line to the south is 87^th Street today, then 95^th, 103^rd and so on.

This screen shot of a small portion of the 1874 Atlas Map of Johnson County, Kansas shows Shawnee Township (later divided into Shawnee and Mission Townships. Visible are roads, railroads, and sections. Within the individual township maps, landowners are also listed.

3 Historic Preservation Survey

In the 1990s, the Johnson County Museum undertook a Historic Preservation Survey. The purpose was to document the architectural styles and conditions of more than 10,000 pre-1950 homes in the county, as well as other structures such as barns and commercial buildings. A report, available for viewing here (https://jcprd.com/DocumentCenter/View/2299/HP-Executive-Summary?bidId=), was published later, highlighting some of the more significant architectural examples. Photographs documenting the historic structures are searchable by street or keyword, or by city location. Browsing the black and white photos is a great way to learn about the historic homes in the county!

Thousands of Johnson County’s homes were photographed as part of a preservation survey in the early 2000s. This prominent home is located in Olathe.

4 The Squire

The Squire was a weekly Johnson County publication by editor Tom Leathers. The Museum holds a large collection of The Squire – it was broken out into the Village Squire, the Town Squire, and the Country Squire for region-specific news and advertising. The range of editions currently available on JoCoHistory is from 1961 to 1972, but later dates will be loaded onto the site in the future. Users can enjoy reading about and remembering places and events from the past or do targeted research with this incredible collection of Johnson County news!

On JoCoHistory.org, you can browse and read hundreds of issues of The Squire, a Johnson County weekly publication from Tom Leathers.

5 The Album Newsletters

Maybe researching through primary sources is not your thing – are you interested in reading about snippets of Johnson County’s history already written by professional public historians? Over the decades, the Johnson County Museum’s staff published local histories in the Museum’s quarterly newsletter, called the Album. More than 200 well-researched, easy-to-read, and illustrated episodes from the county’s past are waiting for you to explore on your down time. From Native American history to agriculture, from the advent of the automobile to suburban neighborhood development, the breadth of the county’s history available in Album articles is staggering!

The Johnson County Museum’s past newsletters are archived on JoCoHistory.org, and include well-researched write ups on various county history topics including this one on 1950s model homes.

These are just a few of the ways you can engage, explore, and be entertained by Johnson County’s rich history. There are many more categories of collections from partner organizations available on JoCoHistory.org’s home page. The modern JoCoHistory Blog, with twice monthly posts from the Johnson County Museum and the Johnson County Library, are available here: https://jocohistory.wordpress.com/. At the bottom of the JoCoHistory website, you can learn more about research tools and other sources of regional and state history, as well as search accumulated results from all of the collections for specific cities and towns (and also the county’s lost communities!). Take some time this winter to explore your area’s history from the comfort of your own home – check out JoCoHistory.org. You’ll be glad you did!

If you are itching to get out of the house and explore Johnson County’s history, the Johnson County Museum is open Monday through Saturday, 9am to 4:30pm. The signature exhibit, Becoming Johnson County, the Museum’s special exhibits, and KidScape are all included in regular admission: $6 adults, $5 seniors, $4 children – Members enjoy free admission. Learn more and plan your visit at jcprd.com/Museum.