Hanthorn

Set just south of Downtown Independence and with Highway 78 serving as its northern boundary, Hanthorn is mostly seen by locals as a convenience point. But with a sprawling golf course in its southeastern corner and a beloved park sitting just steps away, this neighborhood’s residents know it as the city’s quiet mecca for all things outdoorsy and athletic.

The homes offer large outdoor play spaces of their own, too. Properties here – mostly split-levels or ranch homes built in the 1950s and ’60s but recently updated – have quarter-acre-or-bigger lots, allowing extensive backyards that could fit a playset or two and still give you enough room to comfortably run around. Combine that with the neighborhood’s other common amenities, one-or two-car garages, narrow but covered porches and back decks, and you’ll get asking prices ranging from $200,000 to $300,000.

After a weekend of running amok in your yard, the kids head just south of the neighborhood to Sycamore Hills Elementary, boasting a B rating from Niche and serving kindergarten through fifth grade with a curriculum strongly focused on literacy and phonics. They feed 3 miles north into Pioneer Ridge Middle to settle into a success-oriented environment with electives heavily emphasizing the arts like vocal music, theater and visual arts. Graduates then head back down to a few blocks north of Sycamore Hills at Truman High, rated B by Niche and offering two-year scholarships for those seeking to go to local community colleges or technical schools. "People like this school district," says Ryan Gritters, Realtor for Keller Williams Platinum Partners. "There aren't a lot of busy streets, either, so it's very safe for kids and families."

Besides their own yards, Students’ most obvious after-school play option is the golf course making up a significant portion of Hanthorn’s southern end. Drumm Farm Golf Club’s 18-hole course offers greens set on rolling hills and bending through forests and wetlands, offering one of the most unique athletic experiences around. If you’re a beginner or just haven’t mastered these holes yet, there’s also an easier nine-hole course, as well as a practice facility with a driving range, a putting green and a chipping area and on-site lessons from PGA-certified instructors. You can also complete your exercise of choice in the full-service fitness center or rent out the banquet room for your next special event.

For more traditional outdoor fun, head just across the course to Glendale Park, with two playsets – one mulched that’s hunter-green with maroon accents and another with a turfed neon-colored climbing structure – a slide and jungle gym, swings, green space with benches and a walking trail. Though it’s leaning against the popular Drumm Farm, it tends to stay fairly quiet.

For a recovery snack or sugary breakfast, swing by Jack’s Donuts, open Tuesday through Sunday with some of the highest-rated sweet treats around. This local shop has been around for decades with everything from long johns and doughnut holes to apple fritters. But be warned: They’re known to sell out fast, so get there early for your sinker of choice. When dinnertime rolls around, head to the western boundary, Noland Road, and find a string of restaurants lining the street. Chains like McDonald’s make up the northern sector, but head closer to the heart of the neighborhood for a lengthy menu of authentic Mexican cuisine. Que Tal Pollo is best known for its third-generation whole chicken combo – a plate of pollo asado or charbroiled chicken with Spanish rice, charro beans and salsas – but serves up large portions for just about everything it offers, from fajitas to hamburgers for picky eaters.

Prefer to make your own meal? Find Hy-Vee right next do Jack’s, Walmart Neighborhood Market adjacent to Truman, or Aldi and Price Chopper a few blocks east in neighboring Glendale. Keep moving a couple blocks farther and you’ll hit 23rd Street Station Shopping Center, a small strip mostly with convenience stops like Family Dollar. The neighborhood is only 20 minutes east of Kansas City’s heart, too, meaning you're always near adventure when you’re in Hanthorn.

Written By

Bre Offenberger

Photography Contributed By

Anya Ivantseva

Video By

Mary Desmond