Monticello Community

Historical Society

1850s

1860s

1870s

1880s

1890s

1900 - 1988

1989 - Future

Pre 1850

OUR HISTORY

A HISTORY OF MONTICELLO TOWNSHIP

Come join us in 2019 and later to appreciate, preserve and celebrate the history and heritage of the Monticello Community in Johnson County, Kansas.

From Early Kansas history, ancient peoples roamed the area hunting buffalo as Spain claimed the area in the 1500’s. No settle- ments have been discovered. The Spanish traded the area to the French in 1811 and President Thomas Jefferson of Monticello, Virginia negotiated the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.

Pre 1850

1825

The Kanza Indians were removed from the area by the Government and sent to a reservation to the West.

1825-1839

Shawnee Indians arrived from Ohio and Missouri. Many settled in the Monticello area.

1828

Frederick Chouteau (grandson of a co-founder of St. Louis) established a trading post and ferry near Mill Creek.

1836

A saw and grist mill was built for the Shawnee Indians on Mill Creek thus giving the creek its name.

Kansas becomes a territory. A treaty with the Shawnee Indians gave each Shawnee 200 acres. All unclaimed land was left open to pioneer settlers.

1854

1857

Prior to becoming a town, Monticello was a stage coach stop in the mid 1800’s. It was a stopping point about midway between Lawrence and Westport. The town of Monticello was founded on 160 acres on June 19, 1857. There were speeches where a banner with the motto “Monticello and the Union” was presented to the Town Company and dancing took place in the town square. Monticello was located at the crossroads of the Territorial Road No. 5 and the Midland Trail. At that time there were no railroads in the area. Steamboats routinely churned the waters of the mighty Kaw (Kan- sas) River, stopping at the Chouteau Ferry Crossing. The township recorded a lynching of a horse thief in 1857. We don’t know where he was buried, but Monticello has laid people to rest at the following cemeteries Bullock; King / Wilder / Boles; Monticello at 73rd Terrace East of Monticello Road; Murphy; Shawnee Mission Memorial Garden on 75th west of K- 7; Union at 75th and Gleason.

1858

Monticello elected James Butler Hickok as a town constable in 1858. It was his first job in the law enforcement business before going on to become the famous “Wild Bill” Hickok. He staked a claim to 160 acres now located at 83rd and Clare Road.

1859

Hickok left Monticello late in 1859. Early Monticello survived a destructive tornado in 1859, fire and a grasshopper plague around 1859. St. Louis, Lawrence & Denver R.R. in Johnson County 1859 A territorial road was surveyed between Leaven- worth City and Ft. Scott. It passed through the town of Monticello where a stage stop, stores, saloons, blacksmith, a doctor and a hotel served travelers. The road crossed the Santa Fe trail at Olathe.

Kansas Territory becomes the 34th State of the Union.

1861

1863

The Monticello Ferry Company was chartered to operate across the Kaw River at present day Bonner Springs. At one time Monticello contained several stores, saloons, a blacksmith shop, post office and a hotel that was burned during the Civil War.

1865

The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized, first meeting in the Virginia school house.

1869

Town of Zarah platted at present day 69th and Martindale.

The town remained the center of the community until 1874 when the Kansas Midland Railroad (later to become the Atchi- son, Topeka and Santa Fe) began laying out and building a railroad in the area. It by-passed Monticello to the east while passing through Olathe, and 3 other township towns, ending the town’s hope to become the county seat. Frisbie was a sta- tion 3/4 miles west of Wilder on 47th. Chouteau station was at 45th and Theden; Craig station was 90th and Woodland.

1870s

1870

Thomas T. Nichols (Grandfather of J.C. Nichols) settled on present day 95th St. West of Kansas 7 Highway.

1870

Shawnee Indians are moved to the Indian Territory (Oklahoma).

Town of Wilder officially platted and recorded near present day 47th and Clare. Wilder Neighborhood-Social Club

1882

Town of Waseca was platted. The depot was named Holliday near present day 17900 Holliday Drive.

1886

Woodson McCoy, son of the founder of Westport, and the town of Kansas (later to become Kansas City), developed Woodsonia Stock Farm.

Monticello Methodist Church Chapel is rebuilt after a fire and still stands at 75th and Gleason Road.

1894

Flood

1903

1905

The post office closed. The Monticello Methodist Church, the one room schools and Township Hall became places for local gatherings and fellowship as the years went by. Later churches included Clear Creek Baptist; Colored Church in Holliday; Gospel Assembly; Holliday Baptist; Pentecostal and Seventh Day Adventist.

1951

The 1951 Flood nearly erased the towns of Holliday and Wilder along with Frisbie Station.

1955

Kansas City suburban airport was developed near present day Kansas 7 Highway and Johnson Drive. It was later turned into a housing development called “Woodsonia.”

1974

Monticello Fire District was organized with volunteer fire fighters.

1975

The Monticello Fire Station and Floyd Cline Hall was built.

1988

Shawnee and Lenexa begin annexation of Monticello Township.

