Welcome to Hiawatha!

As the new mayor of Hiawatha, I would like to welcome you to this beautiful city that I have called home for the past 23 years. I grew up in Topeka and was not sure what to expect from small town life when I moved here.

So what kept me here? Perhaps it was the quality of the Hiawatha school district that did it.  USD 415 has had Rhodes and Fulbright scholars graduate from here. It has programs that help students become college ready, but it also has programs that support the students who want to go the vocational-technical school route.  There are also a wide variety of extra-curricular activities that range from the usual sports to trap shooting to forensics to scholars bowl and more. We are preparing our children to be successful and productive adults both through academics and activities.

Or perhaps it was the variety of businesses that call Hiawatha home. Take a leisurely stroll downtown and stop in at a variety of shops. Stay in town to buy your groceries. Get your car repaired at one of our local mechanics. Catch a movie or eat at one of our many restaurants.  Stop by the Morrill Public Library to check out a book or participate in the programs they offer for young and old.   And, when it is needed, Amberwell Hospital is here to provide health care either with local doctors or visiting specialists.  

Then again, maybe it was the beauty of this small town along with its traditions that made me want to stay.  It truly is the city of beautiful maples with stunning colors in the fall.  Enjoy the Maple Leaf festival in the fall or the longest running Halloween parade in the nation both the kiddie parade and the evening parade. Spend an evening in the summer on the courthouse square listening to the local jazz band. Maybe even catch the Tuba Christmas that plays every year inside the historic courthouse. Be ready to participate in many of the activities that are available. Line dancing? Yoga? A 5K run or walk? How about soccer, softball, baseball or flag football for the kids.  All of this and more is available for Hiawatha residents thanks to an active Parks and Recreation department and an involved Hiawatha Chamber and Visitors Bureau.

But, without a doubt, it was the people who made me want to call Hiawatha home. I was welcomed into town from the day I moved here and have appreciated the friendliness and support that is out there if you choose to accept it. 

Welcome to Hiawatha, a wonderful place that I am proud to call home.

Becky Shamburg, Mayor Hiawatha, Kansas