Welcome to The Overland Park
Historical Society
Historical Society
.In 1906, William B. Strang, Jr. constructed a depot for his Strang Interurban Streetcar Line, the first building in his newly platted town of Overland Park, Kansas. In the summer of 2019, the Overland Park Historical Society purchased this iconic and historic building. For the past 66 years the building has been home to Suburban Decorations, a flooring and paint store, in the heart of old Downtown Overland Park in the southeast corner of Santa Fe Drive and 80th Street. Over the years the owners built additions on the front and back of the original depot. It is iconic as the first building in the State of Kansas starting a town in the Twentieth Century that became the Second largest City in the state within 100 years. This building is also iconic as the headquarters of the railroad line that designed and built the first successful self-contained railroad car running on regular railroad tracks, the forerunner of the modern diesel locomotive.
Many years ago it came to our attention that several portions of the original Strang Line Depot still existed within the walls of the current structure. As the landscape changes in the historic area of Downtown, the Overland Park Historical Society decided to purchase the building not only to preserve this iconic historic structure from demolition, but also to become our permanent headquarters. Our plans are progressive. We will expose and restore the portions of the original depot inside the building, install professionally designed historic exhibits into a museum space, and continue our mission of identifying, preserving, exhibiting and educating people about the history of Overland Park, Kansas.
We must raise a substantial amount of funds to make this a reality. Your donation is imperative to achieve this objective. Please donate and bring the history of our city to the community. All donations are tax deductible
Many years ago it came to our attention that several portions of the original Strang Line Depot still existed within the walls of the current structure. As the landscape changes in the historic area of Downtown, the Overland Park Historical Society decided to purchase the building not only to preserve this iconic historic structure from demolition, but also to become our permanent headquarters. Our plans are progressive. We will expose and restore the portions of the original depot inside the building, install professionally designed historic exhibits into a museum space, and continue our mission of identifying, preserving, exhibiting and educating people about the history of Overland Park, Kansas.
We must raise a substantial amount of funds to make this a reality. Your donation is imperative to achieve this objective. Please donate and bring the history of our city to the community. All donations are tax deductible