Downtown Overland Park Walking Tour

1. Strang Carriage House

Built in 1915, the Strang Carriage House was constructed for railroad magnate William B. Strang, the founder of the city of Overland Park and the first electric rail line. The carriage house was used to house the personal vehicles while his chauffeurs lived on the second level. Many of the surrounding projects built by Strang have since been demolished, but his old carriage house remains as one of the oldest buildings still standing in Overland Park. The building was renovated in 1998 and now serves as the site of the Overland Park Historical Society.

2. The Conser Building

The Conser Building at 7500 W. 80th St. was built by Grant Conser in 1911 and is one of the oldest buildings in downtown Overland Park. Consor established a general store on the bottom level and rented out offices and an event space called Conser Hall on the second floor. The little building to the north was leased to Overland Park’s first barber shop. After Conser’s death in 1927, the building was sold and has served Overland Park in a variety of capacities over the years. Since 1975, it has been home to the Dragon Inn, one of Johnson County’s oldest restaurants. The Conser Building has been designated a Landmark Building by the Overland Park Landmark Commission. In addition to this building, Conser Street in Johnson County is named for Grant Conser.

3. William B. Strang Jr. Statue

Dedicated on May 20, 2006, as part of the 100th anniversary of Overland Park, this 400-pound bronze sculpture by artist Kwan Wu depicts city founder William B. Strang Jr. The statue recognizes Strang for his central role in establishing the community, starting with his 1905 purchase of 600 acres along the remnants of the Santa Fe trail in rural northeastern Johnson County. Strang created a town and a trolley line, recognizing the two would be mutually supporting as the completion of his Kansas-Missouri Interurban Railroad, commonly known as the Strang Line, increased the value of his real estate purchases by connecting the lots he sold to Kansas City's vast streetcar network. Strang platted out housing subdivisions, one of which he named Overland Park in reference to its location on the historic overland trail with "park" added to give it appeal to potential buyers. This statue is one of several monuments and markers in the area that recognize the history of the suburban community.

4. The Voights Building (1928)

This historic Overland Park structure was constructed in 1928 and replaced a two-story building that was constructed in 1912 by farmer and entrepreneur Emil Voights 1912. The building housed a retail store on the bottom floor and offices upstairs but was damaged by fire twice in the 1920s. After the upper floor was destroyed, the structure was rebuilt as a one-story building in 1928.

5. Strang Depot

Construction of this interurban railway depot began in 1905 under the direction of William B. Strang, Jr., who is widely recognized as the founder of Overland Park, given the central role of his interurban railroad that connected this area to the growing city. Strang's Missouri & Kansas Interurban Railroad was also known as the "Stran Line" and this depot became the first commercial building in what would become Overland Park, Kansas. The first interurban rail car arrived in March 1906. The Overland Park Historical Society (OPHS) purchased this structure and plans to create a museum and community space that will feature a trolley car, exhibits, a conference room, an educational center, and archival facilities.

6. Santa Fe Trail Marker #1

This is the first of 96 markers created by the Kansas Chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution from 1906 to 1908 to mark the route of the Santa Fe Trail through Kansas. This stone marker was dedicated during a ceremony on Decoration Day (May 30) in 1907. Overland Park had been founded just two years earlier as a streetcar suburb. Today, the stone is located at the southeast corner of Santa Fe Drive and 80th Street. Two modern interpretive historical signs created by the National Park Service complement the stone and provide information on the history of the trail.

7. The Overland Park State Bank (1910)

Overland Park State Bank opened on March 1, 1910, in the north room of the town’s Strang Line Depot. The following year, the bank moved into this building on the southeast corner of 80th and Overland Park Dr. For the next 80 years, the bank grew with Overland Park and helped generations of homeowners realize their dreams of buying their own homes. The bank was eventually acquired by UMB Bank and moved to a new location. The historic bank building has continued to serve the community over the years and is currently home to a hair salon. In 2016, the Overland Park Landmark Commission proclaimed it a Landmark Building, signifying its importance to the history of Overland Park.

8. Rio Theatre

The Rio Theatre opened as Overland Theatre in 1946 and was one of over two dozen midwestern theatres that were part of the Dickinson Theatre chain established in Manhattan, Kansas, in 1920 and later headquartered in Lawrence. Architect Robert Boller, of the well-known Boller Brothers firm, designed the theatre in the Moderne Style. The theater has been well-preserved and is known today for its striking retro neon lighting, glass blocks, and pastel-colored tiles. In 2000, the theatre reopened as the Rio Theatre, an independent movie house. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

9. Strang Line Car Barn

Built in 1906, the Strang Line Car Barn worked to house and repair trolleys for the Missouri and Kansas Interurban Railway, while also providing power to the electric track. Established by the founder of Overland Park, William B. Strang, the car barn operated until 1940 when the rail line was shut down and abandoned. Eventually the tracks and much of the surrounding infrastructure was demolished, but the original car barn remains. Today the building is occupied by a furniture store.

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Downtown Overland Park Walking Tour

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