Top stories
Olathe, Kansas
USINFO | 2013-12-18 19:31
Olathe is a city in and is the county seat of Johnson County,Kansas, United States. Located in northeastern Kansas, it is also the fifth most populous city in the state, with a population of 125,872 at the 2010 census. Olathe is the fourth-largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. It is bordered by the cities of Lenexa to the north, Overland Park to the east, and Gardner to the southwest. In 2008, the US Census Bureau ranked Olathe the 24th fastest-growing city in the nation. The same year, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Olathe #11 on its list of the "100 Best Cities to Live in the United States."
History
19th century
Olathe was founded by Dr. John T. Barton in the spring of 1857. He rode to the center ofJohnson County, Kansas, and staked two quarter sections of land as the town site. He later described his ride to friends: "the prairie was covered with verbena and other wild flowers. I kept thinking the land was beautiful and that I should name the town Beautiful." Purportedly, Barton asked a Shawnee interpreter how to say "Beautiful" in his native language. The interpreter responded, "Olathe."
Olathe was not the first city established in Johnson County, but it quickly became the largest and was named the county seat in October 1859. The city's early days were filled with violence, as pro-slavery forces from nearby Missouri often clashed with localabolitionists. These conflicts were known on a large scale as Bleeding Kansas.
As the 1850s came to a close, and as Kansas entered the Union as a free state in 1861, the violence lessened. However, a year later Confederate guerrillas from Missouri led byWilliam Quantrill surprised the residents and raided the city on September 7, 1862, killing a half dozen men, robbing numerous businesses and private homes, and destroying most of the city. Quantrill launched the raid because the people of Olathe were known for their abolitionism. Throughout the Civil War a military post operated in Olathe. The post probably was established in 1861 and was located on the public square on which the Johnson County Courthouse has sat since that time. In March 1862 one company of troops were known to have been stationed there. When Quantrill raided Olathe on September 6, 1862, more than 125 Union soldiers, almost all of them recruits, were there. These surrendered to Quantrill and were compelled by Quantrill to take an oath forbidding them from taking up arms against the Confederacy. It was decided in November the recruits and soldiers in Olathe could not be compelled to obey oaths extracted by guerrillas, as such forces were not recognized as legitimate enemy military units.
Kansas militia occupied the Olathe military post through much of the Civil War and Army troops were there much of the time, as well. Twice more Olathe was threatened by Confederates. On August 20–21, 1863, Quantrill again passed through the area when he raided Lawrence, Kansas. (See Lawrence Massacre for more on this.) Many Union troops on those two days moved into and out of Olathe. The second time was on October 24-5, 1864, when Conferate Maj. Gen. Sterling Price and a force of 10,000 men passed the area on their retreat south.(SeePrice's Raid for more about this.)
The military post existed beyond the end of the Civil War, being deactivated probably in August 1865.
Olathe served as a stop on the Oregon Trail, the California Trail, and the Santa Fe Trail. 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 participate a Civil War re-enactment, Wild West Days, and other activities there.
After the construction of the transcontinental railroad, 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 system and, more directly, I-35, linked Olathe directly to nearby Kansas City. The result was tremendous residential growth as Olathe became a part of the Kansas City Metro Area. In the 1980s, Olathe experienced tremendous commercial growth, which also drew more residents. It is estimated that Olathe's population surpassed 100,000 in 2001, and current projections show Olathe's growth continuing as the city expands into the farm fields south, west and north of town.
Geography
Olathe is located at 38°52′51″N 94°48′11″W. 2003 Orthophoto Aerial According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 60.42 square miles (156.49 km2), of which, 59.66 square miles (154.52 km2) is land and 0.76 square miles (1.97 km2) is water.Olathe has two public lakes: Lake Olathe with 172 acres (0.70 km2) of water surface and Cedar Lake with 45 acres (0.18 km2).
Olathe's Black Bob Park is named after Hathawekela Shawnee Chief Black Bob.
Climate
Olathe has a humid-continental climate, with cold to mild winters and hot summers. Temperatures range from an average high of 39 °F (4 °C)and low 20 °F (−7 °C) in January to an average high of nearly 90 °F (32 °C) in July. The temperature reaches 90 °F (32 °C) an average of 36 days per year and 100 °F (38 °C) 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 10 °F (−12 °C). 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 40 inches (1,000 mm) 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 anywhere from 28 to almost 53 inches. There are on average 95 days of measurable precipitation per year. Winter snowfall averages about 19 inches, but the median is 13 inches (330 mm). 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.
Economy
Olathe's commercial and industrial parks are home to many companies, including Honeywell, Husqvarna, ALDI, Garmin, Grundfos, andFarmers Insurance Group. Although Farmers Insurance is based in Los Angeles California, Olathe has more Farmers employees than any other city in the United States.
The Federal Aviation Administration, a child agency of the United States Department of Transportation, administers and maintains an Air Route Traffic Control Center in Olathe, designated Kansas City Center or ZKC. Kansas City Center is one of 20 regional Air Route Traffic Control Centers that cover United States airspace. Johnson County maintains an airport in Olathe, Johnson County Executive Airport, which is located on about 500 acres (2.0 km2) 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.
Education
The city of Olathe is served by the Olathe School District and Blue Valley School District. As of 2008, there are 26,894 students enrolled in the Olathe School District. The Olathe School District has 34 elementary schools, 9 middle schools, and 4 high schools: Olathe North,Olathe South, Olathe East, and Olathe Northwest.
Olathe is the home of MidAmerica Nazarene University and the Kansas State School For the Deaf (established in 1866).
