What's in a Name?
Roads and Streets
Acuff Lane
Named for Phil and John Acuff, residential developers in Lenexa and Shawnee.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Alden Road
William Alden owned 120 acres from one mile west of Shawnee and donated land for the Greenwood School.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Allman Road
Robert O. and Frances Allman were landowners of an area north of 79th and west of Lackman Road.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Antioch
Originally called Chase Road after the Chase family; later renamed Antioch because the Antioch Church was located there.
Source: Overland Park, Kansas Community Development Deptartment Comprehensive Planning Division. History of Overland Park. Overland Park: City of Overland Park, 1978, p. 55.
OR
It could have been named for the city mentioned in the Bible.
Source: Shawnee Journal Herald, 13 May 1999, p. 7.
Ballentine
Named for John N. Ballentine, grocer from Kansas City, Kansas who moved to Johnson County in 1919.
Source: Overland Park, Kansas Community Development Deptartment Comprehensive Planning Division. History of Overland Park. Overland Park: City of Overland Park, 1978, p. 55.
Barkley Road
John L. Barkley helped develop the area and was on the mission Urban Township board.
Source: Overland Park, Kansas Community Development Deptartment Comprehensive Planning Division. History of Overland Park. Overland Park: City of Overland Park, 1978, p. 56.
Barton
John Barton was the treasurer of Johnson County in 1857 and founder of Olathe.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Blackbob Road
Blackbob was the recognized chief of the Black Bob Band of Shawnee Indians in the Stanley – Stillwell area.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Bluejacket Street
Could have been named for the famed Bluejacket spring used by Indians for water.
OR
The Shawnee Indians family Charles, Julia and Robert Bluejacket.
Source: "Historic Johnson County." Shawnee Journal Herald, 3 September 1969, p. 7.
Boehm Drive
New street west of Loiret Boulevard in the Villas of Loriet.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Bradshaw Drive
Named for the family of Squire Charles A. Bradshaw, one of the founders of Lenexa.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Breyfogle
Well-known member of Overland Park and Olathe areas; a portion of this street was renamed Switzer.
Source: Overland Park, Kansas Community Development Deptartment Comprehensive Planning Division. History of Overland Park. Overland Park: City of Overland Park, 1978, p. 56.
Caenen
Named for Remi Caenen, Belgium immigrant who moved to the area in the 1860s.
Source: Overland Park, Kansas Community Development Deptartment Comprehensive Planning Division. History of Overland Park. Overland Park: City of Overland Park, 1978, p. 56.
Cedar Creek Road
Named after Cedar Creek, small stream that enters Kansas about 1 ½ miles east of De Soto.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Cherry Lane
Believed to have been named after the Cherry Lane School located at 95th and Woodland.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Cody
Some people believe it was named after Buffalo Bill Cody.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
College
Name changed from 111th street after the construction of the Johnson County Community College.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Conser
Named by Grant Conser, second generation Conser, when he came to the area.
Source: Overland Park, Kansas Community Development Deptartment Comprehensive Planning Division. History of Overland Park. Overland Park: City of Overland Park, 1978, p. 57.
Dice
Named after Fred Dice, a civil engineer, who was a Lenexa City Council member in the 1970’s.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Earnshaw Drive
Earnshaw family came to Shawnee in 1857 and were prominent landowners.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Flint
Lazarus, Elias and Levi Flint were landowners in Shawnee.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Garnett
Named after Hal Garnett, former mayor of Shawnee and jewelry store owner.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Gillette Street
H.D. Gillette moved to Lenexa in 1870 and started the first blacksmith shop.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Goddard Avenue
Named for prominent pioneer family in Shawnee.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Hadley Street
Named for Jeremiah Hadley, the superintendent of the Quaker Mission in 1856.
Source: Shawnee Journal Herald, 13 May 1999, p. 7.
Hallet Street
Hallet C. Parrish was former City attorney of Shawnee.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Hayes
Named for Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th president of the United States.
Source: Shawnee Journal Herald, 13 May 1999, p. 7.
Hocker
Richard W. Hocker developed 40 acres west of Turkey Creek and named it Hocker Grove, but he never lived there.
Source: Shawnee Journal Herald, 13 May 1999, p. 7.
Johnson Drive
Named for Reverend Thomas Johnson, founder of the Shawnee Methodist Mission and director of the Manual Labor Training School.
Source: Shawnee Journal Herald, 13 May 1999, p. 7.
Kessler Lane
German immigrant George Kessler settled in the area on Kessler’s bluff, now called Sherwood Forest.
Source: Shawnee Journal Herald, 13 May 1999, p. 7..
Lackman
William Lackman was a farmer, stock raiser and landowner who built a Victorian home at 11800 Lackman Road in 1886.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Lamar
Buxton named the street Lamar after Lucius Quitus Cincinatus Lamar, Georgian politician and mathematics professor.
Source: Overland Park, Kansas Community Development Deptartment Comprehensive Planning Division. History of Overland Park. Overland Park: City of Overland Park, 1978, p. 58.
