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.
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!
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 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!
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.
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 79th Street, so the next east-west line to the south is 87th Street today, then 95th, 103rd 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.
For anyone who hasn’t had the chance to visit the Johnson County Museum’s special exhibit, TRAINS: Transportation and the Transformation of Johnson County, you might be thinking: how much change did railroads really bring to a county that today has a modern, suburban, automobile-centered landscape? The TRAINS exhibit makes it clear that railroads transformed elements of Johnson County’s landscape, economy, society, and population. Access to the railroads held the fate of whole towns – including town names. Here are five examples of Johnson County, Kansas towns (past and present) named as a direct result of the railroads.
Image showing the economic importance of the railroads as a new mill and elevator opened in Edgerton in 1910. Johnson County Museum
Edgerton
Edgerton’s connection with railroads is so deep, it predates the official founding of the town! A predecessor of the Santa Fe Railroad (today the Burlington, Northern and Santa Fe or BNSF) laid tracks through the southwestern portion of the county in 1870, and Edgerton was founded soon after as Martinsburg. The community’s name was quickly changed to honor of the railroad’s chief construction engineer, Benjamin H. Edgerton. The depot in Edgerton served both passengers and freight, and local grain crops were shipped through nearby grain elevators and mills. But, like a lot of rural communities, the rail depot also served another purpose: entertainment. As lifelong resident, Ray Braun said in a 2004 oral history, “a lot of people would go down to the depot and meet the train just to see who’d get off.” The Edgerton depot closed in 1971 and was later demolished. Learn more about Benjamin Edgerton.
Residents in Johnson County today might not be familiar with Holliday. The area is located along Mill Creek where it enters the Kansas River, west of I-435. The town was originally founded in 1881 as Waseca but was renamed when the Santa Fe Railroad came through in 1885. The new name honored Santa Fe Railroad founder and staunch Kansas advocate, Col. Cyrus K. Holliday. Holliday was one of the main forces behind railroad construction in Kansas, having founded what became the Santa Fe Railroad in 1859 with the vision of connecting Kansas City to the Santa Fe Trail trade from México.
Holliday’s depot was important to local residents and the county’s economy. Like many areas along the Kansas River bottoms, Holliday’s farmers grew a number of crops in the rich soil, especially potatoes. The Holliday depot was enlarged in 1909 for both freight and passengers but closed in 1949. It was severely damaged by the 1951 Kansas River Flood and was later demolished. Learn more about Cyrus K. Holliday.
Photo showing the robust railroad infrastructure located in Holliday, including a switch tower, enlarged freight and passenger depot, and water tower. None of the infrastructure exists today. Johnson County Museum
Wilder
Like Holliday, Wilder was a small rural community of northern river bottom farmers. It was located where K-7 bridges the railroad tracks south of the Kansas River. Wilder’s Santa Fe Railroad depot was a gathering point and was extremely busy during harvests. In the early 20th century, Wilder shipped out nearly 1,200 freight cars of Kaw Valley potatoes per year! The town was likely named for Edward Wilder, a secretary-general and treasurer for the Santa Fe Railroad. The Wilder depot was severely damaged in the 1951 Kansas River Flood and was demolished. Learn more about Edward Wilder.
Santa Fe Railroad map of infrastructure located in Wilder around the turn of the 20th century. None of the infrastructure exists today. Courtesy Kansas Historical Society.
Merriam
The City of Merriam derived its name from the railroad as well. The town was called Campbellton when it was founded in 1864 to honor David Gee Campbell, an area landowner, railroad advocate, and employee of the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Gulf Railroad. That railroad built track through the area in 1870, and Campbell later advocated for a second set of tracks through the town (which, ironically and tragically, caused his death one night when he crossed the second set of tracks in front of an oncoming train).
