The origins of the Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead can be traced back to 1971, when the city of Overland Park acquired the land that would eventually become the farmstead, initially designated as Community Park. The Farmstead officially opened to the public on Memorial Day weekend in 1978, featuring a
petting zoo and a modest collection of animals, including miniature horses, Shetland ponies, goats, sheep, calves, and chickens, alongside a vegetable garden and a silo slide. In its inaugural year, the facility attracted approximately 11,000 visitors. On May 27, 1985, the Farmstead was renamed to honor Deanna Rose, an officer with the
Overland Park Police Department, who was the department's first officer to die in the line of duty. In 1996, the facility established the Friends of the Farmstead organization as a not-for-profit entity to aid in fundraising for future projects and programs. A significant expansion project began in 2000, resulting in the addition of several new attractions, including the fishing shack and Grandpa Bob’s fishing pond. Over the following years, other features were introduced, such as the one-room schoolhouse, Kanza Indian encampment, Prairie Playground, tractor track, dairy barn, and Main Street. In 2021, Mackenzie’s Island was opened, featuring a water wheel and gazebo overlooking the fishing pond, and a new mining shack was introduced in 2023. ==References==