Monticello Historical Station and Museum
 Historic Monticello Driving
and Biking Tour

23860 W 83rd Street
Shawnee, Kansas 66227
(913) 667-3706

open Tuesday & Saturday 10AM - 2PM    free

Wild Bill Hickok   Monticello Museum Map

Monticello Historical Station and Museum - Shawnee, Kansas
Monticello Historical Station and Museum
Monticello Historical Station and Museum - Shawnee, Kansas
Monticello Township, Kansas was founded in 1857 at the crossroads of Territorial Road No. 5 and the Midland Trail. It grew until the 1870s when the railroad came through to the east. The post office closed in 1905 and the township was finally divided and annexed by the communities of Lenexa, Shawnee, Bonner Springs and Olathe in 1988.

The Monticello Community Historical Society organized that same year and incorporated 11 years later. Today the Society operates the Monticello Historical Station and Museum in the hall which was built to house the township fire station in 1974. The museum is rather small and unless you happen to visit when a very knowledgeable volunteer is present, it will probably take less than 15 minutes to visit.

The Monticello Community Historical Society has organized the Historic Monticello Driving and Biking Tour of other interesting sites from the former township. A map detailing the route and attractions can be picked up at the museum. It includes several cemeteries, the old township hall, school sites and two former Kansas River ferry crossings. 

It was from the driving and biking tour that we learned that Wild Bill Hickok Park in what is now Lenexa occupies a small portion of the land which Hickok claimed in 1857. Hickok was elected as one of the 4 constables of Monticello Township at the age of 20 on March 22, 1858. He also served in the Free-State Army and his cabin was burned by pro-slavery men in late 1858. He abandoned his claim and left Johnson County in 1859.

Wild Bill Hickok
James B. "Wild Bill" Hickok


Exhibits in the former fire station

Monticello Volunteer Fire Department fire truck
1974 fire truck, originally used by the Monticello Volunteer Fire Department

Monticello United Methodist Church - Shawnee, Kansas
Monticello United Methodist Church (1894), 23860 West 75th Street, Shawnee, Kansas

Wild Bill Hickok Park - Lenexa, Kansas
Wild Bill Hickok Park, 8649 Clare Road, Lenexa, Kansas 66227

Monticello Cemetery - Shawnee, Kansas
Monticello Cemetery - the stone at the left is the oldest legible grave marker in the cemetery.
"Clara B. Daughter of J.S. & J.A. McFadden died Dec 29, 1866. Aged 13 years 5 months 24 days"

Monticello Townsite Township Hall - Shawnee, Kansas
Monticello Townsite - Township Hall (1918) West 71st Terrace and Brockway, Shawnee
Privately owned

Monticello Historical Museum Map - Shawnee, Kansas
Map to Monticello Historical Station and Wild Bill Hickok Park

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copyright 2015-2017 by Keith Stokes