Overland Park, Kansas

Overland Park, Kansas
—  City  —
Sprint World Headquarters Campus, 2009
Location within the state of Kansas
Coordinates: 38°56′24.26″N 94°40′50.51″W / 38.9400722°N 94.6806972°W / 38.9400722; -94.6806972Coordinates: 38°56′24.26″N 94°40′50.51″W / 38.9400722°N 94.6806972°W / 38.9400722; -94.6806972
Country	United States
State	Kansas
County	Johnson
Government
- Mayor	Carl R. Gerlach[1]
Area
- Total	75.3 sq mi (195.1 km2)
- Land	75.2 sq mi (194.9 km2)
- Water	0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2)
Elevation	1,079 ft (329 m)
Population (2010)[2]
- Total	173,372
- Density	2,302.4/sq mi (889/km2)
Time zone	CST (UTC-6)
- Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
Area code(s)	913
FIPS code	20-53775[3]
GNIS feature ID	0479210[4]
Website	www.opkansas.org

Overland Park (pronounced /ˈoʊvərlənd ˈpɑrk/) is the second most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas. Located in Johnson County, it is the largest suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, and is located adjacent to Olathe, Lenexa, Prairie Village and Leawood. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 173,372.^[2] Overland Park has consistently ranked in the top 10 of CNN/Money and Money magazine's 100 Best Cities to Live in the United States.^[5] Also in 2010, Money Magazine rated Overland Park, Kansas, the 7th best city to live in the United States.^[6] Additionally, the city was ranked as one of "The Best Places to Raise Your Kids in 2009"^[7] and was ranked 3rd for "America's 10 Best Places to Grow Up".^[8]

History

The city traces its roots back to 1905, with the arrival of its founder, William B. Strang Jr.^{[citation needed]}, who plotted subdivisions along a military roadway on 600 acres (2.4 km²)^{[citation needed]} he purchased that are now part of the old downtown area. One of those subdivisions was named Overland Park, and was the site for the first airplane flight west of the Mississippi with shows by the Wright brothers, sponsored by Strang, on December 24, 1909.

The city was incorporated as a "first class city"^[9] on May 20, 1960, making it one of the youngest^{[citation needed]} communities in Johnson County. Its initial population was 28,085 and was bounded by Antioch Road (West), 107th Street (South), Chadwick (East) and I-35 (North). In 1960 the population was 28,085 with 13 square miles (33.7 km²) incorporated. By 1990 the population was 111,790 and in 1995 the incorporated land area was 56.6 square miles (146.6 km²). Since 1995, the population has grown to 173,250 in 2008 with 75.33 square miles (195.10 km²) of land area. Overland Park is now the second most populous city in Kansas. (Wichita is the largest.)

Geography

Overland Park is centered at 38°56'24" North,^{[citation needed]} 94°40'51" West (38.94, -94.68)^[10]. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 56.8 square miles (147.2 km²), of which 56.8 square miles (147.0 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.3 km²) is water.

In early 2008, the city council voted to annex an additional 15 square miles (39 km²) south of existing city limits.^[11] The annexation was approved for an additional 8 miles (13 km) and went into effect March 10. After the annexation, the city spans nearly the entire distance between the northern and southern borders of Johnson County.^{[citation needed]}

Overland Park lies in the humid continental climate zone (Koppen climate classification Dfa), with cold, dry winters and hot, humid summers. Spring and autumn are generally warm, with occasional thunderstorms. January is the coolest month, with frequent sleet and ice-storms and a daily average high temperature of 38 °F (3 °C). July is generally the warmest month, with highs around 90 °F (32 °C) and higher, with high humidity and late evening thunderstorms.

Climate

Climate data for Overland Park, Kansas
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °F (°C)	38.3 (3.5)	42.1 (5.6)	54 (12)	66.7 (19.3)	75.5 (24.2)	87.4 (30.8)	90.7 (32.6)	88.8 (31.6)	83.3 (28.5)	78.9 (26.1)	61.1 (16.2)	52.0 (11.1)	68.23 (20.13)
Average low °F (°C)	20.8 (−6.2)	27.1 (−2.7)	33.4 (0.8)	44.5 (6.9)	54.4 (12.4)	63 (17)	67.8 (19.9)	65.4 (18.6)	57.7 (14.3)	46.7 (8.2)	34.7 (1.5)	24.2 (−4.3)	44.98 (7.21)
Precipitation inches (mm)	1.2 (30)	1 (25)	2.8 (71)	3.5 (89)	5.1 (130)	5.8 (147)	3.8 (97)	3.7 (94)	5.1 (130)	3.6 (91)	2.5 (64)	1.5 (38)	39.6 (1,006)
Source: Weatherbase[12]

