Prairie Village, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City located in Johnson County, has a population of 21,447. The town was developed by J. C. Nichols who is the developer of the Country Club Plaza located just a few miles away and was initially intended to provide a community for military personnel returning from the Second World War. It was incorporated in 1951 and was named the best planned community in America in 1949 by the National Association of Home Builders. The award winning Shawnee Mission School District serves the educational needs of the Prairie Village residents.
While I have driven through the Prairie Village/Mission Hills area most of my adult life - I have only really started to appreciate the charm of it since my husband and I moved into the area a couple of years ago. For three seasons of the year the beautiful trees hang over the streets and provide a charming outdoor landscape. My boys are now old enough to walk with friends to grab pizza at the Village Shops and take in the outdoors while doing so It reminds me of when I was young and we were free to play and be gone most of the day without care or worry. Kansas City, while big, also seems like several small communities when you breakdown the city. Prairie Village is just one of the many charming areas from which to choose.Next time you are headed down to eat at the Village shops, assuming the weather is o.k., you might consider getting out of your car and taking a walk. You won't regret it!