Community Links

Kansas is historically an agricultural state. Manufacturing and services have surpassed agriculture as income producers, but farming is still important to the state's economy, and Kansas follows only Texas and Montana in total agricultural acreage. The nation's top wheat grower, Kansas is also a leading producer of grain sorghum and corn. Hay, soybeans, and sunflowers are also major crops. Cattle and calves, however, constitute the single most valuable agricultural item. Meatpacking and dairy industries are major economic activities, and the Kansas City stockyards are among the nation's largest. Food processing ranked as the state's third largest industry in the 1990s.

The two leading industries are the manufacture of transportation equipment and industrial and computer machinery. Wichita is a center of the aircraft industry, producing chiefly private planes. Other important manufactures are petroleum and coal products and nonelectrical machinery. The state is a major producer of crude petroleum and has large reserves of natural gas and helium. Kansas was once part of a great shallow sea and has commercially valuable salt deposits.

Topeka is the capital; other important cities are Wichita (the state's largest city), Lawrence, and Kansas City (adjoining Kansas City, Mo.).  Points of historical interest include the boyhood home of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Eisenhower Library in Abilene.

Cities in Johnson County

Overland Park

Lenexa

Leawood

Shawnee

Prairie Village

Roeland Park

Olathe

Stillwell

Gardner

Springhill

Mission

Mission Hills

Westwood

Fairway

Merriam

Johnson County is nationally-recognized for the quality of education provided by six school districts and two colleges.

The Blue Valley School District, a school district of 91 square miles and more than 17,500 students, is one of the fastest growing districts in the country. In 1996, the Blue Valley School District was named first in the nation for academic excellence by Expansion Management magazine. For more information, call (913) 681-4000.

The De Soto School District, which includes the city of De Soto and parts of Shawnee, Lenexa, Bonner Springs and Olathe, covers 100 square miles in the northwest corner of Johnson County. With the philosophy that learning is a life-long process, it is little surprise that more than 85 percent of the district's 3,700 students pursue post-secondary educations and more than 60 percent of the teaching staff are actively pursuing or have earned Masters and other advanced degrees. For more information, call (913) 583-8300.

The Gardner-Edgerton School District covers 103 square miles in the southwestern corner of Johnson County. The school district takes pride in offering its 3,000 students a personalized education with an emphasis on excellence. For more information, call (913) 856-2000.

The Olathe School District, which is Kansas' fourth largest district in enrollment, offers more than 22,000 students an average pupil/teacher ratio of 17:1. Ninety percent of this award-winning district's graduating seniors continue with post-secondary schooling. For more information, call (913) 780-7000.

The Shawnee Mission School District covers 72 square miles and has a student population of nearly 30,000. Many of the district's 55 schools have been recognized for academic achievement, including Mission Valley Middle School, which was the only Kansas school to be named a Blue Ribbon school by the U.S. Department of Education for the 1995-96 school year. For more information, call (913) 993-6200.

The Spring Hill School District provides more than 1,500 students a comprehensive and personal education. With 450 computers in use in classrooms from kindergarten to grade 12, the district is distinguished by its success in integrating high-technology with the learning process. To meet the needs of a growing population, in the 1995-96 school year, the district opened both a new elementary school and a high school, as well as a new district stadium. For more information, call (913) 592-7200.

Websites for Schools

Blue Valley School District

Shawnee Mission School District

Olathe School District

Desoto School District

Gardner School District

Springhill School District

Colleges and Universities
Johnson County Community College, 12345 College Boulevard, Overland Park, provides more than 30,000 students a diverse offering of educational opportunities taught by an award-winning faculty. The college's modern campus is also home to a performing arts facility that features renowned music, theater, comedy and dance. For more information, call (913) 469-8500.

The University of Kansas Edwards Campus, 12600 Quivira Road, Overland Park, makes University of Kansas graduate programs available to Kansas City area residents. Courses are taught by faculty from KU's main campus in Lawrence. For more information, call (913) 897-8400.

Libraries

Corinth Library   (913) 967-8650
8100 Mission Road, Shawnee Mission, KS 66208

De Soto Library   (913) 583-3106
33145 West 83rd, DeSoto, KS 66018

Gardner Library   (913) 856-7223
116 E. Main, Gardner, KS 66030

Johnson County Library
8700 W 63rd Street / P. O. Box 2901, Shawnee Mission, KS 66201

Lackman Library  
15345 W. 87th St. Parkway, Lenexa, KS 66219   (913) 752-8750

Leawood Pioneer Library   (913) 344-0250
4700 Town Center Drive, Leawood, KS 66211

Oak Park Library   (913) 752-8700
9500 Bluejacket, Overland Park, KS 66214

Olathe Public Library
201 E. Park, Olathe, KS 66061

Shawnee Library   (913) 962-3800
13811 Johnson Drive, Shawnee, KS 66216

Spring Hill Library   (913) 592-3232
109 S. Webster, Spring Hill, KS 66083

Museums

Gardner Historical Museum  
204 W. Main Street, Gardner, KS 66030

Johnson County Museums   913-631-6709
6305 Lackman Road, Shawnee, KS 66217
   Includes The 1950's All-Electric House

Lanesfield School   913-893-6645
187th & Dillie Rd., Edgerton, KS 66021

Legler Barn Museum   913-492-0038
14907 West 87th Street Parkway., Lenexa, Kansas 66215-4135

Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm   913-782-6972
1100 Kansas City Rd, Olathe, KS 66061

Team Serendipity

Keller Williams Legacy Partners
21648 Midland Drive
Shawnee, KS 66218

Steve Sebasto
913-406-2336
Fax: (913) 825-1150
Steve's E-Mail: Steve@TeamSerendipity.com