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1960	21,110		—
1970	76,623		263.0%
1980	81,784		6.7%
1990	111,790		36.7%
2000	149,080		33.4%
2010	173,372		16.3%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of the census of 2000,^[3] there were 149,080 people, 59,703 households, and 39,702 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,627.0 people per square mile (1,014.3/km²). There were 62,586 housing units at an average density of 1,102.9 per square mile (425.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.65% White, 2.55% African American, 0.27% Native American, 3.83% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.24% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. 3.77% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 59,703 households out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.8% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $62,116, and the median income for a family was $77,176. Males had a median income of $52,072 versus $34,186 for females. The per capita income for the city was $32,069. 3.2% of the population and 2.1% of families were living below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under the age of 18 and 3.5% of those 65 and older.

According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $70,405, and the median income for a family was $91,806.^[13]

Religion

Overland Park is highly populated by Protestants, reflective of the overall population of the state of Kansas.^{[citation needed]} Large Baptist, Methodist, Nazarene and Pentecostal churches dot the landscape of Overland Park as well as its neighboring suburbs.^{[citation needed]} Overland Park is home to Congregation Beth Israel Abraham Voliner, an Orthodox synagogue established in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1894.^[14][15] Another Orthodox synagogue is the Chabad House Center which serves as the Chabad Headquarters for Kansas and Missouri.^[16] Overland Park is also home to a relatively small Muslim population. The Islamic Center of Johnson County serves as a mosque and a community center for Muslims in Overland Park. [1]

Also, Overland Park is home to a significant number of Roman Catholics. Overland Park falls within the boundaries of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Parishes such as Holy Trinity, Holy Cross, Holy Spirit, Ascension and Queen of the Holy Rosary serve Catholics in Overland Park. Holy Cross offers a Spanish mass for the Hispanic community in the city.

Attractions

The city is home to Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, a 300 acre (1.2 km²) arboretum and botanical garden. The Oak Park Mall is one of the area's top shopping locations with Nordstrom, two Dillards, Macy's, JCPenney's and nearly 200 stores.

Waterfall and Flowers at the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens.

The Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead, a 12-acre (49,000 m²), attraction is among the top 10 tourist destinations in the Kansas City area. It has more than 200 animals, hay rides, fishing pond, early 1900s century school house and more. It was recognized in August 2008 as the top "family" attraction in Kansas City by the Nickelodeon Channel.

Overland Park has finished construction on a 12-field tournament-quality soccer complex. All the fields have synthetic turf and lights. It has an irrigation system to cool the turf on hot days.^[17]

The city is also home to Overland Park Convention Center.

Historic Downtown Overland Park contains a Farmer's Market, the clocktower plaza and a statue of Overland Park City founder William B. Strang Jr..

The Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art is located on the campus of Johnson County Community College.

Community centers

Overland Park contains three community centers: Matt Ross Community Center, the Jewish Community Center, and Tomahawk Ridge Community Center.

Parks

Overland Park has more than 1,800 acres (7.3 km²) of park land and open space. Many of the city's 72 parks feature one or more of the following: sand volleyball, hiking and biking trails, playgrounds, tennis courts, basketball courts, and reservable shelters.

Economy

The largest employer in Overland Park is Sprint Nextel. The city is home to Sprint's world headquarters, which occupies 240 acres (1 km²) of the city and employs about 18,500 people.

Overland Park is also home to the headquarters of Fortune 500 company YRC Worldwide, as well as Black & Veatch, Waddell & Reed, Examinetics, Ferrellgas, Ash Grove Cement Company, and Compass Minerals. Applebee's was headquartered in the city until its move to nearby Lenexa, Kansas. Overland Park is home to Oak Park Mall. With 1,800,000 sq ft (170,000 m²) and 200 stores, it is the largest mall both in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area and the states of Kansas and Missouri.^{[citation needed]}

The Shawnee Mission, Blue Valley, Spring Hill and Olathe school districts and Johnson County Community College also employ several thousand people in the city.

Top employers

According to Overland Park's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,^[18] the top employers in the city were:

#	Employer	# of Employees
1	Sprint Nextel	7,300
2	Shawnee Mission School District	3,923
3	Black & Veatch	3,247
4	Blue Valley School District	3,208
5	CenturyLink	2,100
6	YRC Worldwide	2,078
7	Ericsson	2,000
8	Overland Park Regional Medical Center	2,000
9	Prescription Solutions	1,600
10	Johnson County Community College	1,001

Education

Public

Public education in Overland Park is provided by several school districts including Shawnee Mission School District, Blue Valley School District and Olathe School District.

The Shawnee Mission School District operates five high schools.

