Best Web Design in Olathe, KS (2026)

Web Design for Olathe, Kansas

Olathe is the seat of Johnson County and the fourth-largest city in Kansas, a fast-growing suburb on the southwest edge of the Kansas City metro. Its name comes from a Shawnee word understood to mean "beautiful," and the town grew from a Santa Fe Trail waystation into the world headquarters of GPS maker Garmin.

AppWT works with Olathe, KS businesses from Livonia, Michigan, mostly online and travelling as needed.

About Olathe

Also known as. The City Beautiful.

History. Founded in spring 1857 by John T. Barton, who staked two quarter-sections at the geographic center of Johnson County; by legend he asked a Shawnee interpreter for the word "beautiful" and was told "Olathe." Sat at the crossing of the Santa Fe, Oregon, and California Trails, and outfitting westbound travelers was the early economy. On September 6, 1862, William Quantrill's Confederate guerrillas raided Olathe during the Civil War, killing several residents and destroying much of the town. The Kansas School for the Deaf was established in Olathe in 1861 and has called the city home ever since. Naval Air Station Olathe opened in 1942 to train WWII pilots; the site later became the New Century AirCenter / Johnson County Executive Airport.

Local economy. Garmin International located its world headquarters in Olathe more than 30 years ago, making the tech company a flagship local employer. Other large employers include Honeywell, Husqvarna, ALDI, and Grundfos. Olathe hosts more Farmers Insurance Group employees than any other U.S. city, even though the insurer is based in Los Angeles. Leading local sectors are healthcare and social assistance (about 12.5%), retail trade (about 10.6%), and educational services (about 9.9%).

Culture and community. The Johnson County Old Settlers festival has run for more than a century, held each Labor Day weekend with a pioneer-themed parade, carnival, concerts, and craft booths. The Ensor Farm Site and Museum honors Marshall Ensor, a longtime teacher and amateur-radio pioneer who taught thousands of local students. NFL running back and Super Bowl LII champion Darren Sproles played at Olathe North High School.

What makes Olathe distinct. The city's name means "beautiful" in Shawnee and is locally pronounced "oh-LAY-thuh." Future astronaut and senator John Glenn earned his Navy wings in the first pilot class at NAS Olathe, and game-show host Bob Barker trained in the second. The Great Mall of the Great Plains opened in 1997 as Kansas's largest outlet mall, laid out in a half-mile racetrack pattern; it closed in 2015 and was later demolished.

Olathe Landmarks and Local Life

• Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm - a preserved Santa Fe Trail stagecoach stop with costumed staff and stagecoach rides
• Kansas School for the Deaf - on its Olathe campus since 1861
• Ensor Farm Site and Museum.
• The former Naval Air Station Olathe - now New Century AirCenter, home to a Commemorative Air Force wing