Campbellton was renamed in 1880, while Campbell was still living, to honor Charles Merriam, a secretary-general of the Fort Scott Railroad. Around the same time, the railroad established and promoted a pleasure park called Merriam Park along Turkey Creek to the west of the tracks. Merriam was later serviced by the Frisco Railroad, and today by the BNSF Railway. While it is unclear when the Merriam depot closed and was demolished, the rail lines through Merriam remain active today. Learn more about Merriam Park.
Stilwell, located in the county’s southeastern corner, was founded in 1886 as Mt. Auburn. Three years later, following the construction of the Missouri Pacific Railroad tracks, the town’s first rail depot opened. The town was renamed to honor railroad developer Arthur E. Stilwell. He was involved in railroads throughout the Kansas City region, most notably purchasing land for the Kansas City Southern Railroad to connect Kansas City with the Gulf of Mexico in Texas. Farmers in the vicinity of Stilwell shipped their farm products, and Stilwell’s depot handled freight and passengers. A grain elevator and small stockyard were important to the rural community’s economy. Although the depot closed in the 1970s, the Missouri Pacific’s successor, the Union Pacific Railroad, still operates the tracks through Stilwell today. Learn more about Arthur Stilwell.
Photo from the early 20th century of the Missouri Pacific Railroad depot in Stilwell. Johnson County Museum
You can explore even more history of the railroads and Johnson County’s towns in the Museum’s special exhibit, TRAINS. If you have not had a chance to see the TRAINS exhibit, there is still time! The exhibit will close for good on January 13, 2024. The exhibit is included in regular Museum admission, and is open Monday through Saturday, 9am to 4:30pm. There will be a quarterly free day on November 22, when the TRAINS exhibit, as well as the rest of the Museum, will be open without charge. Learn more about the exhibit and upcoming programming at jcprd.com/museum.
Guest written by: Jessica Sapien, Emerging Museum Professional Intern, Johnson County Museum
In 2020, the Johnson County Museum asked members of the Olathe Leadership Lowrider Bike Club to make a bike that represents the club, its values, and its culture. The lowrider bike and interpretive labels will be unveiled Wednesday, October 4th at the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center’s Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration. Read on to learn more about the history of the Lowrider Bike Club and of lowriding!
Olathe Lowrider Bike Club members in their shop in 2023. Club founder, Erik Erazo, stands on the far left.
The Lowrider Bike Club
Erik Erazo founded the Olathe Leadership Lowrider Bike Club in 2016 and launched it the following year. Erazo, who is the Executive Director of Student and Community Engagement for Olathe Public Schools, initially started the club to reach at-risk Hispanic male students. Six years later, the club is open to all students who seek mentorship and community through the bike building process.
The club provides a space for students to gather and share their individual and familial experiences while learning valuable technical skills. The Lowrider Bike Club is run out of the Olathe Advanced Technical Center where students have a dedicated workplace to meet. Club members receive a bike kit their freshman year and are taught the artistic process of creating and customizing lowrider bikes. They are allowed to keep their bikes upon their graduation.
In its first seven years of operation, the Lowrider Bike Club boasts a 100% graduation rate. This success has led eight other schools across the United States to form their own chapters of the Lowrider Bike Club, including three in Kansas City, Kansas, and Missouri. Members of the founding chapter participate in lowrider shows throughout the state, with some graduates going on to compete nationally.
“It gives me a state of mind where I’m myself. Where I can express my own feelings, whether it be that day, that week, or that month, I can put it into the bike. Whether it’s releasing anger, putting my frustrations into the bike, or something even positive like my happiness. If I’m having a good day, I put that into the bike. That’s a really good outlet for me in this club and it also gives me a good high school experience as I get to talk to people I’ve never talked to before. I get to meet upperclassmen and I get to inspire lowerclassmen to work harder and do better… it’s a really good experience and it really means a lot to me.”
– Miguel Santillanes, student in the Olathe Leadership Lowrider Bike Club
The Lowrider Bike
The lowrider bike customized by the students of the Olathe Leadership Lowrider Bike Club is both traditional and unique in its design. It features extended handlebars, a twisted gold chrome steering wheel, antennas, and other accents. Making the bike required new skills to make their vision a reality – including upholstery! With help from an officer of the Olathe Police Department, students learned how to upholster to create the seat on the back of the bike.
