Olathe, Kansas

Olathe is a large suburb of Kansas City and located in Johnson County, Kansas. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 92,962. But a July 1, 2002 estimate put this city's population at 101,413, making it the fifth largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Johnson County{{GR|6}}.

History

Olathe was founded by Dr. John T. Barton in the Spring of 1857. He rode to the center of Johnson County, Kansas and staked two quarter sections of land as the town site.

Related Topics:
Dr. John T. Barton - 1857 - Johnson County, Kansas

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He later described his ride to friends. "..he 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, Dr. Barton asked a Shawnee interpreter how to say "Beautiful" in his native language. The interpreter responded, "Olathe".

Related Topics:
Verbena - Shawnee

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Confederate guerillas from Missouri led by William Quantrill raided the city on September 7th, 1862, killing a half dozen men, robbing numerous businesses and private homes, and destroying most of the city in the process. Olathe was site to one of Quantrill?s raids because the people of Olathe were known for their staunch abolitionist stance.

Related Topics:
Confederate - Missouri - William Quantrill - September 7th - 1862 - Abolitionist

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Olathe served as a stop on the Oregon Trail, the California Trail, and the Santa Fe Trail. The Mahaffie House was a popular resupply point for wagons headed westward.

Related Topics:
Oregon Trail - California Trail - Santa Fe Trail - Mahaffie House

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After the construction of the transcontinental railroad, Olathe faded back into obscurity, and remained a small, sleepy prairie town until the 1950s. With the construction of the Interstate Highway system and, more directly, I-35, Olathe began an economic boom that accelerated in the 1980s and shows no sign of stopping today.

Related Topics:
Transcontinental railroad - 1950s - Interstate Highway - I-35 - 1980s

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