6 minute read
Preserving History
Once located in Shawnee, the Johnson County Museum moved to a larger location in Overland Park in 2017.
article and photos by Bill Stephens
The Johnson County Museum, located at 8788 Metcalf in Overland Park, shares the history of Johnson County with its 50,000 visitors annually while focusing on how Johnson County impacts the nation.
The museum is more than 55 years old and has been at its present location since 2017. The upstairs was a King Louie bowling alley and the downstairs was an ice skating rink, according to Andrew R. Gustafson, the curator of interpretation for the museum.
“One of the themes of our museum is explaining how Johnson County became a place after suburbanization,” Gustafson says. “People no longer drove into Kansas City to work every day, but in the ’60s and ’70s, Johnson County became a place in its own right. Families moved here to work. Interestingly we have found that just as many people drive into Kansas City to work as drive from Kansas City to work in Overland Park. Johnson County is a place to work, live and play.”
One of the featured exhibits is the “all-electric house,” which used to be located in Shawnee before being moved to the lower level of the museum. It was built in 1954 in the Prairie Village neighborhood. Five different families lived in it from 1954 until 1994. It evokes nostalgia for the baby boomers who grew up in similar homes.
Another featured display focuses on the Olathe Naval Air Station and includes a pilot’s uniform and other memorabilia. The uniform on display belonged to a naval aviator who was stationed there for several decades.
An informative permanent exhibit details the border skirmishes between Kansas and Missouri in the years leading up to the Civil War. Fighting raged along the Kansas and Missouri border between 1854 and 1859. The fate of slavery in the Kansas territory was the predominant cause of the fighting and led to the term “bleeding Kansas.”
Developing Johnson County
The railroad played a role in developing Johnson County. One of the interesting exhibits in that section of the museum is a “cannonball safe,” which is round, weighs 4500 pounds, and was designed to resist dynamite or other attempts to force it open. External blasts were supposed to ricochet off it, but it has never been tested.
“In May 1951, officials from Johnson County placed a time capsule within the cornerstone of the new Johnson County Courthouse,” Gustafson says. “Nearly seven decades later, during the demolition of the courthouse, the time capsule was rediscovered, revealing a fully intact, handmade copper box. Inside this meticulously sealed container lay a trove of documents, carefully selected, wrapped and preserved by government officials, awaiting the eyes of future generations. The 176 items in it were wrapped in aluminum foil and sealed with beeswax.
“Documents and photographs were the main contents along with a newspaper and photographs taken at the time of the capsule ceremony, developed and added to the box. Even an audiotape was found that contained snippets from the cornerstone and time capsule-laying ceremony on May 7, 1951. It also included a speech from then-Kansas adjutant general Joe Nickells. The documents included a list of the 189 county employees.” Now there are 3,900 county employees.
The time capsule exhibit ended early in May. June 1 is the opening date for the next exhibit, which features 1960s women’s fashions in collaboration with the fashion and merchandising department at Johnson County Community College and its historic clothing collection. The exhibit will explore how changes during the decades played out in women’s clothing.
For the Kids
KidScape is an area designed to give youngsters a handson experience. A make-believe school room, theater, diner and hospital allow children to use their imagination. A city market contains a cash register, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and other items that would be found at such a market. The youngsters can play with the items by themselves or with new friends. Parents are welcome to rest on the seats and cushions provided while their children explore. Approximately 20,000 children visited KidScape last year.
The Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center houses the museum. Other portions of the building include Black Box Theater, multipurpose rehearsal studios, a makers space for creating artwork and other items, an arts studio and a dance studio. All fall under the auspices of the Johnson County Park and Recreation District.
Most public areas are wheelchair accessible. Courtesy wheelchairs are available at no charge on a first-come first-served basis. Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are available on both floors. An elevator provides access to both levels of the building. Trained service animals are welcome.
Gustafson, a native of New York, has been with the museum for seven years. He works with the collections team, education team and administrators to choose which stories to tell.
50 Years and Counting
The Johnson County Museum began as an allvolunteer organization in 1967 with the mission of collecting, preserving and sharing the history of Johnson County. Originally located in the two-room 1927 Greenwood School in Shawnee, the facility expanded over the years into a 20,000-square-foot museum before moving to its current home in 2017.
Along with the move, the museum celebrated its 50th year in its new home. The museum has been recognized many times for excellence in exhibitions, programming and publications by national, regional and state organizations. The Johnson County Museum also operates the Lanesfield Historical Site in Edgerton, Kansas.
The facility came under the management of Johnson County Park and Recreation District in 2016. The Museum Advisory Council, appointed by the Johnson County Commission, oversees the museum’s collection program while a separate not-for-profit foundation raises private funds to support museum initiatives. A professional staff of 10 oversee day-to-day museum operations with the support of more than 50 community volunteers.
For More
Johnson County Museum
Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center
788 Metcalf Ave.
Overland Park, KS 66212
913-826-2787
Open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday
Closed Sunday and holidays
