WYANDOTTE COUNTY, KS
County Offices
701 North 7th Street
Kansas City, KS 913-573-5030
www.wycokck.org
Chamber of Commerce
727 Minnesota Avenue
Kansas City, KS 913-371-3070
www.kckchamber.com
Panoramic Wyandotte County, Kansas, is located on the river bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas Rivers. Although the “Kansas” side of Kansas City remains the focal point of the county’s economy and residential development, two other cities offer small-town and rural-suburban flavors. In Wyandotte County, it is even possible for a “gentleman farmer” to maintain a dynamic career in the city and return to country living each evening. With its central location, the county offers easy access to the entire metroplex and offers significant advantages as a place to call home.
While the cost of living is surprisingly low throughout the metroplex when compared to major cities across the nation, Wyandotte County excels in affordability. Along with the economic advantages of living in Wyandotte County comes an exceptionally high quality of life that continues to garner national attention. The three major cities have all been honored by the National Civic League with its All-American City Award based on coordinated planning and residential development, educational institutions, and volunteer work.
Named for the Wyandot Indians who once made the Midwest their home, the county is steeped in the history of the Old West and a struggling young nation. Kansas City literally grew up serving as the gateway to the West, and its prime central location has ensured its place on the leading edge of business, transportation, and industry. Wyandotte County is still home to a significant portion of the area’s heavy industry. Although the county is a bustling center for trucking and rail service, a network of freeways provide easy access to the Kansas City International Airport in neighboring Platte County and efficiently links the county with leading corporate and business centers in Overland Park and adjacent Kansas City, Missouri.
Services
Triple-A school districts and excellent private schools reflect the emphasis on a quality education in Wyandotte County, where volunteer programs attract contributions of time and financial support from individuals and businesses. Parents who want to explore options to public education will also find an excellent selection of private and parochial schools. Choices for higher education within the county include Kansas City KS Community College, Donnelly College, and the University of Kansas Medical Center. However, most of the colleges and universities throughout the metroplex are just minutes from home.
In the area of healthcare, Wyandotte County residents can rely on highly skilled professionals and full-service hospitals such as the University of Kansas Medical Center and Providence Medical Center to provide state-of-the-art diagnostics and treatment. Family-centered maternity, nursing services, cardiac care, day care for mildly ill children, and sports medicine are just a few of the many programs and specialties available. Public health screenings, fitness and wellness centers, and community education ensure a proactive approach to lifelong well-being.
Lifestyle
While it’s true that newcomers to Wyandotte County have easy access to the cultural venues as well as professional sports and entertainment centers on the Missouri side of State Line Road, a number of outstanding attractions are waiting just beyond the front doorstep. Wyandotte County enables residents to enjoy all the sophistication of a metropolitan area without losing the personal attention and friendliness associated with a smaller town.
Bonner Springs is the undisputed recreational capital of Wyandotte County, home of the Agricultural Hall of Fame and the adjacent Bonner Springs Park. For seven spectacular weeks each autumn, the latter hosts the Renaissance Festival, where a rousing and colorful 16th-century village springs to life. More than 15 acres of shaded lanes offer tempting food booths, jousting events, old-world artisans, live entertainment, arts and craft booths, and dazzling costumed characters.
Bonner Springs Park is also home to the George J. Meyn Community Center and the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, a 35,000 square-foot facility distinguished as one of the area’s most popular concert venues for headline rock, country, and pop artists. Indoor shows, concerts, and cultural events are often presented in the restored 1920s movie palace of Granada Theatre.
Outdoor enthusiasts can explore the many city parks, including the 1,500 acres of natural beauty in Wyandotte County Lake Park. Among the many amenities are shelters and picnic areas, playgrounds, softball fields, tennis courts, a recreation hall, horseback paths, and 400-acre lake for fishing and boating. The Woodlands Race track is a local favorite, where dog racing and a brief horse-racing season combine with wagering on simulcast greyhound and thoroughbred racing for year-round excitement. The Kansas Speedway is another spectacular venue close to home, featuring the excitement of NASCAR racing as well as many other high-speed thrills and special events.
Aficionados of music will want to mark their calendars for the annual Blues & Jazz Festival, second only to the Chicago extravaganza in attracting national recognition and attendance. Finding a five-star restaurant or an upscale mall is never a problem in the metroplex. Residents are just minutes from the Country Club Plaza and City Market in Kansas City, Missouri, or the many convenient shopping malls dotted throughout the area.
Whether you choose to settle in Kansas City, Edwardsville, or Bonner Springs, Wyandotte County has a neighborhood setting and housing options that meet every lifestyle. The area is home to long-established ethnic neighborhoods, well-shaded streets lined with beautiful older homes, and new construction in modern subdivisions. You’ll even find lots that are ideal for a country estate or horse property.
Volunteerism, civic pride, and involvement are the cohesive elements that bond each neighborhood and community in Wyandotte County. Regardless of your home selection, one constant will hold true: “Lending a helping hand” isn’t just a slogan on a billboard in Wyandotte County. It’s a way of life.
Bonner Springs
Municipal Offices
913-422-1020
www.bonnersprings.org
Chamber of Commerce
913-422-5044
www.bsedwchamber.org
Situated in the northeastern section of the county, Bonner Springs offers a pleasing selection of housing options from turn-of-the-century homes to modern construction in newer neighborhoods. In addition to revitalization programs in both residential and commercial sectors, the city offers excellent highway connections and public bus transit service to metroplex destinations. Boasting well-developed recreational amenities, Bonner Springs is home to regional and national attractions like the National Agricultural Hall of Fame, Wyandotte County Lake Park, the outdoor Renaissance Festival, and the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. Local parks offer first-rate musical concerts, ballfields, playgrounds, picnic areas, lake fishing and boating, swimming, tennis courts, a recreation hall, and hiking and bridle trails.
Edwardsville
Municipal Offices
913-441-3707
www.edwardsvilleks.org
Chamber of Commerce
913-422-5044
www.bsedwchamber.org
Edwardsville is a progressive small town that continues to grow as a viable center for industrial and residential development. Bonner Springs with its rich recreational resources is the neighbor to the west, while Kansas City, KS borders on the east. Contributing to the town’s expansion, Edwardsville is strategically situated for quick and easy access to both Interstate 70 and Interstate 435. Newcomers appreciate the town’s lovely rural-suburban atmosphere, friendly neighbors, and strong community spirit. An attractive selection of quality housing and the close proximity of metropolitan cultural, educational, and employment amenities make Edwardsville an excellent place to call home. Local highlights include a recreation building with programs for all ages and interests. The park system provides ballfields, a playground, shelter and picnic facilities, sand volleyball, and soccer fields.
Kansas City
Municipal Offices
913-573-5000
www.wycokck.org
Chamber of Commerce
913-371-3070
www.kckchamber.com
In Kansas City, the ethnic neighborhoods that planted roots in early America still maintain their colorful traditions. The result is a rich concentration of appealing diversity. One of the most charming areas with a distinctive ethnic flavor and influence is Strawberry Hill, known for its Slavic settlements and delightful annual festivities. Many of the older neighborhoods feature large, rambling homes with inviting porches shaded by mature trees. The neighboring community of Bonner Springs has developed into a metroplex recreational center, highlighted by the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre’s world-class concert series. With the relatively short driving distances to urban amenities, excellent highway connections, low cost of living and affordable housing. Local parks provide ballfields, playgrounds, tennis courts, swimming pools and recreation centers. Other possibilities include organized team sports, ice-skating rinks, roller-skating, hiking and nature paths and golf courses. Residents are minutes from professional sports in Kansas City, MO.
