Peabody Industrial Development Corporation
The Peabody Industrial Development Corporation was organized essentially by “main street” supporters and filed for incorporation on April 8, 1966, with the State of Kansas to promote economic development in the city of Peabody.
Several programs were promoted and supported by the corporation in the days and weeks that followed. There was limited success to engage organizations to utilize the Eyestone building in new manufacturing endeavors (after Paramount Products ceased operations) and it was, for a short period of time, occupied by a company manufacturing cabs (Moridge/Full Vision) for farm tractors.
Efforts were made with several prospects for both financing and technical support, but none proved long-lived or able to sufficiently organize. Peabody Industrial Development Corporation ceased operations at some point in the early 1970s.
PIDC and its efforts subsequently became mostly inactive except for some less formalized efforts by business leaders to bring industry to the community. These efforts have had limited success and there currently is no known organized effort being made that parallel the ideas originated by PIDC.
When Peabody Industrial Development Corporation was organized there were a total of 100 shares purchased by 31 Peabody citizens, most of whom were businessmen. The majority of these stockholders are no longer living.
The reason for this notice is to apprise the community and the remainder of living former stockholders about the plan to finally dissolve the long held bank account of PIDC.
Since the ideas originally formulated for the use of these funds has been diminished to zero, it has been decided to forward the funds to the Prairie Lawn Cemetery board to be used for the new wrought iron perimeter fence project and for landscaping projects being planned. The funds will go for a worthy project and will honor those who had a vision for Peabody’s continued business vitality and vibrant hometown atmosphere.
The funds left in the now inactive account at Peabody State Bank amount to $3,712.96. They are to be transferred to the board of Prairie Lawn immediately with the proviso they be used for the current fence project financing and a record made for recognition of the stockholders and the ideas they promoted for the benefit of the Peabody Community.
The listed stockholders names are provided here for recognition and history to remember:
Calvin and Virginia Apollo, W. E. Avery, Brock and Sheryl Baker, Ross Baker, George Becker, Ernest and Mettie Beeton, Vernon Ray and Lucille Beeton, John and Joan Berns, Harry Brown, John and Cleo DeForest, Stanley and Jeanetta Farr, Carroll Harder, Harry and Helen Hanneman, George and Irene Higgins, Fred and Esther Highfill, Harry and Mildred Homan, William Krause, Gaylord and Jean Maples, Ross and Margaret Mathias, Thomas and Jan Pierce, Douglas Porter, Randolph and Betty Robinson, Vernon and Laura Slocombe, Virgil Smith, Thomas Snavely, Arthur and Wilma Stallwitz, C.H. and Irene Stovall, Don Thornton, John Topham, L.C. and Betty Walker, Q. W. Whisler, and Jerry and Carol Whisler.