Legler
Named for the Adam Legler family who came to this area.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Lenexa
Name changed from East Frontage Road to Lenexa Drive. Lenexa was named after a Shawnee Indian woman, Na-Nex-Se Blackhoof.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Lichtenauer Drive
Named for Joseph and Bernice Zahner Lichtenauer.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Lone Elm
Named for a campground on the Santa Fe Trail. It took its name from a large Elm tree that served as a landmark.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Marty Street
John Marty, vice president of the Overland Park State Bank in 1910.
Source: Overland Park, Kansas Community Development Deptartment Comprehensive Planning Division. History of Overland Park. Overland Park: City of Overland Park, 1978, p. 58.
Mastin
J.J. Mastin owned several acres west and south of Merriam where the Mastin subdivision is now located.
Source: Shawnee Journal Herald, 13 May 1999, p. 7.
Metcalf
Named for an Oklahoman banker who bought land for investment purposes and to farm when he retired.
Source: Overland Park, Kansas Community Development Deptartment Comprehensive Planning Division. History of Overland Park. Overland Park: City of Overland Park, 1978, p. 58.
Mission Road
Once named Porter road because it bisected the Porter Farm.
Source:
"Historic Johnson County." Johnson County Herald, 3 September 1969, p. 7.
OR
Once called Rock Road, followed the Rock Creek from Westport to the Indian Mission.
Source: "Many Creeks Take Names From Area's History, but Some are Just a Mystery." Johnson County Sun, 1 September 1993, p. 5A.
Nall Avenue
John Nall and his brother purchased school land, then built a home near Nall and 67th. The land was later turned into city lots.
Source: Overland Park, Kansas Community Development Deptartment Comprehensive Planning Division. History of Overland Park. Overland Park: City of Overland Park, 1978, p. 58.
Nieman Road
Nieman Road was a branch of the Santa Fe Trail. It was named after C. Nieman, cashier of the Shawnee State Bank, which opened in 1908.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Noland
T.W. Noland was a Johnson County engineer and was in charge of every road build in the county.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Pawnee Road
Indian name meaning “horn.”
Source: "Historic Johnson County." Johnson County Herald, 3 September 1969, p.7.
Pflumm
Named for C.H. Pflumm, president of Shawnee State Savings Bank in 1958.
Source: Overland Park, Kansas Community Development Deptartment Comprehensive Planning Division. History of Overland Park. Overland Park: City of Overland Park, 1978, p. 58.
Quivira
Name is indirectly linked to land sought by Coronado in Kansas in the 1880’s and by the name of the Quivira Indians who got their name from the Quivira River where they lived. Quivira was previously named Schlagel Road. The Schlagel family owned large tracts of land in South Overland Park.
Source: Overland Park, Kansas Community Development Deptartment Comprehensive Planning Division. History of Overland Park. Overland Park: City of Overland Park, 1978, p. 59.
Reeder
Andrew Reeder was the first territorial governor of Kansas.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Riley
This street was named for Thomas Riley, vice president and general manager for the Strang Line.
Source: Overland Park, Kansas Community Development Deptartment Comprehensive Planning Division. History of Overland Park. Overland Park: City of Overland Park, 1978, p. 59.
Roe Avenue and Roe Lane
John Roe came to the United States in 1860 from Ireland seeking farmland and ended up a large landowner in Johnson County.
Sources: Overland Park, Kansas Community Development Deptartment Comprehensive Planning Division. History of Overland Park. Overland Park: City of Overland Park, 1978, p. 60.
"Historic Johnson County." Johnson County Herald, 3 September 1969, p. 7.
Santa Fe Drive
Named for the Santa Fe Trail that travels through Overland Park.
Source: Overland Park, Kansas Community Development Deptartment Comprehensive Planning Division. History of Overland Park. Overland Park: City of Overland Park, 1978, p. 59.
Slater
Named for Cyprian Slater, one of the earliest residents who served as the first school board treasurer in 1871.
Source: Shawnee Journal Herald, 13 May 1999, p. 7.
Strang Drive
This street is named after the founder of Overland Park and president of the Strang Interurban Railroad.
Source: Overland Park, Kansas Community Development Deptartment Comprehensive Planning Division. History of Overland Park. Overland Park: City of Overland Park, 1978, p. 59.
Strang Line
Named after the interurban railroad started by William Strang.
Source: Heritage of Lenexa: Historic Sites, Street Names. Lenexa, KS: Lenexa Historical Society, 1999.
Switzer Road
One of the two Breyfogle roads that were in the Shawnee- Overland Park area that were combined and named Switzer.
Source: Overland Park, Kansas Community Development Deptartment Comprehensive Planning Division. History of Overland Park. Overland Park: City of Overland Park, 1978, p. 60.
Walmer Avenue
Named for Edwin Walmer, assessor for Mission Township from 1927-1955.
Source: Overland Park, Kansas Community Development Deptartment Comprehensive Planning Division. History of Overland Park. Overland Park: City of Overland Park, 1978, p. 60.
