Mission Statement
To be an essential part of Lenexa by preserving and promoting its story, and to be relevant within the community through involvement and education.
Vision Statement
Preserving, promoting, and presenting the story of Lenexa.
Goals
Become a relevant, engaging face in the community:
– Build something that is sustainable.
– Set goals that can be measured, are attainable, and benefit the city and LHS.
– Enhance the quality of life for the community
Meet the Board
President:
Bruce Daniel
Bruce has been LHS president since March 2018. He and his wife, Lina, who serves as LHS secretary, have lived in Lenexa for 27 years.
Bruce served on Lenexa’s 2030 and 2040 task forces, the Advisory Council for the Lenexa Rec Center and the city’s Old Town Study.
He is president of the Country Hill West Homes Association and past president of the Oak Valley Homes Association. He is also Treasurer for the Johnson County Kansas Heritage Foundation. He was Konica USA’s Midwestern Manger for 20 years.
Treasurer & Vice President:
Phil Hammond
Phil is a Past LHS President and current LHS board member. He and his wife Jody live in Lenexa, have 3 children and 9 grandchildren (all in the area).
Phil served 25 years in Banking. He was President of County Hill Bank for 10 years. During the years with LHS, Phil researched and designed the Old Lenexa Bandstand that was reconstructed just south of the Legler Barn. Phil helped raise the money and through County Hill Bank lent LHS $100,000 to reconstruct the Legler Barn.
Phil and Jody over the last five years (as of 2020) have traveled on The Santa Fe Trail, Oregon Trail, The California Trail and Mormon Trail.
Phil gives presentations to Clubs, Organizations and KU Osher Classes. Each year Phil does classes at each Lenexa Grade School with The LHS Prairie Schooner Wagon.
Secretary:
Lina Daniel
Lina has been LHS secretary since January 2019. She has served on the Lenexa 2030 and 2040 task forces, the Advisory Council for the Lenexa Rec Center and is secretary for the Country Hill West Homes Association.
Lina worked in marketing and communications at Hallmark Cards for 33 years.
Liaison:
Ron Norris
Ron has been an LHS Board member since 2019 and has lived in Lenexa for 24 years.
Ron served as Public Works Director for the City of Lenexa for more than 13 of those years. During his tenure, the City developed and implemented the Rain to Recreation program, including the building of Lake Lenexa. Other projects included the restoration of the Thompson House and Barn, the 87th St. and I-35 interchange, and various transportation projects.
Prior to coming to Lenexa Ron was Deputy Director of Public Works for Clark County, Nevada (Las Vegas) and Director of Design and Construction for the State of Missouri.
Marketing:
Chris Thompson
Chris is a 6th generation Kansan with a US History degree from KU. His studies at KU had a strong focus on Kansas History, particularly Bleeding Kansas and the events leading up to the Civil War.
Currently he is the Director of Marketing for Three Dog Bakery. With a strong background in digital marketing, Chris is working with LHS to further expand their marketing presence in the Lenexa community.
Volunteers
Molly Hutson
Molly graduated from William Jewell College in 2015 with a Bachelor’s in History and Applied Critical Thought and Inquiry. In December of 2019, she graduated with a Master’s in Library and Information Sciences with a concentration in Archiving from Emporia State University.
Molly was the contract archivist and facilitator at LHS from August, 2016 through October, 2022, when she ended her contract with LHS after being offered employment with the Kansas City Museum. She wore many hats within the LHS Complex during her time there, including creating and maintaining this LHS website.
Starting in 2018, Molly started work as the archivist at the Overland Park Historical Society where she processes their artifact and manuscript collections. Now, she works for the Kansas City Museum and is still contracted with Overland Park Historical Society, as well as volunteering with LHS to help when needed.
Jason Green
Jason has been with LHS since August 2020 and served on the board as the Research Historian from 2020 to 2021.
He and his wife Shannon, reside with their two children near the Legler Barn Museum. Jason has lived in Lenexa for 30+ years, and is also a local business owner. He is an amateur genealogist, and has traced his family back several hundred years. A Kansas native, his ancestors came to the state in the 1800’s, homesteading in the early days of present Solomon, Glasco, and Leavenworth municipalities.
He is also a member of the Santa Fe Trail Association, KC Area Historic Trails Association, and Leavenworth Historical Society.
The Lenexa Historical Society is a Non-Profit 501 (c)(3) organizations. All Donations are tax deductible.
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