Thursday night the Kansas Department of Commerce announced the winners of the Main Street Awards of Excellence at the annual Kansas Downtown Symposium at Memorial Hall in Independence.

Peabody Main Street was among the 21 Kansas Main Street cities earning recognition.

Preston and Lisa Hodges were recognized for their volunteer service to Peabody with the Community Award.

An award for Excellence in Historic Preservation went to Baker Lofts, Peabody Main Street, Peabody Economic Development, and the City of Peabody for the partnership that will develop the former Baker buildings.

Brent and Lezlie Miles of Miles and Company received the award for Excellence in Business Development for development of the property which now houses The Wringer and Manestreet Beautique.

The symposium, which ran Oct. 12 to 15, was sponsored by the Department of Commerce’s Kansas Main Street program, providing community developers and business leaders a chance to network, attend workshops, and discuss downtown development in Kansas.

The annual event typically draws nearly 200 business and community leaders interested in downtown development, including city and county officials, entrepreneurs and small-business owners, as well as Main Street directors, board members, and volunteers.

The Kansas Main Street program helps community volunteers revitalize their city’s historic business district. The program tackles the complex issues of revitalization, capitalizing on downtown’s history and identifying the resources of the community itself.

Peabody has been in the Main Street program since 1989.