The Great Plains Industrial Park is located in the heart of Southeast Kansas in
Labette County just outside of the county’s largest community,
Parsons (pop. 12,000). In the past 10 years Parsons has become a prospering community, due largely to the greatly enhanced highway route of U.S. 400. Its realignment north of town as a super-two lane, on four-lane right-of-way, has helped foster a great amount of development along the outer edge of the community.
At the same time Parsons’ downtown has seen a dramatic rejuvenation following a tornado in 2000 that ripped off many of the modernized facades, and heavily damaged an ailing 1970s urban renewal effort. The rebuilding of the downtown area, under the guidance of the National Main Street program has been dramatic and very successful.
Parsons is a Tree City U.S.A. and is filled with numerous parks, historic neighborhoods, an arboretum and a biking/hiking trail. It is also home to a bevy of volunteers who adopt community flower beds, ensure that festivals are run smoothly and support education and the arts.
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National Recognition
Over the past decade Parsons has repeatedly garnered national recognition for rebuilding its downtown. The crowning glory was the designation as a 2006 Great American Main Street Award Finalist. Each year the National Trust Main Street Center recognizes exceptional Main Street communities whose successes serve as a model for comprehensive commercial district revitalization. These award-winning communities are chosen because they demonstrate exemplary achievement in the process of strengthening their downtowns and commercial districts. Parsons was also named a 2005 All-Amearican City Finalist, one of only five selected each year.
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