The bike is painted brown with a glitter finish to represent the warmth and coming together of all club members, and gold accents represent the club’s success and achievements. Laser cut into the design are the words Culture, Family, and Diversity, representing the club’s values. The frame between the back wheels includes the Olathe Leadership Lowrider Bike Club’s logo.
Club members work on customizing details for the lowrider bike.
Lowrider Culture
Lowrider cars and bikes are as unique as the artist or artists who customized them. The lowrider not only serves as a representation of the artist, but of their community and culture. Lowriding in the Kansas City Metro area can be traced back to the 1950s. The growing Mexican American and Latino populations, car clubs, and shows – also known as Show N’ Shines – have increased the popularity of lowriding in the area. In 1995, the national Lowrider magazine held a lowriding competition in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1996, the magazine included Kansas City as one of its 15 stops on its 20th Anniversary Tour. Since then, the number of shows has continued to grow, and lowrider clubs participate in cultural and community events throughout the Metro area.
Lowrider culture emerged in Chicano communities in California and Texas after World War II as a form of both self and cultural expression, as well as community making. Chicanos artistically modified their vehicles with various accents including chrome, velvet, hydraulic suspensions, vivid paint jobs, and murals. These vehicles drove low and slow as lowriders cruised around neighborhoods allowing adults and children to admire and connect with the visual representation of Mexican American culture. Chicano youth wanted to have cars like their parents, siblings, or neighbors, and began customizing their bikes to look like lowrider cars. This is why many bikes feature iconic lowrider car parts, such as steering wheels, exhaust pipes, and antennas.
“What the Lowrider Bike Club means to me is family. That’s the most important thing to me. It’s my second family. And I am really thankful for them because they taught me so many things throughout these two years that I’ve been here. We’re showing off culture. No matter if you’re not from exactly where it was based on … we want to show the people that are coming to visit the Johnson County Museum about the culture, and the art, and how much time we have spent together to build this bike.”
-Stephanie Garcia Rios, student in the Olathe Leadership Lowrider Bike Club
Lowrider culture borrows and blends with pachucos/as and zoot suiters, whose flamboyant style was also popularized after WWII. Lowriding was criminalized in many areas throughout the U.S. because of the increased politization of the Chicano identity in the postwar era. Certain car modifications were outlawed, and no-cruising zones were established to restrict the areas where lowriders could drive. This caused tension with local police departments, who targeted Brown and Black lowriders. The Chicano Movement of the 1960s aimed to redefine Mexican American’s place in the United States, which included challenging discriminatory and often violent practices. Today, however, the Olathe Leadership Lowrider Bike Club closely partners with the Olathe Police Department to offer resources and mentorship to the club’s students.
A New Display
The new Lowrider Bike Club bike will be on display in the Becoming Johnson County exhibit beginning October 5 – come check it out! The Museum’s goal is to ensure that the range of Latino/a experiences in Johnson County, Kansas, and the greater United States are represented in our exhibits and collections. The bike will be a centerpiece of the Museum’s Latino Collecting Initiative, which the Museum launched four years ago as part of its strategic effort to connect with Johnson County’s historic and growing Latino/a community. With over 200 years of history on this landscape, Museum staff acknowledges the county’s Latino community is underrepresented in our exhibits and in our collection. Through the Latino Collecting Initiative and the trust partners place in the Museum to tell a fuller and more inclusive history, the Museum is thrilled to say the community is helping to change that. The Museum is honored to partner with the Olathe Leadership Lowrider Bike Club to have this customized bike on display. We hope this artifact inspires Johnson County’s Latino/a community to continue sharing stories with the Museum that represent themselves, their families, and their community.
Jessica Sapien is a Master’s student in the UMKC Public History emphasis. She is in her second year of the Emerging Museum Professional internship at the Johnson County Museum. The internship experience is generously supported by the Carter Community Memorial Trust, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee; Geraldine and R A Barrows Foundation, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee; JE Dunn; and the Friends of the Johnson County Museum.
