Olathe ( ) is the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...
of
Johnson County, Kansas, United States.
It is the
fourth-most populous city in both the
Kansas City metropolitan area
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more th ...
and the state of
Kansas
Kansas () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its Capital city, capital is Topeka, Kansas, Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita, Kansas, Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebras ...
, with a
2020 population of 141,290.
History
19th century
Olathe was founded by John T. Barton in the spring of 1857. He rode to the center of Johnson County, and staked two quarter sections of land as the town site. He later described his ride to friends: "...the prairie was covered with
verbena
''Verbena'' (), also known as vervain or verveine, is a genus in the family Verbenaceae. It contains about 150 species of annual and perennial herbaceous or semi-woody flowering plants. The majority of the species are native to the Americas a ...
and other wild flowers. I kept thinking the land was beautiful and that I should name the town Beautiful." Purportedly, Barton asked a
Shawnee
The Shawnee are an Algonquian-speaking indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands. In the 17th century they lived in Pennsylvania, and in the 18th century they were in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, with some bands in Kentucky a ...
interpreter how to say "Beautiful" in his native language. The interpreter responded, "Olathe."
Olathe was incorporated in 1857, and while not the first city in Johnson County, its rapid growth led to it being named the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...
in October 1859.
Rising tensions across the nation over the issue of
slavery
Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
led to numerous clashes between
abolitionist settlers and neighboring slave state
Missouri
Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
. These clashes further escalated and become a part of the greater conflict known as
Bleeding Kansas. With the admission of Kansas into the Union as a
free state in 1861, violence began to dissipate. Peace continued to elude Olathe for many years to come, however. In 1861, Union officials and local military forces created a military post in the city. It housed one company of troops along with the local militia.
On September 6, 1862,
William Quantrill led a surprise raid of guerrilla
Confederates against the city, which resulted in a half dozen deaths and the destruction of most of the city. Quantrill captured the outpost and tried forcing the men to swear an oath to the Confederacy. The oath was deemed invalid in November 1862, since the guerrillas were not considered legitimate enemy military units. Kansas militia continued to occupy the Olathe military post through the rest of the
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...
.
Confederate forces attempted two further raids against the city. The first happened on August 20–21, 1863, as Quantrill was passing through on his way to
Lawrence, Kansas (see
Lawrence Massacre). The second raid occurred October 24–5, 1864, when Confederate
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
Sterling Price, with a force of 10,000 men, passed through on their retreat south (see
Price's Raid
Price's Missouri Expedition (August 29 – December 2, 1864), also known as Price's Raid or Price's Missouri Raid, was an unsuccessful Confederate cavalry raid through Arkansas, Missouri, and Kansas in the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the ...
). With the Confederate surrender, the military post was decommissioned in August 1865.
Olathe served as a stop on the
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail was a east–west, large-wheeled wagon route and emigrant trail in the United States that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon. The eastern part of the Oregon Trail spanned part of what is now the state of Kans ...
, the
California Trail
The California Trail was an emigrant trail of about across the western half of the North American continent from Missouri River towns to what is now the state of California. After it was established, the first half of the California Trail f ...
, and the
Santa Fe Trail
The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century route through central North America that connected Franklin, Missouri, with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1821 by William Becknell, who departed from the Boonslick region along the Missouri River, ...
. Catering to travelers was the main source of income for local stores and businesses. The
Mahaffie House, a popular resupply point for wagons headed westward, is today a registered historical site maintained by the City of Olathe. The staff wears period costumes, and stagecoach rides and farm animals make the site a favorite among children. Visitors can participate in Civil War re-enactments, Wild West Days, and other activities.
After the construction of the
transcontinental railroad
A transcontinental railroad or transcontinental railway is contiguous railroad trackage, that crosses a continental land mass and has terminals at different oceans or continental borders. Such networks can be via the tracks of either a single ...
, the trails to the west lost importance, and Olathe faded into obscurity and remained a small, sleepy prairie town.
20th century
In the 1950s, the construction of the
interstate highway
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. T ...
system and, more directly,
Interstate 35
Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexican borde ...
, linked Olathe to nearby
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the List of United States cities by populat ...
