Walker House; R.W. Hocker Subdivision and Trolley Line

Constructed between 1906 and 1911, the Walker House was one of the first single-family homes in the 40-acre R. W. Hocker Subdivision in Merriam and is part of a historic neighborhood listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The home serves as a reminder of a time when Merriam transitioned into a streetcar suburb largely due to R.W. Hocker's development of a trolley line that connected Merriam to Kansas City. Richard Hocker platted subdivisions to coincide with the railway construction and built the Hocker Interurban Line from 1904 to 1907.

Richard (R.W.) Weaver Hocker began the development of his Hocker Interurban Line in 1904 while concurrently planning the R.W. Hocker Subdivision, including the now-historic Walker House. The trolley line, completed in 1907, eventually connected downtown Kansas City, Missouri, with Merriam. With Merriam establishing itself as a streetcar suburb, housing proved a worthwhile investment. Thus, in 1910, Hocker platted a subdivision spanning forty acres (eight five-acre lots), though some homes possibly emerged as early as 1906. Increased competition likely prevented Hocker from fully developing his entire residential community but played a prominent role in helping Merriam evolve into a suburban town.

Once part of a 1.6 million-acre Shawnee land grant, Merriam evolved from Campbellton, Kansas, during the 1860s, established by Tennessean David Gee (D.G.) Campbell, who bought 200 acres from a Shawnee named Mary Parks. The Kansas City, Fort Scott, and Gulf Railroad in 1870 reached Campbellton in 1870, leading to the creation of Glenwood, platted north and east of Campbellton in 1874, which became Merriam during the 1880s. Still, Merriam remained an unincorporated community when the Walker House arose. 

Located approximately ten miles from downtown Kansas City, Merriam became a desirable destination for amusement seekers. Railroad companies helped turn Merriam into a destination town. In 1880, the Kansas City, Fort Scott, and Gulf Railroad opened Merriam Park. The railroad intended to inspire people to take the train across the countryside and then enjoy the forty-acre Merriam Park. At its peak, Merriam Park drew 20,000 visitors per day. But, by the turn of the twentieth century, the park closed, likely because of the railroad's incorporation into the Frisco line (1901). In its wake, the Hocker Grove Park opened in 1908. Like Merriam Park, the Hocker Grove amusement park spanned forty acres. The park opened along an electric trolley line, eventually known as the Kansas City, Lawrence, and Topeka Electric Railroad (it ran one-half mile southwest of the Walker House). The park offered visitors access to picnic grounds, hot air balloon rides, a skating rink, a dance pavilion, and a baseball park where spectators could watch the Hocker Grove baseball team play.

Hocker, a lawyer, banker, real estate dealer, and railroad builder came to the Kansas City area in 1883 and quickly enjoyed success in the banking world. By 1888, he shifted his interests to real estate and commercial planning, including investing in the Shawnee Construction Company that built the Kansas City & Olathe Electric Railroad. Hooker, in 1902, also obtained 150 acres of valuable farmland in Johnson County, Kansas, where the railroad company built a powerhouse and residences. In 1905, he purchased an additional forty acres of land, which he later turned into a park. He opened Hocker Grove Park while serving as head of the group of railroad officers. He also developed several residential developments; thus, the line became known as the Hocker Line.  

But, Hocker's real estate speculation went beyond the park, feeling the interurban line made Merriam an attractive place to live as residents could easily commute to Kansas City. Hocker's land sat near the trolley line, so developing housing proved to be an easy decision. Indeed, Hocker's residential developments (Hocker's Grove and R.W. Hocker's Subdivision), platted between 1910 and 1915, sat within walking distance of the trolley.

Though both residential plans targeted the middle class who had the means to buy property in the suburbs and pay for transportation to jobs in Kansas City, the homes also had differences. R.W. Hocker's Subdivision consisted of eight Shirtwaist houses on spacious five-acre lots, whereas Hocker's Grove contained modest Craftsman bungalows on lots containing around one acre. The Walker House stood as one of only two homes built in R.W. Hocker's Subdivision of the eight planned lots.

By the time R.W. Hocker died in 1918, Merriam had expanded its boundaries with several new subdivisions, increasing competition among the residential developments. Hocker's trolley line and residential development existed as part of the town's significant population growth, which may account for why no other houses appeared within Hocker's Subdivision at the time. The Hocker Line continued to carry passengers through 1927, but the automobile eventually made the trolley line obsolete. The Walker House survives as a reminder of Merriam's transition into a streetcar suburb, with Hocker serving as highly influential in that evolution.

"History of Merriam." City of Merriam. Accessed March 5, 2022. https://www.merriam.org/Residents/Our-Community/About-Merriam/History-of-Merriam.

Johnson County Museum staff. "R.W. Hocker Subdivision, Lot K Spec House (Walker House) 1910." jcprd.com. Accessed March 5, 2022. https://www.jcprd.com/DocumentCenter/View/12078/Walker-House---RW-Hocker-Subdivision-.

Walker, Heidi and Amanda K. Loughlin. "Registration form: R.W. Hocker Subdivision, Lot K Spec House." National Register of Historic Places. kshs.org. 2017. https://www.kshs.org/resource/national_register/nominationsNRDB/JohnsonCounty_RWHockerSubdivisionLotKSpecHouseNR.pdf.