El Club de Liderazgo y Bicicletas Lowrider de Olathe
Escritor invitado: Jessica Sapien, Pasante Profesional Emergente, Museo del Condado Johnson
En el 2020, el Museo del Condado de Johnson le preguntó a miembros del Club de Liderazgo y Bicicletas Lowrider de Olathe si podían construir una bicicleta que representara los valores y la cultura del club. La bicicleta lowrider y los paneles interpretativos se darán a conocer el miércoles, 4 de octubre en el Centro de Artes y Cultura del Condado Johnson durante la celebración del Mes de la Herencia Hispana. ¡Sigua leyendo para saber más acerca de la historia del Club de Bicicletas Lowrider y del “lowriding”!
Miembros del Club de Bicicletas Lowrider de Olathe en su taller en el 2023. Fundador del Club, Erik Erazo, se encuentra en la extrema izquierda.
El Club de Bicicletas Lowrider
Erik Erazo fundó el Club de Liderazgo y Bicicletas Lowrider de Olathe en 2016 y lo lanzó al año siguiente. Erazo, quien es el director ejecutivo de Participación Estudiantil y Comunitaria de las Escuelas Públicas de Olathe, inicialmente comenzó el club para llegar a los estudiantes varones hispanos en riesgo. Seis años después, el club está abierto a todos los estudiantes que buscan tutoría y comunidad a través del proceso de construcción de bicicletas.
El club atiende a la creciente población hispana de Olathe, proporcionando un espacio para que los estudiantes se reúnan y compartan sus experiencias individuales y familiares mientras aprenden valiosas habilidades técnicas. Los miembros del club reciben un kit de bicicleta en su primer año y se les enseña el proceso artístico de crear y personalizar bicicletas lowrider. Se les permite quedarse con sus bicicletas después de su graduación.
En sus primeros siete años, el Club de Liderazgo y Bicicletas Lowrider de Olathe alardeó una tasa de graduación de 100%. Este éxito ha llevado a otras ocho escuelas en los Estados Unidos a formar sus propios capítulos, incluyendo tres otros en el área metropolitana de Kansas City. Los estudiantes del Club de Liderazgo y Bicicletas Lowrider de Olathe participan al presente en exhibiciones de lowrider a través de todo el estado, y algunos graduados han competido a nivel nacional.
“Me da un estado mental de donde me encuentro en el momento. Donde puedo expresar mis propios sentimientos, ya sea ese día, esa semana o ese mes, puedo ponerlo en la bicicleta. Ya sea liberando la ira, poniendo mis frustraciones en la bicicleta, o algo incluso positivo como mi felicidad. Si estoy teniendo un buen día, lo pongo en la bicicleta. Esa es una muy buena salida para mí en este club y también me da una buena experiencia en la escuela secundaria, ya que puedo hablar con personas con las que nunca he hablado antes. Tengo la oportunidad de conocer a estudiantes de último año e inspirar a los estudiantes de grados más bajos a trabajar más duro y hacerlo mejor … Ha sido una experiencia realmente buena y muy significativa para mí”.
– Miguel Santillanes, alumno del Club de Liderazgo y Bicicletas Lowrider de Olathe
La bicicleta lowrider
La bicicleta lowrider personalizada por los estudiantes del Club de Bicicletas Lowrider de Olathe.es tradicional y única en su diseño. Cuenta con manillares extendidos, un volante de cromo dorado retorcido, antenas y otros acentos. Construir la bicicleta requirió nuevas habilidades para hacer realidad su visión, ¡incluida la tapicería! Con la ayuda de un oficial del Departamento de Policía de Olathe, los estudiantes aprendieron a tapizar para crear el asiento en la parte trasera de la bicicleta.
