Prairie Village

History

After the successful development of the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri, real estate magnate J. C. Nichols turned toward development of his native Johnson County, just a few miles from the Plaza. Prairie Village was platted in 1941 and was named after Prairie School, which was established almost a century before. In 1949, Prairie Village was named the best planned community in America by the National Association of Home Builders. It incorporated in 1951. Remnants of the Santa Fe Trail are found in the city. Shawnee, Osage, and Kansa Indians formerly inhabited the land now developed into the City of Prairie Village. In 1858, Thomas Porter bought 160 acres of farmland in what is now Prairie Village; he raised all his children on that farmland and was involved in agricultural development and civic affairs. Porter's sister, Betty Porter, married Thompson A. Lewis, who owned 80 acres between Mission Road and Roe Avenue. Henry Coppock arrived in Johnson County in 1857, before heading farther west to work in freighting and farming. He came back in the mid-1860s and bought land in 1865. Coppock built his family home on 900 acres in Prairie Village. Coppock's house stood for 30 years. Now on his land is Homestead County Club. The original Prairie School was built in 1882, and a new building was constructed in 1912. This landmark was a community treasure until 1990 when it was struck by a bolt of lightning during a storm. The east entrance of the 1912 building still stands at the remodeled school. In the 1940s, J.C. Nichols, an experienced developer, wanted to turn the farmland into suburban housing for soldiers returning home from the war. Nichols bought farmland from the Porters, Coppocks, and Lewises. There were hurdles along the way including a lack of…

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  28,929
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  24,001
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  23,560
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  22,550
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  19,693
• House Finch

  Haemorhous mexicanus (P.L.Statius Müller, 1776) · Aves
  17,877
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  17,362
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  17,316

Most recent

• M 3.5 — 2024-03-15
  2 km NE of Ferrelview, Missouri
• M 2.6 — 2018-07-20
  1 km WNW of Saint Joseph, Missouri
• M 3.1 — 2007-03-23
  5 km N of Nortonville, Kansas
• M 3.3 — 2005-05-18
  Missouri