Early Aviation in Overland Park

A Look at What Was Happening at Aviation Park – 1912-1914

By ophs_admin | September 30th, 2026

William Strang developed Aviation Park – first at 79th Street and Santa Fe Drive – and later moved it west and south where it stretched from Santa Fe Drive to 87th Street between Riley and Lowell. This area included our present-day South Lake Park (known then as South Killarney Lake). Aviation Park operated from 1911 to 1920. It was the first airfield established west of the Mississippi River.

Included here are news articles and advertisements in Kansas City newspapers promoting the airfield and its activities. And that’s exactly what William Strang wanted – to introduce his new suburban community to thousands of people (sometimes upwards of 20,000 on a weekend) who might be interested in living in Overland Park!

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