La bicicleta está pintada de marrón con un acabado brillante para representar la calidez y la unión de todos los miembros del club, y los acentos dorados representan el éxito y los logros del club. Cortadas con láser en el diseño están las palabras Cultura, Familia y Diversidad, que representan los valores del club. El cuadro entre las ruedas trasras incluye el logotipo del Club de Liderazgo y Bicicletas Lowrider de Olathe.
Los miembros del club trabajan en la personalización de los detalles de la bicicleta lowrider.
La cultura lowrider
Los autos y bicicletas lowrider son tan únicos como el artista o artistas que los personalizaron. El lowrider no solo sirve como una representación del artista, sino de su comunidad y cultura. Lowriding en el área metropolitana de Kansas City se remonta a la década de 1950. Las crecientes poblaciones mexicoamericanas y latinas, los clubes de automóviles y los espectáculos, también conocidos como “Show N ‘Shines”, han aumentado la popularidad del lowriding en el área. En 1995, la revista nacional Lowrider celebró una competencia de lowriding en Kansas City, Missouri. En 1996, la revista incluyó a Kansas City como una de sus 15 paradas en su gira del 20 aniversario. Desde entonces, el número de espectáculos ha seguido creciendo, y los clubes lowrider participan en eventos culturales y comunitarios en toda el área metropolitana.
La cultura lowrider surgió en las comunidades chicanas de California y Texas después de la Segunda Guerra Mundial como una forma de expresión personal y cultural, y ayudo a crear un sentido de comunidad. Los chicanos modificaron artísticamente sus vehículos con varios acentos decorativos que incluyen volantes de cromo, tapizado de terciopelo, suspensiones hidráulicas, trabajos de pintura vívidos y murales. Estos vehículos conducían bajo y lentamente mientras los lowriders recorrían vecindarios para que adultos y niños admiraran y se conectaran con representaciones visuales de la cultura mexicoamericana. Los jóvenes chicanos querían tener autos como sus padres, hermanos o vecinos, y comenzaron a personalizar sus bicicletas para que parecieran autos lowrider. Ésta es la razón por la que muchas bicicletas cuentan con piezas icónicas de automóviles lowrider, como volantes cromados, tubos de escape y antenas.
“Lo que el Club de Bicicletas Lowrider significa para mí es familia. Es lo más importante para mí. Es mi segunda familia. Estoy muy agradecida por ellos porque me enseñaron tantas cosas a lo largo de estos dos años que he estado aquí. Estamos mostrando cultura. No importa si no eres exactamente de donde esa cultura se basó … queremos mostrar a las personas que vienen a visitar el Museo del Condado de Johnson sobre la cultura y el arte, y cuánto tiempo hemos pasado juntos para construir esta bicicleta”.
-Stephanie García Ríos, estudiante parte del Club de Liderazgo y Bicicletas Lowrider de Olathe
La cultura lowrider toma prestado y se mezcla con los pachucos o “zoot suiters” cuyo estilo extravagante también se popularizó después de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. “Lowriding” fue criminalizado en muchas áreas de los Estados Unidos debido a la creciente politización de la identidad chicana en la era de la posguerra. Se prohibieron ciertas modificaciones de automóviles y se establecieron zonas no transitables para restringir las áreas donde los lowriders podían conducir. Esto causó tensión con los departamentos de policía locales, que apuntaron a los lowriders latinos y negros. El Movimiento Chicano de la década de 1960 tenía como objetivo redefinir el lugar de los mexicoamericanos en los Estados Unidos, lo que incluía desafiar las prácticas discriminatorias y la violencia que enfrentaban. Hoy, sin embargo, el Club de Liderazgo y Bicicletas Lowrider de Olathe se asocia estrechamente con el Departamento de Policía de Olathe ya que ofrece recursos y tutoría a los estudiantes del club.
