Legler Barn Museum & Depot

Legler Barn Museum Exterior

Lenexa’s history is on display at the Legler Barn Museum & Depot in Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park. The property features several historical structures.

Museum grounds

  • Legler Barn heritage museum 
  • Restored Lenexa train depot
  • Strang Line wait station 
  • Bandstand replica (Gazebo) 
  • Red barn 
  • Retired caboose 

Legler Barn was built in 1864 by the Legler family on the Santa Fe Trail near 95th Street and Quivira Road. The barn was reconstructed in its current location in 1983. At that time, it was made into Lenexa’s heritage museum.

The museum includes information about the town’s families, festivals and businesses. The restored Lenexa Train Depot showcases transportation and railroad artifacts.

Programs, tours and research 

Featured exhibits

From Ink to Instant 

Jan. 21, 2026–May 30, 2026

Calling all Lenexa communicators — step into a world where ideas travel at the speed of light. Visit the From Ink to Instant: A Century of Communication in North Johnson County temporary exhibit at Legler Barn Museum and Depot to make a Valentine for your sweetheart, dabble in Morse code and hunt for some revolutionary technologies.

Take a journey through the 19th century and explore the ways people communicated in early Johnson County. This exhibit takes a look at the dramatic evolution of communication, tracing a path from the ink-stained pages of 19th-century newspapers to the instant, digital exchanges of today. 

This exhibit was curated in partnership with the Monticello Community Historical Society.

History programs

Looking to explore more of Lenexa’s past? Enjoy our free ongoing history programs — History Happy Hour and History Lunch & Learn —or take a deeper dive through themed tours and guided bus trips.

All history programs

Historic trails teaching trunk

Don't miss this opportunity for a hands-on learning experience. This program focuses mainly on the 19-century Santa Fe Trail route that connected Missouri with New Mexico and ran through present-day Lenexa.

The teaching trunk is not a complete lesson plan. The ideas and artifacts are meant to supplement your curriculum. All items are approved for careful handling.

  • 25+ real historic artifacts
  • Activity and resource packet included 
  • Two-week checkout period 
  • Free! 

Activity and Resource Packet(PDF, 354KB)

To reserve, contact Ashley Nguyen at anguyen@lenexa.com or 913.477.7133

 

19th-century slingshot     19th-century school slate with abacus

Field trips and private tours

Legler Barn Museum & Depot field trips and private tours are customized to each group's needs.

Topics

  • Lackman-Thompson House Tours
  • Life on the Prairie
  • Transportation in Early Lenexa
  • Gardens: A way to survive
  • Spinach Capital of the World
  • Behind the Scenes 

Cost

Fees are based on duration, topics covered and special activities planned. If no special activities are chosen that require an additional fee, the base rate is $4 per person for a 1-hour tour.

  • Private tour group size: 8–45 people
  • Please provide 1 adult per 6 children
  • Children 2 and under are free

How to reserve

Private tours and trips must be booked three weeks before the trip and paid for in advance. Some tour options are seasonal or may need to be rescheduled due to weather. If your group needs to cancel because of weather, you may reschedule.

Contact Ashley Nguyen at anguyen@lenexa.com or 913.477.7133 for more information.

    Kids coloring bison on paper at a table

    Research options

    Want us to do research for you?

    Do you have a question about Lenexa history? Send details about your questions to anguyen@lenexa.com.  

    There is a small fee for research taking longer than 30 minutes.

    Fee Schedule and Use Agreement(PDF, 106KB)

    Prefer to do research yourself?

    The museum's research library is available by appointment.

    Please call 913.477.7133 to schedule an appointment or request more information. 

    Get involved

    Are you interested in history and looking to make an impact in your community? Volunteer to assist with the museum or on-site garden. 

    Positions available: 

    • Archives digitization assistant 
    • Artifact cleaning assistant 
    • Exhibit assistant 
    • Garden assistant 
    • Museum education assistant 
    • Oral histories assistant 

    Sign up to volunteer

    Park amenities near the museum

    Historical photo gallery

    armers State Bank building front with broken windows (circa 1908)

    Broken glass shows the results of an attempted robbery at Farmers State Bank in 1908 in Old Town Lenexa.

    (JPG, 90KB)
    Group of men harvesting wheat with machines (circa early 1900s)

    A puff of smoke rises from old machinery used during the wheat harvest in rural Lenexa. (Circa 1900s)

    (JPG, 110KB)
    View of Legler Barn in 1950s at its original location with a truck in the foreground

    The Legler Barn’s original location was on 95th Street and Quivira Road. (Circa 1950)

    (JPG, 98KB)
    1923 Lenexa Baseball Team and coach posing for photo

    The 1923 Lenexa Baseball team is depicted with their coach and 1920s-style cars in the background.

    (JPG, 173KB)
    Lenexa Hotel under construction as Strang Line car passes in foreground (circa 1900)

    The Strang Line trolley car breezes by the Lenexa Hotel in early 1900.

    (JPG, 118KB)
    Early gas station building made of stone

    Known as one of the first gas stations, this building still stands in Old Town Lenexa today. Electric chargers were installed in front of this building in 2023.

    (JPG, 147KB)
    Exterior of Lenexa Police Department and patrol car (circa 1970s)

    The building that used to be located at Walnut and Haskins Streets housed the first paid police officers and chief of police for Lenexa.

    (JPG, 125KB)

    A population sign located on current day Pflumm shows everything great the town has to offer.

    (JPG, 151KB)
    Lenexa train depot with man and boy standing alongside railroad tracks (circa 1900)

    A man and boy stand in front of a depot built on the south side of the railroad tracks in Old Town Lenexa. (Circa 1900)

    (JPG, 91KB)
    Exterior of The Trail Inn with people posing on porch and in yard

    The Trail Inn was a two-story hotel ran by the Newcomer family was located on Pflumm and Walnut Streets in the early 1900s.

    (JPG, 170KB)
    Panorama vista of Old Town Lenexa featuring several shops, the Lenexa Hotel and a city park

    A panorama photo of Old Town in early 1900s shows several shops located on Santa Fe Trail drive, the Lenexa Hotel and the city’s first park.

    (JPG, 83KB)

    Contact Us

    Address

    Legler Barn Museum & Depot
    14907 W. 87th St. Pkwy., Lenexa, KS 66215

    Hours

    Wednesday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
    Saturday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

    Closed on official City holidays

    Staff contact

    Ashley Nguyen
    913.477.7133
    anguyen@lenexa.com

    Building notifications

    Admission and Parking

    Free

    Related Information

    Back to top