I loved the idea of participating in revising the existing books, which I had used for several years in my class. I used the Johnson County Central Resource Library and was able to read and access primary source documents about the city and Prairie Elementary. I worked diligently to create a broad, concise, and readable summary of the context in which the city and the people had developed. The biggest challenge was to ensure age-appropriateness in terms of readability and content.
One of several interesting finds in the stacks and archives of the Central Resource Library was a book written by parents and staff of Prairie in the 1950s (I now longer remember the exact date and have no copy available). It was, what we would call today, a small press publication giving a lot of day-to-day routines of the school, including current student demographics, programs, and history of the school and city. The reality of digging into history is that one invariably finds so much more material than can be used, especially when writing for the typical 3rd grade student.
Copied in below is the only copy I still have of my original work before it was handed around for revisions and any changes made by other team members or the district. There was a very fluid revision process and teachers who specialized in graphic design, photographs, or (like me) writing and research had our best efforts adopted/modified by others for each city the district serves. This resulted in all the City Books having the best qualities of each team member.
Of course, I also enjoyed the project as I was teaching at Prairie Elementary and knew our 150th year was approaching (2015-2016 school year). I am still at Prairie and have been thinking of the book a lot this year as various celebrations and activities have been taking place even though, as a 2nd-grade teacher, I don't currently use the City Books with my students. Thought this was a perfect time to post.
City of Prairie Village History
Native Americans of Prairie Village
Going far back in time, the very first people who lived on this land were Native Americans. The names of some of the large Native American tribes were the Kansa and the Osage. Some of these Native Americans had lived here for thousands of years. But the Native Americans also met people who came from other parts of the world.
In the 1540s a man from Spain named Coronado came through this land on a long journey to find gold in North America. He did not find any! In 1803, the United States bought this land, and a lot of other land, from France. It was called the Louisiana Purchase and it made the United States twice as big. Lewis and Clark explored this land in 1804 to draw maps.
Westward Movement
After Lewis and Clark, Native Americans saw more and more new people. These new people were pioneers, traders, and explorers. Many of these people were going west to look for land, money, and a new life. In the 1800s this area was very busy because it was a staging point. A staging point is where people go to buy supplies and get ready to go on a long trip.
The Oregon Trail, the Santa Fe Trail, and the California Road were all trails that people used to go west. All three trails came through this area. Today you can still see swails in Harmon Park. Swails are the worn paths created by wagon wheels going over the same trail long ago.
Early Settlers and Schools
The people who stayed here were farmers and needed land. They also wanted their children to go to school. In 1857 school districts were created. The Prairie School District was created in 1865. The school was called Prairie School and was about where 63rd Street and Mission Road are today. In 1874, a new one-room schoolhouse was built at 67th and Mission Road. This school later became Prairie Elementary.
In 1867 a man named John L. Parr gave one acre of land to the Dyke Branch School to build a new school. The old Dyke Branch School was made of sod, which is grass and dirt cut from the ground! This new school became Corinth Elementary. Corinth Elementary and Prairie Elementary are two of the oldest schools in Kansas.
Porter Family Leads the Way
One of the most important farmers to come to this area was Thomas C. Porter. He moved here in 1858 from Virginia and bought 160 acres of land! Half of that land would one day become the Prairie Village Shopping Center. When Porter died he gave the land to his five children. A man named J.C. Nichols wanted to do something different with the farmland. He bought lots of this farmland in the Prairie area, including from the Porter family.
J.C. Nichols creates Prairie Village
J.C. Nichols was a land developer, which means he helped turn forests and land into streets, shopping areas and homes. J.C. Nichols was known for creating the Country Club Plaza. After World War II, a lot of people were starting families all across the United States. With so many new families, every city needed many new houses.
The City of Prairie Village was planned by J.C. Nichols to be a community of beautiful homes and neighborhood shopping centers. Prairie Village was started in 1941 and was finished in 1949. It was named the “best-planned community in America” by the National Association of Home Builders. During the 1950s, Prairie Village kept growing. Many people were moving further south so another Plaza-type shopping center was built. It was named Corinth Square.
A Fantastic Place to Live
Prairie Village was officially recognized as a City by the State of Kansas in 1951. By 1957 it had become a first class city. People from all over want to move to Prairie Village and stay here because of the excellent schools, shopping, low crime rates, and quality neighborhoods. There are pools, country clubs, nature and skate parks, a community center, and many activities that bring people together and support families.