Un nuevo artefacto
La nueva bicicleta lowrider estará en exposición en la exhibición “BecomingJohnson County” apartir del 5 de octubre, ¡pasen a verla! El objetivo del Museo es garantizar que la gama de experiencias latinas en el Condado de Johnson, Kansas y los Estados Unidos estén representadas en nuestras exhibiciones y colecciones. La bicicleta será una pieza central de la Iniciativa de Coleccionismo Latino del museo, que el museo lanzó hace tres años como parte de su esfuerzo estratégico para conectarse con la histórica y creciente comunidad latina del Condado de Johnson. Con más de 200 años de historia en esta región el personal del museo reconoce que la comunidad latina del condado no está resentada en nuestras exhibiciones y en nuestra colección. A través de la Iniciativa de Coleccionismo Latino y la confianza que la comunidad deposita en el museo, esperamos contar una historia más completa e inclusiva. El museo está encantado de decir que la comunidad está ayudando a cambiar eso. El museo tiene el honor de asociarse con el Club de Liderazgo y Bicicletas Lowrider de Olathe para exhibir esta bicicleta personalizada. Esperamos que este artefacto inspire a la comunidad latina del Condado de Johnson a continuar compartiendo historias con el museo que los representen a sí mismos, a sus familias y a su comunidad.
Jessica Sapien es estudiante de maestría con énfasis en Historia Pública de UMKC. Se encuentra en su segundo año de la pasantía profesional del Museo Emergente en el Museo del Condado de Johnson. La experiencia de la pasantía cuenta con el generoso apoyo del Carter Community Memorial Trust, UMB Bank, n.a., Fideicomisario; Geraldine and R A Barrows Foundation, UMB Bank, n.a., Fideicomisario; JE Dunn; y los Amigos del Museo del Condado de Johnson.
Guest written by Anne Jones, Curator of Collections
During our national accreditation process, we learned that the public values learning about the professional practices and standards we maintain as a field. This not only contributes to the high level of trust the public has in the museums, it is also fun. So, today we’re pulling back the curtain on just how we manage the museum’s collections with the Johnson County Museum’s Curator of Collections, Anne Jones.
The Johnson County Museum’s collections staff’s obligation is to collect, preserve, and share the collections with the public. That includes a lot of hands-on work, but also specialty software that helps us track and link information associated with the Museum’s 20,800 objects (and their associated images), 39,000 plus historical photographs, 157 archival collections, and 975 title reference library.
In March 2023, the Johnson County Museum purchased Collector Systems LLC, a cloud-based collections management software program. With this purchase, collections staff are in the process of transferring all of those individual records from the current collection software to the new cloud-based program. Project staff include collections manager Liz Lumpkin, Emerging Museum Professional intern Jessica Sapien, a small group of trained and dedicated museum volunteers, and me.
Collections Manager Liz Lumpkin and Emerging Museum Professional Intern Jessica Sapien reviewing historical photographs in the Museum’s collection storage room after updating their database information.
Migrating 70,000 plus collection records from one database to another can be a slow and tedious process. But fortunately, it is also a good time for staff to review and clean up current data (i.e. remove duplicate records, correct spelling errors, etc.). Since March, project staff and volunteers have focused on two categories within the current database that needed attention:
Object and photograph titles
People biographies
Adding a concise and accurate title to each object and photograph does not involve research, but it does require the use of consistent terminology. For example, of the 39,000 images in the photograph database, 9,213 were taken between 1990 and 2009 as part of the Historic Preservation Survey. These images represent structures (houses, barns, etc.) that were built in Johnson County before 1950. Adding consistent terminology to the title of each image will enable users to conduct searches for specific buildings in specific areas of the county. Using the search parameters “House” and “Roeland Park” will produce a complete list of houses in Roeland Park that were photographed for the survey. Any records that might have used “Home” instead of “House” when the data was originally entered would not come up in that search, and a simple misspelling of the “Roeland” name could leave out search results as well.
An example of the collection database software the Museum currently uses, showing a record for a historic preservation photo from the 1990s.
The biographies category represents the most extensive clean up challenge as it involves correcting spelling errors, removing duplicate records, and ensuring consistency in how names are entered. Prior to this effort, the current database included over 22,400 individual name records mainly associated with the photograph collection. As this part of the cleanup comes to an end, that number has decreased to 19,321 names, as staff has removed over 3,000 duplicate records including those where the individuals were listed as “unknown.”