• Shawnee Mission South
• Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
• Shawnee Mission East High School
• Shawnee Mission West
• Shawnee Mission North High School

The Olathe School District consists of four high schools.

• Olathe North High School
• Olathe Northwest High School
• Olathe South High School
• Olathe East High School

The Blue Valley School District encompasses five high schools.

• Blue Valley High School
• Blue Valley North High School
• Blue Valley Northwest High School
• Blue Valley West High School
• Blue Valley Southwest High School

The Johnson County Library serves the city. Overland Park is the location of several branch institutions:

• Ottawa University adult campus
• University of Kansas-Edwards Campus
• Johnson County Community College
• Baker University Overland Park Campus
• Emporia State University - Overland Park Campus (Metro Learning Center)

Religious

The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas operates Catholic Schools in Overland Park. This list includes:

• Ascension
• Holy Cross
• Holy Spirit
• John Paul II
• St. Thomas Aquinas High School

Protestant Christian Schools include:

• Heritage Christian Academy

Jewish Schools include:

• Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy

Public transportation

The city does not have its own public transportation system. However, Johnson County, Kansas operates "The JO" within the city limits.^[19] As of 2008, Overland Park was not part of Kansas City, MO's plans for a light rail system.^[20]

Notable people

• Tom Kane, Voice Actor
• Sarah Lancaster, actress on Chuck
• Jan Meyers, U.S. House of Representatives 1985-1997, first Republican woman to chair a standing committee in the House of Representatives, (Small Business Committee 1994-1997). The Brookridge Branch of the Shawnee Mission Post Office was named after her in 2010.
• Rob Riggle, actor from The Hangover, Step Brothers, and The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard
• Paul Rudd, actor from Knocked Up, Anchorman, and Role Models
• Jason Sudeikis, actor from Saturday Night Live, Going the Distance, and Hall Pass.
• Jeff Wolfert, former University of Missouri placekicker, current NCAA Most Accurate Kicker of All-Time (94.9%)
• Jack Sock, Professional Tennis player
• Wecamewithbrokenteeth, a now-defunct cybergrind band

In fiction

The Showtime original series United States of Tara is set in Overland Park.

Sister cities

Overland Park has one sister city.

• Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany^[21]

References

1. ^ "Mayor Carl Gerlach". City of Overland Park. http://www.opkansas.org/City-Government/Mayor-Carl-Gerlach. Retrieved 10 September 2010. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "2010 City Population and Housing Occupancy Status". U.S. Census Bureau. http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_GCTPL2.ST13&prodType=table. Retrieved March 6, 2011. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
4. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
5. ^ "Best Places to Live 2006 - Money Magazine". CNN. http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2006/index.html. 
6. ^ "Overland Park places seventh on Money magazine’s ‘Best Places to Live’". Kansas City Star. 2010-07-12. http://www.kansascity.com/2010/07/12/2079448/overland-park-places-seventh-on.html. Retrieved 2010-07-26. ^{[dead link]}
7. ^ http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/11/1110_best_places_for_kids/17.htm
8. ^ http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/americas-10-best-places-to-grow-up.html
9. ^ http://www.opcvb.org/welcome/history.html
10. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
11. ^ City of Overland Park: "County Approved Annexation", http://www.opkansas.org/_Gov/Annexation/15_miles.cfm
12. ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Overland Park, Kansas, United States of America". http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=279541&refer=. Retrieved February 22, 2010. 
13. ^ http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=&geo_id=16000US2053775&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US20%7C16000US2053775&_street=&_county=overland+park&_cityTown=overland+park&_state=04000US20&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=160&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=DEC_2000_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry=
14. ^ BIAV History, Synagogue website.
15. ^ Lipoff, Beth. "New year, new rabbi for Congregation BIAV", The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle, September 26, 2008.
16. ^ About Chabad House Center of Kansas City, Chabad website.
17. ^ New Soccer Park
18. ^ City of Overland Park CAFR
19. ^ http://www.thejo.com/
20. ^ http://www.kcrail.com/
21. ^ http://www.opkansas.org/About-Overland-Park/Overland-Park-Sister-City-Bietigheim-Bissingen-Germany

Further reading

• History of the State of Kansas; William G. Cutler; A.T. Andreas Publisher; 1883. (Online HTML eBook)
• Kansas : A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc; 3 Volumes; Frank W. Blackmar; Standard Publishing Co; 944 / 955 / 824 pages; 1912. (Volume1 - Download 54MB PDF eBook),(Volume2 - Download 53MB PDF eBook), (Volume3 - Download 33MB PDF eBook)

External links

Kansas portal

• City of Overland Park
• Overland Park - Chamber of Commerce
• Overland Park - Visitor's Bureau
• Overland Park City Map, KDOT