The Kiowa County Media Center

How The Future of Greensburg Changed

At 9:45 pm on Friday evening, May 4, 2007, Greensburg, KS, was obliterated by an EF5 tornado. That is no exaggeration. The town's footprint on the south-central High Plains of Kansas is one mile wide; the tornado was one-and-a-half miles wide. Ninety-five percent of all of the homes and buildings were completely destroyed.

Community Accomplishments & Plans

• A year later, it is clearly evident that the citizens of Greensburg and Kiowa County are a resilient people.
• The townscape has been cleared
• The power grid has been reestablished
• The new water tower went up in April
• The schools reopened last August on schedule,
  albeit in 17 portable classrooms and a giant metal building
  .. which the students promptly dubbed the "cafegymatorium"
• A comprehensive, community redevelopment plan has been approved
• 404 homes are under construction or permitted
• 42 businesses have reopened
  and/or are in the process of rebuilding
• A new business incubator is funded and under construction
• A new school campus and medical facility are in the works.

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LINKS Community Accomplishments & Plans PDF File / More Information Media Center Project PDF File / Design Layout

Kiowa County Media Center 620-723-2611 P. O. Box 787 Greensburg, KS 67054 ExploreGreensburg RETURN TO HOME Revised June 30, 2008 dea corns