Lee's Summit

In 1865, the town was incorporated as Strother, remaining so until it was renamed Lee’s Summit three years later. Lee's Summit began as an agricultural community and persisted as such until the mid-twentieth century. Upon the conclusion of World War II, with new highway infrastructure and an increased desire for single family housing, the city began to rapidly suburbanize and grow in population, transitioning into a commuter suburb of Kansas City. The city's period of population and territorial growth lasted through the remainder of the twentieth century.

The Lee's Summit public school district has consistently ranked among the city’s top employers, alongside federal government offices, healthcare facilities, and retail centers. Most residents, however, commute to other cities for work, often other nearby suburbs.