Overland Park will soon be our new home, and shamrock roofing are passionate about giving back to the communities we are a part of. In light of this, Shamrock roofing would like to start by learning about the history of Overland Park and how it has become the city it is today.
The History of Overland Park
In the year 1905, an entrepreneur and railroad builder named William B. Strang Jr. arrived in the now-Kansas City area. The son of Irish immigrants, Strang Jr. had a vision of building a park-like community that would feature strong commerce, high quality education, vibrant neighborhoods, convenient transportation, and attractive recreation.
Strang Jr. platted many subdivisions in the southwest Kansas City area, one of which he named Overland Park. Overland Park today is exactly what William Strang Jr. envisioned – a community featuring everything he’d hoped for and more, making Overland Park one of the best cities in the Midwest to live, work, and raise a family.
The Beginning of a Community
Before Overland Park’s official incorporation, the land it occupies was included in the Mission Urban Township. This township also included Mission and Prairie Village until each eventually branched off to incorporate independently.
Overland Park was incorporated on May 20th, 1960 with a bustling population of 28,085. That population has grown to over 191,000 in 2019 in just over 75 square miles of land within Johnson County.
Although Strang Jr. died in 1921, his impact on Overland Park is everlasting. Between his arrival in 1915 and his passing, he was able to establish several residential developments, an interurban railroad, and an airfield. He leaves behind remnants of his interurban railway line, his limestone car barn, and his Carriage House at Thompson
Park, all of which can still be observed today.
Rapid Growth in the ‘60s & ‘70s
Shortly after incorporation, Overland Park saw rapid growth and development in the ‘60s and ‘70s. This growth introduced many new residential communities, construction of the Metcalf South Shopping Center, Oak Park Mall, and the beginnings of Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead. A new City Hall was also built around this time as the city
government had to grow to meet the growing needs of the city. In the 1980s, there was a large boom in both commercial and residential development, and by the year 1988, the population had surpassed one hundred thousand.
Forward Thinking
City officials began to re-focus efforts and resources on renovating the historic areas of the city in the early 1990’s. It was this period of renovation that dedicated the Clock Tower Plaza and the development of the Farmer’s Market pavilion began.
The early 2000’s brought continued growth and success to the Overland Park community right up until the housing market crash of 2008. As it was difficult for the entire nation, the 2008 recession seemed to be especially hard on the Overland Park community due to the abundance of residential developments in the city. The recession led city officials to launch an initiative called “Vision Metcalf” initiating a community-wide look at land use to guide redevelopment of Downtown Overland Park and further south.
The Overland Park city government and population continue to work together to create a sustainable community with a strong and resilient economy, and warm and engaging atmosphere.
Here at Shamrock Roofing, we could not be more excited about our move into the Overland Park community. We can’t wait to learn more about it and to become more connected with the people in it!
