Historic Merriam: ANTIOCH PARK

Nestled into Merriam’s landscape is Antioch Park, one of the most beautiful and popular parks in Johnson County. In the early 1950s, Johnson County’s population was about 65,000 and concentrated in small suburban cities in the northeast portion of the county. With an abundance of room to grow south and west, the county was primed to become one of the main areas of growth in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Led by members of the Shawnee Mission Sertoma Club, a group of community leaders took steps to buy and develop the parkland to meet the community’s growing and future open space needs.

Realizing the importance of acquiring public park sites in advance of rapidly increasing land values and the spread of homes, apartments, and commercial areas, the group approached the Kansas state legislature to create a special park district in Johnson County. As a result of their efforts, enabling legislation was passed in 1953, which would allow a district to be formed upon petition to the county by 5,000 fullyqualified electors.

With the help of several parent-teacher groups and other civic-minded organizations, the Sertoma Club presented 7,309 petition signatures to the Board of County Commissioners in November 1954. Special legislation also was obtained from the Kansas state legislature for a ¾ mill levy for park operation and maintenance.

On Jan. 12, 1955, the county commissioners formally created the Shawnee Mission Park District. A few weeks later, on Feb. 7, the commissioners appointed a seven-member park board to govern the district. The following year, a bond issue of $1,100,000 for land purchase and development was passed.

The lands for Antioch Park and Shawnee Mission Park were purchased. Antioch Park, the first to be fully developed, was dedicated on May 25, 1958.

Antioch Park was the first major park to be established in Johnson County. The 44-acre park functions today as one of the most popular parks operated by the Johnson County Park and Recreation District.

Visit Antioch Park at 6501 Antioch Road. Learn more at jcprd.com.

Did You Know?

▶ Kid’s favorite Dodge Town has been rebuilt three times since originally opening in 1961, the latest in 2018.

▶ 700,000 visitors come to Antioch Park annually.

▶ Merriam’s very own Turkey Creek Festival is held at Antioch Park on the third Saturday in May.

▶ The park has three playgrounds, two stocked fishing lakes, the Helen Cuddy Rose Garden (a renovation ribbon cutting will be held in spring 2023), a bocce ball court, tennis court, basketball court, and horseshoe pits.

▶ In the 1960s, a WWII corsair aircraft was delivered to Antioch Park and remained on display until the mid-1970s.

▶ At one time, all of Johnson County Park and Recreation District offices served out of Antioch Park.

▶ Three miles of walking trails weaving in and out of shaded areas offer parkgoers beautiful views of nature, including plants, flowers, wildlife, and trees.

▶ The park has four shelters that can be reserved online at JCPRD.com.