Your one stop shopping information center.

City of Olathe Kansas

The Midwest is known for being a place where the locals are friendly and the neighborhoods sparkle with a historic sense of town pride. In many Midwestern towns, passersby greet you with a smile and a wave, whether they know you or not. People are naturally courteous, rather than indifferent, and that feeling of warmth and acceptance goes a long way towards bridging the gap between social and economic class.

The heart of the Midwest can be found in Kansas. Open spaces, beautiful in their vastness, give rise to a big, spacious, blue sky, and watching the shadows of the white, puffy clouds as they play across the landscape offers up images of peace and of a slower, more content pace of life. Olathe , Kansas , zip code 66061 , is by some standards a much larger city than many of the smaller Midwestern towns. With a growing population that is creeping up on 120,000 residents, the city of Olathe has recently been chosen by a popular National financial publication as number 11 on the list of the top 100 places to live in the United States, and the reasons why are numerous.

Situated due West of the Kansas and Missouri border, Olathe finds itself just twenty miles southwest of downtown Kansas City, which is plenty close enough to afford Olathe residents easy and convenient access to the wide array of cultural, shopping, dining and entertainment options that the metro area offers, yet far enough away to allow residents to sink easily into the vibration of their own neighborhood in its completeness. Families that live in Olathe frequently venture into the city for family outings, finding dozens of museums, amusement attractions and other family friendly recreational activities to enjoy with their loved ones.

Olathe , Kansas was founded in the year 1857 by a young and ambitious entrepreneur who immediately fell in love with the areas natural beauty. It is said that when he arrived in the area and took in the vision of the wildflower covered prairies, he was so smitten that he decided to plant himself there and start a town. According to history, the gentleman asked a Shawnee interpreter how to say beautiful in his native language, because beautiful was the name that seemed most befitting. The Shawnee interpreter replied Olathe , pronounced Oh-Lay-tha, and so the name of the town was conceived.

In the early days of the town, Olathe served as a stagecoach stop on the Santa Fe Trail, as well as the California and Oregon Trails. The town would provide food and temporary lodging for those adventurous folk who took to the trails in an attempt to make their way West towards a new and uncharted life. In fact, catering to the needs of these travelers was one of the predominant sources of income for the small town of Olathe back then.

Through the years, Olathe has grown considerably. The stagecoaches have been replaced with the Interstates that serve as the veins of our country, connecting every town and city in America with one another, and while many of those long ago prairies have been developed to make way for the huge expansion that has occurred, there is still an abundance of natural beauty to be found within the city of Olathe , Kansas and around it.

Olathe , KS , zip code 66061 , may have started out small, but it is now a good sized city, encompassing over fifty square miles in radius. Within a 15 mile radius of the city can be found more than 30 movie theaters, almost 2000 restaurants, 40 plus golf courses and nearly 300 night clubs, so there is never a lack of things to do in and around the area.

The City of Olathe prides itself on the quality of its parks and recreational offerings. There are two public lakes in the area, giving residents access to excellent fishing and boating as well as other lake based activities, such as sailboarding, which is becoming increasingly popular. In addition to the lakes, Olathe is home to four public aquatic centers, offering cool and refreshing fun on those hot summer days. There is a local swimming and dive team in Olathe that is experiencing much success, giving kids a sense of personal accomplishment through competition as well as an outlet to create healthy bodies through their active lifestyle.

There are over forty neighborhood and community parks located within zip code 66061 . These outdoor activity areas cater to families of all kinds, providing fun and entertainment through such sports as basketball, soccer and tennis. The skate park is a popular place for youth to gather to work on their ramp jumps and rail slides, and it gives children who are otherwise uninterested in team sports an opportunity to be just as physically active.

Bicycling is a popular past time in Olathe , and as such, the city has created over 20 scenic trails that are perfect for biking, walking or jogging within the city. In fact, a number of bike lanes have been created throughout the city streets, offering cyclists a safer way to get around through town.

Hot air ballooning is a spectacular activity that is available in the Olathe area. Residents can opt for a breathtaking flight in a majestic craft that will leave them speechless and wanting more. The company that provides this service to Olathe area residents finds itself busy throughout much of the year.

There are cultural activities in Olathe , KS , as well. The city is home to a theater group that puts on several productions a year. It also offers a community orchestra and chorus for those who are more musically inclined. In addition, the city sponsors several artistically focused events each year. The arts can be seen in various form throughout the city, including the various locally created and stunning sculptures that grace different locations. These significant works represent various themes, from mathematics and science to strength, responsibility and the juxtaposition of life and art.

Olathe , Kansas has been home to a school for deaf and hearing impaired individuals since 1866. The community gathers in support of accepting individuals with special needs, in all of their various forms, hosting programs geared specifically for them. These programs range from swimming and bowling to arts and crafts. In Olathe , KS , all residents are accepted as equals, despite the variances in skills and developmental abilities.

Many weekends, Olathe residents, groups and civic clubs can be seen volunteering their time to pick up trash, assisting with landscaping, or maintaining a trail, park or other piece of land. Painting playground equipment and curbs are other ways that residents can contribute to the community by giving just a little bit back. Volunteers make up a significant portion of the city's resources for improvement. They do it because it makes them feel so good.

Visitors to the Olathe , Kansas area may be interested in a couple of the notable historic places that the city prides itself on. One such historical attraction is the home which served as a stop for weary stagecoach travelers back in the late 1800's. This period home is a historical landmark. Not just some staunch, dusty, old museum, the home offers visitors to not only tour the grounds, but become a part of the action.

Step into the parlor and play checkers or listen to a story told by actors in period dress. Go out to the courtyard and play croquet or baseball, the old fashioned way. Or help grind corn from the garden, repair a wagon wheel, do some laundry on a washboard or cut some wood for the wood stove. It sounds like work, and it is, but it is engaged in with a sense of playful adventure, making learning about the history of Olathe a uniquely hands on experience. Visitors can even take a ride on an authentic stagecoach.

Another notable historical attraction in Olathe , KS , zip code 66061 is a one hundred year old dairy farm that has been owned by the same family for two generations. Visiting this unique residence and farm gives visitors a chance to see what having such a business back in the early 1900's would have entailed, as well as what kinds of lives the family led, what their interests and hobbies were, and how they learned about the world around them.

It is interesting to learn what children on a dairy farm were responsible for and how they contributed heavily to their family business. Get a glimpse of the tools of the trade; artifacts that have been carefully preserved as well as all aspects of the home, from the creative and artistic pursuits of the womenfolk who lived there to the hobbies of the children. This is an informative and fun experience for people of all ages.

Olathe , Kansas , is a city that has come into its own, despite, or perhaps partially because of, its proximity to a large metropolitan area. Everything that residents need to live a full and contented life is right at their doorstep, including the big city attractions, shopping and museums. The parks district in Olathe is exceptional, and the schools are some of the best in the nation, making this beautiful Kansas town a logical choice when looking for a great place to raise a family; a place that is not lost on the ways of friendliness, courtesy and acceptance, all qualities that the Midwest is known for. We could all use a little bit more kindness in our lives. In Olathe , Kansas , zip code 66061 , we will find it.