| Liberal,
Kansas
Liberal,
Kansas,
Crossroads of Commerce, is situated at the
intersection of US-54 and US-83. Highway
83 is the North/South corridor connecting Canada
to Mexico and is the only NAFTA (North American
Free Trade Agreement) trade route. Located
in Seward
County in Southwest
Kansas, it has a population of 22,510
(Census 2000). Seward is the fifth fastest
growing county in the state. The average
temperature is a mild 55 degrees with an annual
rainfall of 19 inches and a scant 8 inches of
snowfall.
Founded
in 1885, Liberal was named for early day
settlers who were ?liberal? with their
scarce supply of water. Strategically
located in the heart of the Great
Plains, its trading area covers the corners
of five states. The Liberal
Airport serves commercial, freight and
private aircraft traffic. Communities included
in Liberal's Trade Area include numerous cities
in Oklahoma, Kansas,
Colorado
and Texas.
In
1920, gas was discovered west of Liberal on what
was to become the vast Hugoton
Gas Field, the largest gas reserve in the
world. In early 1951, oil was discovered
southwest of the town. During exploration, two
layers of gas production were discovered,
extending life expectancy of gas in this area
into the next century. Along with other
resources of oil, sand and gravel, the value of
total production is over $40 million annually.
The
largest employer is National
Beef Packing. There are also four industrial
parks in place and companies such as Mobile Oil,
Oxy USA, Anadarko Petroleum, High Plains Pizza,
National Helium and National Carriers have
chosen Liberal, KS as a base for their
operations. The city has many incentives
in place to catch the attention of new
businesses.
There
are many attractions
in and around town. One of the largest draws is Dorothy's
House, made famous by Frank Baum who wrote
?The Wizard of Oz?. It mimics the
house in the movie, complete with period
furnishings, coal lamps and other memorabilia.
Ozfest
is a celebration held each October and some of
the original Munchkins join Liberal?s salute
to Oz. A parade, a carnival, a craft fair
and other events make Ozfest a day to remember. There?s also Pancake
Day, a three day celebration that includes
eating and flipping contests, a race, musical
programs and craft displays. The Miss
Liberal pageant is also held then.
More
than forty eating establishments in town offer a
variety of cuisine, and there are thirteen city
parks with a total of 86 acres. Camping,
hiking and other outdoor sports are available
within a reasonable distance of Liberal.
Seward
County Community College
located in Liberal offers a variety of courses
and degrees. Southwest
Kansas Technical Institute
offers fifteen programs of study ranging from
auto body repair to medical assistant.
Liberal,
Kansas is a splendid mid-size community.
Founded on the concepts of sharing, blessed with
the magic of Oz, this is a crossroads city fully
expecting the rewards of progress.
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