Leawood, Kansas

Leawood /ˈliːwʊd/ is a city in Johnson County, Kansas, United States,[1] and part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 31,867.[8]

Leawood, Kansas
City
Location within Johnson County and Kansas
KDOT map of Johnson County (legend)
Coordinates: 38°58′00″N 94°37′01″W[1]
CountryUnited States
StateKansas
CountyJohnson
Founded1920s
Incorporated1948
Named forOscar Lee
Government
 • MayorPeggy Dunn
Area
 • Total15.21 sq mi (39.38 km2)
 • Land15.11 sq mi (39.12 km2)
 • Water0.10 sq mi (0.26 km2)
Elevation942 ft (287 m)
Population
 • Total31,867
 • Estimate 
(2019)[4]
34,727
 • Density2,298.89/sq mi (887.61/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
66206, 66207, 66209, 66211, 66224 [5]
Area code913
FIPS code20-39075 [6]
GNIS ID0479275 [7]
Websiteleawood.org

History
See also: History of Kansas

Leawood was named for Oscar G. Lee, an original owner of the town site.[9]

19th Century

After the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, the area east of present-day Leawood opened for settlement. The Santa Fe Trail which ran through the area also contributed to the development of the area. The Border Ruffian War (1855-1857), part of a larger conflict known as Bleeding Kansas, damaged the local economy as pro-slavery activists from the slave state of Missouri attacked settlers, traders, and those traveling along the Santa Fe Trail. Conditions improved with the founding of Oxford, Kansas, the predecessor of Leawood. The township was destroyed by the American Civil War, and there was little left by 1865.[10]

20th Century

Modern Leawood was established in the 1920s, after Oscar G. Lee, a retired police chief from Oklahoma, moved to Johnson County. He supervised the construction of Lee Boulevard for public use.

In 1948, a housing development by the Kroh brothers led to the incorporation as a city. On November 30, 1948, Leawood became a city of the third class with a population of less than 2,000.

By 1959, it had become a city of the second class.

As of 2014, Leawood is a city of the first class with approximately 32,800 residents.[10]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.16 square miles (39.26 km2), of which, 15.06 square miles (39.01 km2) of it is land and 0.10 square miles (0.26 km2) is water.[11]

The city is bordered on three sides by the cities of Overland Park and Prairie Village, Kansas and on the fourth by Kansas City, Missouri. The city's land area is approximately 75% developed and growth is expected to continue in the future.[12]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
19501,167—
19607,466539.8%
197010,34938.6%
198013,36029.1%
199019,69347.4%
200027,65640.4%
201031,86715.2%
Est. 201934,727[4]9.0%
U.S. Decennial Census

According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $117,896, and the median income for a family was $136,871.[13] Males had a median income of $90,546 versus $43,933 for females. The per capita income for the city was $49,139. About 0.5% of families and 1.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.5% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 31,867 people, 11,781 households, and 9,367 families living in the city. The population density was 2,116.0 inhabitants per square mile (817.0/km2). There were 12,384 housing units at an average density of 822.3 per square mile (317.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 92.3% White, 1.9% African American, 0.1% Native American, 3.8% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.2% of the population.

There were 11,781 households of which 38.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.7% were married couples living together, 4.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 20.5% were non-families. 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.09.

The median age in the city was 44.7 years. 28.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18% were from 25 to 44; 34.3% were from 45 to 64; and 15.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.

A majority of the Leawood Population is Republican, while there is a smaller Democratic population.

2000 census

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 27,656 people, 9,841 households, and 8,118 families living in the city. The population density was 1,833.4 people per square mile (708.1/km2). There were 10,129 housing units at an average density of 671.5 per square mile (259.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.19% White, 1.46% African American, 0.14% Native American, 2.18% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.30% of the population.

There were 9,841 households out of which 41.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 76.0% were married couples living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.5% were non-families. 15.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the city, the population was spread out with 30.2% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.

Religion

Leawood is home to the main campus of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, which is the largest church in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area and the largest Methodist church in the country with 22,000 members and an average weekly attendance of 13,600.[14] Leawood is also home to three Catholic parishes: Church of the Nativity, Curé of Ars and St. Michael the Archangel.

