Incorporated with only 500 in 1907, Lenexa now boasts thriving commerce, rich history

The city was incorporated in 1907 when the population was little more than 500. Today it approaches 60,000.

Like most of present-day Johnson County, the land once belonged to the Shawnee Indians through an 1825 treaty that exchanged the property for land in Ohio. Gradually, through a 1854 treaty, the U.S. government shrank the area’s size and the American Indians sold off land. The three main trails connecting the East with Santa Fe, Oregon and California wound through the area, splitting off farther west.

Adam Legler built his limestone barn in 1864 close to the Santa Fe Trail, and today it is the Lenexa Historical Society Museum. Legler Barn is home to many artifacts and exhibits.

(Read more: Joco 913 News)