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 With an unassuming name like Warrensburg, this community of 17,000 appears more homespun than high-tech. Starting with the 1833 founding by a blacksmith, Warrensburg is often pure Middle America. This is the city that gave the world legal proof that dogs are indeed a man's best friend. Several of today's Warrensburg businesses are named for that dog, Old Drum. Dogs or not, Warrensburg benefits from a solid agricultural foundation that underlies the region. Johnson County contains some of Missouri's most productive farmland, with a healthy mix of row crops and grazing that produce nearly $100 million in annual revenue. Warrensburg is also home to the state's lead university for applied sciences and technology, Central Missouri State University. Just east of the city limits is Whiteman Air Force Base, world headquarters for the super high-tech, B2 Stealth Bomber. With more than 17,000 college students and military personnel, nearly every aspect of Warrensburg life is affected by these two facilities. Close inspection of Warrensburg reveals a surprisingly urbane community. Although just 17,000 people in size, it boasts an active fine arts program, diverse recreational activities and other amenities usually associated with far larger communities. The university's impact is most dramatic inside of Warrensburg. Spread across 1,166 landscaped acres, CMSU's four colleges offer more than 150 areas of study for nearly 12,000 students. In physical terms, CMSU has a striking impact on Warrensburg. The new, $35 million James C. Kirkpatrick Library is an advanced-technology facility that emphasizes the university's role as the information hub for central Missouri. The beautiful building also presents an imposing image on the city's major north-south thorough-fare, Highway 13. The social impact of the institution is even more significant. Students, faculty and other university employees make significant civic contributions through local organization and projects. But Warrensburg is more than a college town. The county seat of Johnson County and a major regional economic center, this community boasts a solid cultural and business life of its own. Some of this is due to the city's location. Situated at the crossroads of Highway 50 and Highway 13, Warrensburg residents and businesses are only a short drive from I-70 and barely 30 minutes from eastern Kansas City. Railroads still play a major role with major east-west links through the city and Warrensburg is one of Missouri's key stops for Amtrak. Warrensburg business climate is healthy. Warrensburg Industrial Park, begun in the late 1970s, is nearly full. City leaders are planning a new facility to accommodate future growth. These local industries are diverse. One company manufactures batteries and other electrical power sources used worldwide. Two others are in-volved in products that are more down to earth: lawnmowers. Nearly all of Warrensburg's employers appreciate the area's "heartland" work ethic that provides quality workers. The unemployment rate of approximately 3.6 percent indicates overall economic health without hindering companies seeking to fill vacancies. Warrensburg also provides unusually fertile ground for entrepreneurs. A number of small- and medium-sized firms have blossomed here in a wide range of industries and markets. The university supports this trend with its Small Business Development Center. The same highway network that facilitates business also gives residents a quick connection to metropolitan Kansas City or recreational amenities such as the Lake of the Ozarks and Truman Lake. Closer to home, Powell Gardens and Knob Noster State Park provide quality amenities. Powell alone sees more than 135,000 visitors a year. The best part of Warrensburg may be its neighborhoods, small city parks and local schools. From the highly rated Warrensburg School District to the city's civic groups and community projects, this is a city that enjoys its intimate size and makes no apologies for it. Warrensburg has experienced few dramatic growth periods, but that's not a source of complaint. The community has succeeded in balancing growth with a high quality of life--and guaranteeing that continues in the future. |
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