. The result was tremendous residential growth as Olathe became a part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. In the 1980s, Olathe experienced tremendous commercial growth, which also drew more residents. Olathe's population is estimated to have surpassed 100,000 in 2001, and later projections showed Olathe's growth continuing as the city expanded into the farm fields south, west, and north of town.
21st century
In 2008, the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
ranked Olathe the 24th-fastest growing city in the nation. The same year,
CNN and ''
Money
Money is any item or verifiable record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular country or socio-economic context. The primary functions which distinguish money ar ...
'' ranked Olathe number 11 on its list of the "100 Best Cities to Live in the United States."
Despite efforts by preservationists, Olathe city officials committed to upscale apartment development and county government expansion projects have fast-tracked demolition of 19th-century historic homes and neighborhoods, including the Hubbard House, a Greek Revival landmark built in 1887 by an early Olathe surveyor, which was demolished in January 2018 despite a petition signed by more than 6,000 local residents. Artifacts from the home, including a grandfather clock and clawfoot tub, were retained for display in a future apartment clubhouse.
Geography
Olathe is bordered by the cities of
Lenexa to the north,
Overland Park
Overland Park ( ) is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas. Located in Johnson County, Kansas, it is one of four principal cities in the Kansas City metropolitan area and the most populous suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. ...
to the east,
De Soto De Soto commonly refers to
* Hernando de Soto (c. 1495 – 1542), Spanish explorer
* DeSoto (automobile), an American automobile brand from 1928 to 1961
De Soto, DeSoto, Desoto, or de Soto may also refer to:
Places in the United States of Ameri ...
to the northwest, and
Gardner to the southwest.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
, the city has a total area of of which are land and is covered by water.
Olathe has two public lakes: Lake Olathe with of water surface and Cedar Lake with .
Olathe's Black Bob Park is named after
Hathawekela Shawnee
The Shawnee are an Algonquian-speaking indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands. In the 17th century they lived in Pennsylvania, and in the 18th century they were in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, with some bands in Kentucky a ...
Chief
Black Bob.
Climate
Olathe has a humid continental climate, with cold winters and hot summers. Temperatures range from an average high of and low in January to an average high of nearly in July. The temperature reaches an average of 36 days per year and an average of 3 days per year. The minimum temperature falls below freezing (32 °F) an average of 102 days per year, but rarely drops below . Typically, the first frost occurs between mid-October and the first week of November, and the last frost occurs between the end of March and the second week of April.
The area receives about of precipitation during an average year, with the largest share being received in May and June—the April–June period averages 30 days of measurable precipitation. During a typical year, the total amount of precipitation may be 28 to almost 53 inches. On average, 95 days of measurable precipitation occur per year. Winter snowfall averages about 19 inches, but the median is . Measurable snowfall occurs an average of 9 days per year, with at least an inch of snow being received on seven of those days. Snow depth of at least an inch occurs an average of 25 days per year.
Demographics
2000 census
As of the
census of 2000,
92,962 people, 32,314 households, and 24,623 families were residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was 1,716.4 people per square mile (662.7/km). The 33,343 housing units averaged of 615.6 per square mile (237.7/km). The racial makeup of the city was 88.63% White, 3.70% African American, 0.43% Native American, 2.74% Asian, 2.69% from other races, and 1.80% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 5.44% of the population; 26.1% were of
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
, 11.0%
Irish, 10.7%
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ...
, and 9.6%
American ancestry
American ancestry refers to people in the United States who self-identify their ancestral origin or descent as "American," rather than the more common officially recognized racial and ethnic groups that make up the bulk of the American peo ...
.
Of the 32,314 households, 45.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.8% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.8% were not families. About 18.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83, and the average family size was 3.24.
In the city, age distribution was 30.8% under 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 36.7% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 5.2% who were 65 or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.1 males.
2010 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2010, 125,872 people, 44,507 households, and 33,274 families were residing in the city.
The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was . The 46,851 housing units had an average density of . The
racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the city was 83.1% White, 5.3% African American, 0.4% Native American, 4.1% Asian, 4.2% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 10.2% of the population.
Of the 44,507 households, 44.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.9% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 25.2% were not families. About 20.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.80, and the average family size was 3.24.
The median age in the city was 32.9 years; 30% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.5% were between 18 and 24; 32.1% were from 25 to 44; 23.1% were from 45 to 64; and 7.2% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.5% male and 50.5% female.