The second step involves connecting people to objects and images. With the help of Ancestry.com, staff reviewed or created family trees to provide more in-depth biographical information, including women’s original last names when they can be found. For example, in 1994, Merriam resident Margaret Frazier donated objects and photographs associated with the death of her brother Henry Miller, Jr., whose plane was shot down over the Pacific in 1945. She was listed in the current database as Margaret Frazier, but, in the new database, she will be listed by her full name, Edith Margaret Miller – Frazier. That new record will also include the full names of her husband, her parents, and her children, along with birth and death dates if known.
A collection database record for Edith Miller – Frazier, a donor of nearly 30 items in the Museum’s collection. Updating her name and biographical and genealogical information can help make connections to other collection items and parts of Johnson County’s history.
Project staff anticipate that the records and images in the current database will be migrated over to the new software by the end of the year. In addition to data cleanup, all physical records associated with the collections – donor forms, condition and conservation reports, and written histories – will be scanned and attached to the appropriate object/photograph record, resulting in a more complete picture of the collections owned by the Museum.
Ultimately, the cloud-based program will improve collections access for staff. Through a cohesive metadata strategy, attention to detail, and user-friendly software, the museum’s educators, exhibit makers, and engagement teams will bring the collections to the public in meaningful and engaging ways.
You can access much of the Museum’s photograph collections and other materials, such as maps, newspapers, and historical newsletters, by going to www.jocohistory.org. You can support the Museum’s collections work and other work the Museum does by becoming a Museum Member. Visit www.jcprd.com/Museum to learn how!
Johnson County Park and Recreation District’s (JCPRD) Meadowbrook Park in Prairie Village, Kansas – a beautiful (and popular) park that opened in Prairie Village in 2019 – sits on 80 acres with a very long and rich long history. A new History in the Parks interpretive marker, installed just outside the park clubhouse, shares the area’s history. This month’s blog post recounts some of the riveting history of the land that became Meadowbrook Park.
A present-day view of Meadowbrook Park with the new Clubhouse and rebuilt spillways. JCPRD
Native Lands
For generations the area that is now Prairie Village was part of the communally held ancestral hunting territory of the Kanza and Osage tribes. In the 1820s, the federal government removed the Kanza and Osage people to reservations elsewhere in what is now Kansas. The government then removed the Shawnee from their ancestral territory and placed them on a reservation that spanned modern-day Johnson County until 1854. Congress then formed the Kansas Territory and again removed the Shawnee. The influence of Indigenous people and cultures remains today in the names of streets, parks, and geographical features throughout the county.
Family Farms
After Congress created Kansas Territory in 1854, Euro-Americans migrated to the area and purchased land on which to live and farm. These migrants brought with them ideas of individual land ownership that directly opposed Indigenous peoples’ belief in communal land use. Rolling prairies and forested streamways soon became agricultural fields and grazing pastures. Farmers raised dairy cows, operated truck gardens for large scale vegetable cultivation, and grew row crops such as corn and wheat.
The Porter family operated a farm near here for decades, as did the Lewis and Nall families – some for more than 75 years. Johnson County Museum
Around 1900, Col. James developed the Meadow Brook Stock Farm near here and began breeding Shorthorn cattle, hogs, and mules. Although the exact origin of the area’s name is unknown, it is possible that James’ farm and the park today are named for one of the many creeks that once crisscrossed the area.
The Gentleman’s Farm
In the early 20th century, gentleman’s farms took the place of some working farms in Johnson County. These were large leisure estates owned by Kansas City’s business elite. In this area, R.L. Nafziger, founder of bakeries today operated by Hostess Brands, purchased land near 83rd and Mission Road for the Mission Valley Hunt Club. There he built a clubhouse, foxhunting dog kennels, and polo fields. Nafziger also built a country house, “Somerset Place.” The pillars that once marked the entrance of his country house still stand less than a mile from here, in Prairie Village’s Franklin Park. Herbert Woolf of Woolf Brothers, a regional clothing store chain, also purchased acreage and built horse stables and a racetrack near 79th and Mission called Woolford Farm. Woolf bred racing horses, including Lawrin, the only Kansas-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby (1938).