The Monticello Community Historical Society is organized.

1988

1993

Flood

1998

New Monticello Branch Post Office opened.

1999

Society incorporated and received Floyd Cline Hall.

2005

Virginia School placed on National Historic Register and moved.

2018

Monticello Community Historical Society commemorates 30th Anniversary.

(913) 667-3706

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1850s

1860s

1870s

1880s

1890s

1900 - 1988

1989 - Future

Pre 1850

From Early Kansas history, ancient peoples roamed the area hunting buffalo as Spain claimed the area in the 1500’s. No settlements have been dis- covered. The Spanish traded the area to the French in 1811 and President Thomas Jeffer- son of Monticello, Virginia negotiated the Louisiana Pur- chase in 1803.

The Kanza Indians were removed from the area by the Government and sent to a reservation to the West.

Shawnee Indians arrived from Ohio and Missouri. Many set- tled in the Monticello area.

Frederick Chouteau (grandson of a co-founder of St. Louis) established a trading post and ferry near Mill Creek.

Pre 1850

1825

1825-1839

1828

1836

A saw and grist mill was built for the Shawnee Indians on Mill Creek thus giving the creek its name.

Kansas becomes a territory. A treaty with the Shawnee Indians gave each Shawnee 200 acres. All unclaimed land was left open to pioneer settlers.

1854

1857

Prior to becoming a town, Mon- ticello was a stage coach stop in the mid 1800’s. It was a stop- ping point about midway between Lawrence and West- port. The town of Monticello was founded on 160 acres on June 19, 1857. There were speeches where a banner with the motto “Monticello and the Union” was presented to the Town Company and dancing took place in the town square. Monticello was located at the crossroads of the Territorial Road No. 5 and the Midland Trail. At that time there were no railroads in the area. Steam- boats routinely churned the waters of the mighty Kaw (Kan- sas) River, stopping at the Chouteau Ferry Crossing. The township recorded a lynching of a horse thief in 1857. We don’t know where he was buried, but Monticello has laid people to rest at the following cemeteries Bullock; King / Wilder / Boles; Monticello at 73rd Terrace East of Monticello Road; Murphy; Shawnee Mission Memorial Garden on 75th west of K-7; Union at 75th and Gleason.

1858

Monticello elected James But- ler Hickok as a town constable in 1858. It was his first job in the law enforcement business before going on to become the famous “Wild Bill” Hickok. He staked a claim to 160 acres now located at 83rd and Clare Road.

1859

Hickok left Monticello late in 1859. Early Monticello survived a destructive tornado in 1859, fire and a grasshopper plague around 1859. St. Louis, Lawrence & Denver R.R. in John- son County 1859 A territorial road was surveyed between Leavenworth City and Ft. Scott. It passed through the town of Monticello where a stage stop, stores, saloons, blacksmith, a doctor and a hotel served travel- ers. The road crossed the Santa Fe trail at Olathe.

Kansas Territory becomes the 34th State of the Union.

1861

1863

The Monticello Ferry Company was chartered to operate across the Kaw River at present day Bonner Springs. At one time Monticello con- tained several stores, saloons, a blacksmith shop, post office and a hotel that was burned during the Civil War.

1865

The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized, first meeting in the Virginia school house.

1869

Town of Zarah platted at present day 69th and Martin- dale.

The town remained the center of the community until 1874 when the Kansas Midland Rail- road (later to become the Atchi- son, Topeka and Santa Fe) began laying out and building a railroad in the area. It by-passed Monticello to the east while passing through Olathe, and 3 other township towns, ending the town’s hope to become the county seat. Frisbie was a sta- tion 3/4 miles west of Wilder on 47th. Chouteau station was at 45th and Theden; Craig station was 90th and Woodland.

1870s

1870

Thomas T. Nichols (Grandfather of J.C. Nichols) settled on present day 95th St. West of Kansas 7 Highway.

1870

Shawnee Indians are moved to the Indian Territory (Oklahoma).

Town of Wilder officially platted and recorded near present day 47th and Clare. Wilder Neigh- borhood-Social Club

1882

Town of Waseca was platted. The depot was named Holliday near present day 17900 Holli- day Drive.

1886

Woodson McCoy, son of the founder of Westport, and the town of Kansas (later to become Kansas City), developed Wood- sonia Stock Farm.

Monticello Methodist Church Chapel is rebuilt after a fire and still stands at 75th and Gleason Road.

1894

Flood

1903

1905

The post office closed. The Monticello Methodist Church, the one room schools and Township Hall became places for local gatherings and fellow- ship as the years went by. Later churches included Clear Creek Baptist; Colored Church in Holli- day; Gospel Assembly; Holliday Baptist; Pentecostal and Sev- enth Day Adventist.

1951

The 1951 Flood nearly erased the towns of Holliday and Wilder along with Frisbie Sta- tion.

1955

Kansas City suburban airport was developed near present day Kansas 7 Highway and Johnson Drive. It was later turned into a housing develop- ment called “Woodsonia.”