Going to be moving to Ft. Scott, KS. can you tell me about it?

[AnywhereElse]

Although this is an old thread, it has been kept updated. It should be noted that the insurance industry here took a big hit and lost over 200 jobs this year. The downtown was neglected for so long that now the buildings are in desperate need of renovation/update and "investors" had purchased the buildings and just let them sit hoping to make a nice profit in the end which in this economy was a losing venture since the cost of labor and materials has soared. The town is seeing some growth to the south. We gained a Tractor Supply store in one of the old Wal-Mart stores and now the rest of the building is being developed: Stage, Rent-A-Center, Hibbitt's, Family Dollar, etc. While at one time, Wal-Mart was the culprit in a town's business decline, now, internet shopping along with the economic downturn is having more of an effect. We are looking all over the state at properties (wishful thinking that the house will sell) and to me, Fort Scott properties seem high. We have gotten 2 new people in the Codes office and they are actually doing their jobs and there is improvement - these are the best people I have seen in this office. "Special interest" is a big toxin here and gets in the way of progress. We have a determined person as Economic Director and I believe he has made some headway with growth to the south which is being opposed by those that want to revive a long dead downtown - those who bought the old buildings hoping to make profit, well, that's the problem with "speculation". People's expectations of moving to Kansas and small towns is generally unrealistic - crime, drugs, poverty, joblessness, poor schools, etc. is everywhere now. We have lived across the country, did extensive research and if Nirvana existed, I would not be calling myself "Anywhere Else".

[ruralroutegirl]

What all the posts I have read, have missed is, that it is a college town. Nice Junior College. I went there and two of my children went there. It is what it is. There are alot of shipped in students from other states, that don't have our same down home values and it has been a detriment to the town as far as I can see. It has been happening for forty years. Nothing any different than other towns in the Midwest.
Fort Scott is a beautiful old town. Old town. If you love small towns (I think it is quite large)
and want the home town feel, small grocery stores, churches and schools, then you should move to Fort Scott. Hospital and doctor are close. Everything you really need and more. Yeah Walmart came in and closed alot of the downtown shops, but the charm is still there and if you smarten up and stop shopping Walmart, the small shops can come back. Some never left.
Either way, if small and homey is what you are looking for, go for it. If you need to get rich, then move to K.C. and get off our roads, and keep your big city codes and ordinances with you.