Herbert Woolf with his horse, Lawrin, and jockey Eddie Arcaro after winning the Kentucky Derby in 1938. Johnson County Museum
Building Middle-Class Suburbia
In 1914, J.C. Nichols began developing residential neighborhoods in northeastern Johnson County. Unlike the streetcar suburbs that other developers built in Merriam and Overland Park, Nichols’ sprawling suburban developments were designed for automobiles. By the 1940s, the J.C. Nichols Company was known for Mission Hills, the Country Club District, and other neighborhoods Nichols promoted as “high class residential districts” on both sides of the state line.
The suburbs became affordable to more Americans during the Great Depression. A government mortgage program from the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) began offering favorable lending terms for the first time. Terms included low money down, low monthly payments, and longer loan periods. The program was generally open only to white homebuyers until the Fair Housing Act passed in 1968. Nichols’ Prairie Village development, started in 1941 and finished after World War II, was filled with homes that qualified for FHA mortgages. Most included deed restrictions against African American ownership, as had all of Nichols’ developments for decades. Census records show Prairie Village’s population has remained more than 94% white through 2020.
This aerial view of Prairie Village, Kansas from the 1940s shows changing farmland to residential subdivisions. Johnson County Museum
An Open Membership Country Club
At the same time that Nichols and others were developing suburban communities near Prairie Village, members of Kansas City, Missouri’s Jewish community were moving to the Kansas suburbs. They brought with them places of worship, clubs, hospitals, and social organizations. As the community relocated, Paul Berman and a group of Jewish businessmen created a leisure space on the land where you are standing called the Meadowbrook Golf and Country Club.
When it opened in 1954, Meadowbrook Golf and Country Club had an open membership policy that permitted Jewish members. Only one other club in the Kansas City metro allowed Jewish membership at the time. Meadowbrook’s open membership attracted hundreds of members and, eventually, new residents to the surrounding neighborhoods. By the end of the century, membership declined and attempts were made to sell the golf course and redevelop the property. Meadowbrook Golf and Country Club closed in October 2014.
At Meadowbrook Park, visitors can also see an installation by JCPRD’s Public Art Program, “Gateway,” by Amie Jacobsen. It is a 12-foot-tall Kansas sunflower that features illustrated panels representing the history of Meadowbrook Park and the Prairie Village area. The piece was installed in October 2022. JCPRD
Creating a Public Green Space
Meadowbrook Park is the product of a unique public-private partnership. VanTrust, a real estate development firm, purchased the 135-acre Meadowbrook property. Johnson County Park and Recreation District (JCPRD) had an interest in creating parkland in northeastern Johnson County. Together with the City of Prairie Village, the public and private partners made it possible to devote 80 acres – 60% of the total land – to public green space. The creation of a TIF district (tax increment financing) helped fund the park using future property tax revenues. The 1974 golf clubhouse was replaced with a new facility and the spillways were reconstructed. Meadowbrook Park opened to the public in June 2019, and the innovative partnership that led to its creation has served as a model for other projects across the nation.
Learn More!
You can learn more by visiting Meadowbrook Park to view the interpretive marker installed there. The marker is part of JCPRD’s History in the Parks (HIP) marker series, a collaborative project between the Parks and Golf Courses Division and the Johnson County Museum, part of the Culture Division of JCPRD. Similar markers about local history have already been placed in Shawnee Mission Park at Barkley Plaza, at Verhaeghe Park, Big Bull Creek Park, and others are underway. To learn even more about Johnson County’s history, visit the Johnson County Museum at 8788 Metcalf Ave in Overland Park – open Monday through Saturday, 9am to 4:30pm. Plan your visit at jcprd.com/Museum.
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