Economy
Olathe's commercial and industrial parks are home to many companies, including
Honeywell
Honeywell International Inc. is an American publicly traded, multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. It primarily operates in four areas of business: aerospace, building technologies, performance ma ...
,
Husqvarna,
ALDI
Aldi (stylised as ALDI) is the common company brand name of two German multinational family-owned discount supermarket chains operating over 10,000 stores in 20 countries. The chain was founded by brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht in 1946, when ...
,
Garmin
Garmin Ltd. (shortened to Garmin, stylized as GARMIN, and formerly known as ProNav) is an American, Swiss-domiciled multinational technology company founded in 1989 by Gary Burrell and Min Kao in Lenexa, Kansas, United States, with headquarte ...
,
Grundfos
Grundfos () is the largest pump manufacturer in the world, based in Denmark, with more than 19,000 employees globally.
The annual production of more than 16 million pump units, circulator pumps (UP), submersible pumps (SP), and centrifugal pumps ...
, and
Farmers Insurance Group
Farmers Insurance Group (informally Farmers) is an American insurer group of vehicles, homes and small businesses and also provides other insurance and financial services products. Farmers Insurance has more than 48,000 exclusive and independen ...
. Although Farmers Insurance is based in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
, California, Olathe has more of its employees than any other city in the United States.
The
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic ...
, a agency of the
United States Department of Transportation
The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT or DOT) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It is headed by the secretary of transportation, who reports directly to the President of the United States and ...
, administers and maintains an
air traffic-control center in Olathe, designated Kansas City Center or ZKC. Kansas City Center is one of 20 regional traffic-control centers that cover United States airspace. Johnson County maintains an airport in Olathe,
Johnson County Executive Airport
Johnson County Executive Airport is a public airport located four miles (6 km) southeast of the central business district (CBD) of Olathe, a city in Johnson County, Kansas, United States. Measured by number of aircraft operations, the fa ...
, which is located on about of land with a 4,100-ft (1250-m) runway, parallel taxiways, and a federal contract air traffic-control tower. The airport is the second-busiest in the state.
Largest employers
According to the city's 2015 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,
the largest employers in the city are:
Education
The city of Olathe is served by the
DeSoto, the
Olathe, Spring Hill, and
Blue Valley School District
Blue Valley USD 229 is a public unified school district headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, United States. Located in east central and southeast Johnson County, Kansas, covering of Overland Park including parts of Leawood and Stilwell, a ...
s. As of 2008, 26,894 students are enrolled in the Olathe School District. The Olathe School District has 36 elementary schools, 10 middle schools, and five high schools:
Olathe North,
Olathe South,
Olathe East,
Olathe Northwest, and
Olathe West.
Olathe is the home of
MidAmerica Nazarene University and the
Kansas State School For the Deaf
The Kansas School For the Deaf, is a K-12 school, located in downtown Olathe, Kansas. In 1866, it became the first school for the deaf established in the state of Kansas, and today it remains the largest. Originally named the "Asylum for the Deaf a ...
(established in 1861).
Infrastructure
Airports
Olathe is served by:
*
Johnson County Executive Airport
Johnson County Executive Airport is a public airport located four miles (6 km) southeast of the central business district (CBD) of Olathe, a city in Johnson County, Kansas, United States. Measured by number of aircraft operations, the fa ...
*
New Century AirCenter
The closest airport with
airline
An airline is a company that provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines use aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for codeshare agreements, in wh ...
service is
Kansas City International Airport
Kansas City International Airport (originally Mid-Continent International Airport) is a public airport in Kansas City, Missouri located northwest of Downtown Kansas City in Platte County, Missouri., effective December 30, 2021. The airport ...
in
Platte County, Missouri
Platte County is a county located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of Missouri and is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the population was 106,718. Its county seat is Platte City. The county was org ...
.
Transportation
*
Johnson County Transit operates a bus system throughout the county, including Olathe.
Notable people
Willie Aames (born Albert William Upton) is an American actor,
film
A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmospher ...
and
television director
A television director is in charge of the activities involved in making a television program or section of a program. They are generally responsible for decisions about the editorial content and creative style of a program, and ensuring the prod ...
