Olathe Public Schools history

Thomas Johnson immigrated with the Shawnee tribe to the new reserve in 1829, and established a mission.

The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 created the Kansas Territory, opening the land to pre-emption by home seekers of European descent from the more heavily populated states.

Counties were formed late in 1855.

In the early months of 1857, the survey of the Shawnee lands was followed closely by land speculators, among whom was Doctor John T. Barton, a physician assigned to the Shawnee tribal headquarters.

The first Board of Trustees, headed by John T. Barton, was elected in 1859.

Pat Cosgrove took the Johnson County Census in 1860.

Olathe's first public school was built of stone in 1868.

A subscription library began in 1874.

The Johnson Cooperative Association, an outgrowth of the area grange movement, opened a store in Olathe in 1876, and soon branched into Stanley, Edgerton, De Soto and Gardner.

1883 marked the founding of the Ladies Reading Circle, Olathe's first federated women's club, the first high school graduation, and the second written history of this area.

Ella M. Mahaffie, Class of 1885 — Served 52 years in public education

The Johnson County Old Settlers Association formed to celebrate the history of the area in 1898.

A souvenir photographic publication showing the progressive nature of Olathe was made by F.S. Mickey and G.A. Roberds, and distributed in 1907.

In 1910, Olathe had a commission form of government, a population of 3,272 (with its suburbs 4,000), and a water-works plant with a basin of 20 acres.

A city hall was built in 1911 at the southwest corner of Kansas Avenue and Santa Fe.

In 1912, George Hodges, partner in the Hodges Brothers Lumber Company, was elected Kansas governor on a Democratic ticket.

Earl Milton Collier, killed at Belleau Wood in 1918, was the first Olathe casualty of World War I.

Former Olathe resident Albert I. Beach became mayor of Kansas City, Mo., in 1923, the year Gemmel Memorial Gymnasium opened to student athletes.

Bus service for rural high school students began in 1938.

Two long-time weekly newspapers, "The Olathe Mirror" and "The Johnson County Democrat," were purchased by Harris Newspapers in 1959 and became "The Olathe News." The newspaper survives today.

1964 saw Hyer Boot Factory move to a new building at I-35 and Rawhide.

The Olathe Unified School District 233 was formed in 1965, with the consolidation of five smaller districts: Countryside, Meadowlane, Mount Zion, Olathe, and Pleasant View.

1967 saw the advent of urban renewal, MidAmerica Nazarene College (now MidAmerica Nazarene University), cable television, daylight savings time, Johnson County Community College and a new Olathe Community Hospital.

In 1972, Edgar Moore graduated with the first class of MANC students and went on to win a seat in the Kansas Legislature.

Major issues in Olathe City Commission election of 1979 were traffic problems on Santa Fe, the need for industry and planning, controversial street projects, parks development, and sanitation department problems.

In the 1990's Olathe saw the completion of the overpass at I-35 and 151st Street and the opening of the 119th Street Overpass.

Olathe East was built in 1992 on West 127th Street.

November 1996: The Foundation holds its first fundraiser at the Mill Creek Center.

Fall 1998: The Foundation launches the OSCAR program with a $15,000 gift from R.R. Osborne.

Spring 2001: The Foundation holds its first Major Saver Campaign.

The Foundation has awarded 18 scholarships to students with a total of $90,000 distributed since 2003.

To coincide with Olathe's 150th anniversary celebration, a new City logo was unveiled in 2004.

Olathe leads the metropolitan area and the nation by being the first to implement an Automated Traffic Management System (ATMS). Operational in 2005, the system works to alleviate congestion and improve traffic flow.

As of July, 2006, 95 percent of the funding for this interchange was identified.

March 1, 2008: The Foundation establishes the Max and Tulsa Lea Green Scholarship Fund with a $400,000 gift from the Greens.

May, 2012: The Foundation Board of Directors announces the Classified Employee Excellence Recognition Award (CEERA) awarding classified staff for their outstanding service to the district.