History

1844 to 1920

The Indian Treaty of April 11, 1844 ceded 1,600,000 acres to the Shawnee Tribe. This tract was roughly bounded on the east by 28 miles of the Kansas-Missouri state line, running south from the confluence of the two rivers; then westward 120 miles; then north toward the Kansas River; and generally east to the point of beginning. Most of the Shawnee Tribe had congregated here by 1830, principally in what is now Wyandotte County, south of the river.

Ten years later, the Treaty of 1854 ceded the entire tract back to the United States Government, and retroceded 200,000 acres to the Shawnees. By 1867, some Shawnees had received patents for their property and were selling it for about $4.50 an acre. A few years before this however, we have our first records of precise land ownership of the Town and Country area. On February 12, 1863, an unlucky Shawnee Indian lost part of his hunting grounds to John Dyche, when President Lincoln gave it to Mr. Dyche in recognition of his military service. Two years later, after Dyche didn’t pay his property taxes, the land changed hands again, for $500.00, this time to and unknown owner.

A familiar name has come down from this period. The prominent Chief Blackhoof, whose “X” appears on many old deeds, was married to a fine, educated Ohio lady named Na-Nag-si. Her name, smoothed by many years of use, lives on as “Lenexa”.

About this time, drovers on their way to the cattle markets on the Missouri river cut off from the Santa Fe Trail, a few miles to the north, to a watering stop near the present corner of 85th and Roe. There were shallow springs here. As late as the 1950’s, 28 cistern-type wells were counted in the area. The Shawnee settlements were supported by streams and ponds; an abundance of game and a deep, silt-loam topsoil would grow almost everything but papayas, pineapples and palm trees.

1920 to 1954

The land was shuffled through several ownerships until the early 20th Century. Albert Schoenberg and Arthur Guettel bought it in the 1920’s. They operated a stable and polo field a couple of furlongs north of the old watering stop. Several years later, R. L. Nafziger bought 40 acres. He organized the Mission Valley Hunt club and built a stable and barn. The barn survived as part of the structure of the former Mission Road Antique Mall, near Corinth Square. Stone gateways, which are still standing in Franklin Park, were the entrance to “Somerset Place”, the Nafziger farm. Foxhounds were housed in kennels on the farm property.

Five-acre estates were planned for the Hunt Club grounds. A new polo field, unique for its clay tile drainage system, was built at about 87th and Roe, the present location of Franklin Park. A grandstand was erected. Small lakes were dug and lined with copper screen to prevent damage by muskrats. The effort was for naught, as the lakes filled with silt.

The Great Depression arrived and in 1936, Byron Spencer obtained the 40 acres in a foreclosure sale. The Hunt Clubhouse became The Teahouse by the Side of the Road. Mr. Spencer increased his holdings to 104 acres and turned the Teahouse into the Spencer home.

THE DEVELOPMENT

The sales brochure was labeled:  “Town & Country Estates – Kansas City”. Mail delivery was through the Waldo branch of the Kansas City, MO Post Office.

But we were less “Town” than “Country’ for many years. Coveys of quail were common, and  85th Street between Delmar and Fontana was a popular roosting area. Hunting was good near the corner of Roe and Somerset. Cattle from the Calvin property frequently wandered into the yards of the early homes and looked through the windows. At one time, we thought the last of our local foxes has moved out when grading equipment chewed into the hillside fields near Franklin Park. Happily, we have had many kits raised in recent years.

Development of our Town and Country area took place over three phases, covering six years. The original 100-acre tract was platted into 97 lots. As construction and sales progressed, additional property was added, resulting in 21 additional lots bounded by Somerset, Delmar, 87th Street and the cul-de-sac leading to Mission Road. Fourteen lots to the southwest of the original tract completed the development. These last lots required the construction of 86th Street from Briar to Nall, allowing access from the west. This explains the existence of the lonely entrance gates at Fontana, conforming to the pattern of Roe. Next, 84th Street Terrace, Linden, Cedar, Briar and 85th Streets were built. By the winter of 1956, all streets were in and 89 homes were built or under construction. Somerset, originally a cattle route running generally northeast and from the old watering stop at that time, cut diagonally across the northwest corner of 83rd and Mission. To eliminate an awkward intersection (and incidentally to provide a valuable chunk of commercial property) it was rerouted to its present path about 1963.

Mr. Cowherd built the first house on the southwest corner of 83rd and Fontana, lot 33. It was one of those “Dream Homes” of the year, with the most advanced design in utilities and appliances. The first purchaser of a lot for a custom home was Mr. Earl T. Scott, who also became the first president of the Homes Association. His home occupies lot 15, 8300 Delmar.

Promotional activities were frequent in the early years. Fashion shows were held in many completed houses, and 8361 Fontana was the site of a patio barbecue the weekend it was on the “Parade of Homes” tour. Chefs from the Golden Ox, Eddy’s and the Westport Room presided.

The cost of lots was from $ 5,400.00 to 6,800.00, or about $36.00 a front foot. Homes ranged from $ 37,750.00 to 46,500.00 in earlier years. Custom homes, even then, came closer to six digits. All lots were sold by 1960. 

The Homes Association has tried to respond to these changes responsibly. Between 1991 and 1993, considerable attention was given to drafting and approving new guidelines for design and construction. These were approved in December of 1992. In 2000 and 2001, the Homes Association found it necessary to review and revise the design guidelines. All homes association members were welcome to join the Design Guideline Review Committee. The homeowners who joined the committee spent many hours reviewing and revising the guidelines to submit to the board for approval. After the revised design guidelines were distributed to the homeowners for comment, the new Design Guidelines of Town & Country Estates were approved by the Homes Association Board of Directors on May 14, 2001. 

These new guidelines serve as a basis for the Board’s review of all external changes to lots/homes in the Association, from changing paint color to major additions. The guidelines are intended to aid us all in maintaining and improving our neighborhood and Association. The validity of the board’s application of the May, 2001 guidelines has been affirmed in the District Court of Johnson County, Kansas. Until 2018, Harriet Epstein, one of the original homeowners, continued to own her Town & Country home. Those who were proud to move here in the beginning were proud of their decision. Those of us who have come since, an increasingly large percentage of our 136 households, are responsible for carrying on the sense of history in our unique community. A quality living environment and community of neighbors, not just houses, is what we are striving to maintain. 

**Entryway & Gas Lanterns Update:  The gas lanterns at the entryway were turned back on in the 1980s. They provided a beacon of light to those entering our neighborhood. David Anderson, Architect and Town & Country resident, designed and oversaw the installation of the beautiful “Established in 1955 Town & Country Estates” plaques on the entryways. The lanterns were once again turned off in approximately 2019. Interesting that nearly 45 years after the gas lanterns were turned off, then back on, a reliable solar option was still being sought. Stay tuned . . . As The Lanterns Turn.

Acknowledgements

History is generally most important to those who live where the history was made. The story must be put in writing, if it is to remain alive. Those who have lived here the longest  have a special responsibility to share and add their own remembrances to the story. Otherwise, much of our neighborhood history will be lost. We hope you found this description of Town & Country’s history interesting. We will be providing a valuable service to future generations if we save the stories for future additions.

Several people made this story possible. Mr. John Johntz, who lives in Mr. Cowherd’s former home, summarized our history in an earlier copy of Town & Country Handbook. He was assisted by Mr. Carson Cowherd, developer of Town & Country Estates and Mr. Bud Ellis, Sales Manager of Town & Country Estates, Inc. Additional factual material about Prairie Village came from “Reflection-A History of Prairie Village,” published on the city’s 25th anniversary in 1976.