Economy

Top employers

According to Leawood's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[15] the top employers in the city were:

# Employer # of Employees
1 AMC Theatres Support Center 450
2 Reece & Nichols 415
3 American Academy of Family Physicians 362
4 Blue Valley Unified School District 346
5 Select Quote 290
6 City of Leawood 256
7 Murphy-Hoffman Company 250
8 Nueterra Holdings Company 184
9 DEMDACO 150
10 Bukaty Companies 120

Education

Schools

Two public school districts serve Leawood -- Shawnee Mission School District and Blue Valley USD 229.[16]

Libraries

The Johnson County Library serves the residents of Leawood.[17]

In June 2014, Leawood city officials shut down a Little Free Library due to city ordinance prohibiting free-standing structures in the front yards of residential homes.[18] The family of the 9-year-old boy who built the structure created a Facebook page to support amendment of Leawood's city code.[19] Another resident of the city who erected a Little Free Library was threatened with a $25 fine. There are discussions among the city's residents in working with the city to amend its code regarding free-standing structures in residents' front yards.[20]

Infrastructure

Law enforcement

The Leawood Police Department is the main department in the city of Leawood, the Johnson County Sheriff's Office also assists as well. The Leawood Police Department was formed on January 18, 1949. The agency was formed when Robert E. Combs became the city's first chief of police. The first officers hired on were unpaid volunteers who wanted to help their community. By 1971 the city had gradually started paying patrol officers, and in 1986 the agency had reached 26 officers, 6 civilians and 1 dispatcher. Now the agency has around 60 officers. Currently the Leawood Police Department enrolls officers in the Johnson County Regional Police Academy who, following their graduation, join the agency, raising the number of officers hired.[21] Leawood Police Officers have a dark navy blue uniform, dark blue pants, as well as black shoes or boots, and a badge with the department's insignia on it along with the Kansas state logo.

The Kansas Highway Patrol rarely patrols the city unless there is a major event. The Leawood police chief is Troy Rettig, who has been chief since 2015.[22]

Notable people
Main article: List of people from Leawood, Kansas

Notable individuals who were born in and/or have lived in Leawood, include co-founder of Garmin Corporation Min Kao,[23] romance novelist Julie Garwood,[24] U.S. Representative from Missouri Karen McCarthy,[25] baseball pitcher Dan Quisenberry,[26] and founder of Hallmark Cards, Joyce Clyde Hall.[27]

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References
  1. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) details for Leawood, Kansas; United States Geological Survey (USGS); October 13, 1978.
  2. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  3. "American FactFinder Leawood city Kansas". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  4. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  5. United States Postal Service (2012). "USPS - Look Up a ZIP Code". Retrieved 2012-02-15.
  6. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  7. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  8. "2010 City Population and Housing Occupancy Status". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 11, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
  9. "Leawood, Kansas". JoCoHistory. Johnson County Museum. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  10. "CITY OF LEAWOOD COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE 2016" (PDF). 2016. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  11. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2012-07-02. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
  12. "About Leawood". City of Leawood. Archived from the original on 5 February 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  13. U.S. Census Leawood KS Archived February 10, 2020, at Archive.today
  14. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-04-06. Retrieved 2015-01-09.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. "City of Leawood, Kansas Comprehensive Annual Financial Report: for the Year ended December 31, 2017" (PDF). Leawood.org. Retrieved 2019-03-31.
  16. "Leawood Schools". City of Leawood. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  17. "JoCoLibrary". JoCoLibrary. 2011-05-02. Retrieved 2012-11-17.
  18. "City Forces 9-Year-Old Boy to Move "Little Free Library" From Front Yard". 20 June 2014.
  19. "Spencer's Little Free Library". 19 June 2014.
  20. "City to fine owners of Little Free Libraries". 18 June 2014. Archived from the original on 25 May 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  21. https://www.leawood.org/police/history.aspx
  22. http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/community/joco-913/overland-park-leawood/article31430510.html
  23. http://www.kansas.com/news/business/article1105086.html
  24. "Picks and Pans Review: Talking With...Julie Garwood". People. 1997-04-28. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
  25. Phillips, Anessa (2010-10-18). "Alumna Congresswoman passes". University News. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
  26. "Dan Quisenberry Dead At 45". CBS News. 1998-09-30. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
  27. Pace, Eric (1982-10-30). "J.c. Hall, Hallmark Founder, Is Dead". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-01-03.
  28. "US-Taiwan Connect. List of Sister Cities". Archived from the original on 2015-01-12. Retrieved 2015-07-12.

Further reading
See also: List of books about State of Kansas (which includes historical information about its counties and cities too)
See also: List of books about Johnson County, Kansas
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