The City of Mission is located in northeastern Johnson County, Kansas - a suburban area of the Kansas City metropolitan area.  This area of eastern Kansas ranks as one of the top growth areas in the State, and the country.  The City lies adjacent to a major transportation corridor, Interstate 35, and is quite accessible to the entire metropolitan area.  Mission boasts a population of slightly under 10,000, and covers an area of 2.75 miles - about 95% of which is developed.

The daytime population of the City is approximately 50,000.  The population increases as a result of the large number of people who come into the City to work, conduct business, and to shop.  These individuals work in a variety of businesses located throughout the City including car dealerships, health care facilities, laboratories, the Shawnee Mission Main Post Office, Johnson County Offices, State of Kansas Drivers License Bureau, a number of excellent restaurants and many fast food establishments, grocery chains, and a host of other employers.  The City is also undergoing major redevelopment.  The Gateway Project will redevelop the former Mission Mall site with mixed use development, and Mission's Downtown District is being revitalized inconjunction with the Rock Creek Floodplain Control Project.

The History of Mission

Once, our "small Midwestern city" was a stopping point for covered wagons on the way west via the Santa Fe Trail.  Because of the clear blue water in free-flowing springs, these pioneer ancestors looked forward to setting up campsites in Mission.  The springs, likewise, enticed the first residents of Mission, since the precious water was free.  Mission grew as America grew, becoming the first suburb as Kansas City emerged as our sophisticated cosmopolitan neighbor on the east.

Originally called Mission Hill Acres, this suburb was sub-divided into 245 lots and offered by the Breyfogel family for sale.  By 1928 there were five businesses; a drug store, restaurant, hardware and dry goods store, a barber shop, and a cleaning and pressing establishment.

In 1930, we had the first Mission grocery store, and in 1940 a post office.  Today, we have two shopping malls and a million square feet of office space.  People come to Mission from all directions, to work and shop, see their doctors, dentists, lawyers and other professionals, and enjoy "big city services" in a friendly, small-town atmosphere.  You'd expect to travel a hundred miles into rural Kansas to find a place like Mission, but it's only minutes away from all the excitement of Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas City, Kansas, and enjoys the safe and friendly residential atmosphere of Johnson County, Kansas.