,
television producer
A television producer is a person who oversees one or more aspects of video production on a television program. Some producers take more of an executive role, in that they conceive new programs and pitch them to the television networks, but upon ...
, and
screenwriter
A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based.
...
. Aames is well known for playing Tommy Bradford on the 1970s television series ''
Eight Is Enough
''Eight Is Enough'' is an American television comedy-drama series that ran on ABC from March 15, 1977, until May 23, 1981. The show was modeled on the life of syndicated newspaper columnist Tom Braden, a real-life parent with eight children, who ...
'', Buddy Lembeck on the 1980s series ''
Charles in Charge
''Charles in Charge'' is an American sitcom television series that premiered on October 3, 1984, on CBS. The series was a production of Al Burton Productions and Scholastic Productions in association with Universal Television and starred Scott ...
'', and ''
Bibleman
''Bibleman'' is an American Christian-themed direct-to-video children's series created by Tony Salerno that ran from 1995 to 2010 to promote Christianity. The series centers around an evangelical superhero who fights evil, often by quoting scr ...
''.
John Anderson, Jr., was the
36th governor of Kansas
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
from 1961 until 1965. He was born near Olathe.
Earl Browder
Earl Russell Browder (May 20, 1891 – June 27, 1973) was an American politician, communist activist and leader of the Communist Party USA (CPUSA). Browder was the General Secretary of the CPUSA during the 1930s and first half of the 1940s.
Durin ...
, a prominent leader in the American
Communist
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, ...
movement, served as chairman of the
National Committee of the Communist Party USA from 1934 to 1945. He was also the Communist Party USA's candidate for president in the
1936
Events
January–February
* January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...
and
1940 presidential elections.
Jonathan Quinn
Jonathan Ryan Quinn (born February 27, 1975) is an American football coach and former player. He played professionally as a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs and Chicago Bears. He w ...
is a former head football coach (2009-2013) for the
MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers football team. Quinn played for the NFL
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The t ...
and
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine ...
, and
Berlin Thunder
The Berlin Thunder were a professional American football team in NFL Europe.
History
The Thunder came into existence as an expansion team, after the London/England Monarchs franchise shut down operations, prior to the 1999 season. Home games f ...
of
NFL Europe
NFL Europe League (simply called NFL Europe and known in its final season as NFL Europa League) was a professional American football league that functioned as the developmental minor league of the National Football League (NFL). Originally ...
.
Darren Sproles is a former
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback to rush the ball, to line up as a receiver to catch the ball,
and block. Th ...
in the
NFL, who played for the
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
,
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
, and
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
. He was drafted by the Chargers in the fourth round of the
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24, 2005. The league also he ...
. He was a three-time Pro Bowler (2014-2016), a three-time First-team All-Pro (2011, 2014, 2015), and won
Super Bowl LII
Super Bowl LII was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2017 season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Philadelphia Eagles defeated the American Football Conferen ...
with the Philadelphia Eagles. He played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football in the United States, American football rules first gained populari ...
at
Kansas State University
Kansas State University (KSU, Kansas State, or K-State) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Manhattan, Kansas, United States. It was opened as the state's land-grant college in 1863 and was the first public inst ...
, and high school football at
Olathe North High School
Olathe North High School is a public high school located in Olathe, Kansas, United States, serving students in grades 9-12. The school is one of five high schools in the Olathe USD 233 school district. The school colors are red and royal blue a ...
. Sproles retired as a player after the 2019 season, but still works in the NFL as an executive.
Buddy Rogers was an American actor who played the leading role in ''
Wings
A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is expre ...
'' (1927), which won the first Academy Award for Best Picture in 1929. He was also a notable jazz musician and film producer. The actor was married to film legend
Mary Pickford
Gladys Marie Smith (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979), known professionally as Mary Pickford, was a Canadian-American stage and screen actress and producer with a career that spanned five decades. A pioneer in the US film industry, she co-founde ...
and won an honorary Oscar in 1986.
References
Further reading
External links
City of OlatheOlathe - Directory of Public OfficialsOlathe City Map KDOT
{{Authority control
Olathe, Kansas
Cities in Kansas
County seats in Kansas
Cities in Johnson County, Kansas
Cities in Kansas City metropolitan area
Bleeding Kansas
Populated places established in 1857
Olathe's post
Olathe's post
1857 establishments in Kansas Territory