Transportation                 Transportation has played a major role in Sikeston’s development from its establishment in 1860 on the King of Spain’s El Camino Real (the overland route connecting St. Louis to New Orleans) to its current location at the intersection of Interstates 55, 57 and Highways 60, 61 and 62.  Centrally located between St. Louis and Memphis, Sikeston is just 25 miles from the Mississippi River.  Sikeston’s municipal airport, providing a 5,500 foot runway with construction of a new terminal scheduled for 2015, was originally dedicated in 1934 as the Harvey Parks Airport and was used by General Hap Arnold as a WWII Army Air Corp pilot training facility. Industry Due to its mild climate, the Sikeston area is the northern most point at which cotton can be successfully grown.  Rice, corn, wheat, soybeans along with potatoes, melons and other fruits and vegetables are commercially grown in this region.  Once thought of as a strictly agricultural community, Sikeston has expanded its economic focus to include manufacturing and distribution. In the late 1990’s the City developed its 800-acre Business, Education and Technology Park.  The country’s two largest hardline distributors, Orgill and Do-It-Best, are located in the Park as is Fed Ex Ground’s recently completed facility. Additionally, Unilever has two ice cream plants in Sikeston. Education      Realizing education is vital to a community’s success Sikeston’s residents established a tax-based public school in 1868.  Today the R-6 Public School District serves more than 3,600 students in grades pre-K through 12. The District also operates a Career and Technology Center and provides on-going adult and community education programs.  Southeast Missouri State University and Three Rivers Community College have campuses in Sikeston, offering coursework for Associate and Bachelors’ degrees in various fields, as well as specialized technical training.  Three private elementary schools also serve the Sikeston community. Utilities     Sikeston residents experience some of the lowest utility rates in the State due to the City-owned coal-fired electric generating plant. The Board of Municipal Utilities also operates three water treatment plants, and the City’s sanitary sewer system.  In 1999 the Board constructed a 33-mile fiber optic communications backbone throughout the City which serves local government, public school, and industrial customers. Medical      The Missouri Delta Medical Center, founded in 1948, has more than 185 beds and over 84 physicians on medical staff specializing in 25 different areas of healthcare.  In a 2014 survey Missouri Delta Medical Center was ranked #1 in the State for overall patient experience.  The community is also served by more than 30 additional independent medical providers. Parks/Recreation The City maintains 281-acres of parks, providing a variety of recreational opportunities. These include two fishing lakes (with handicapped access), seven trails for walking, biking or running, a community building, and lighted tennis and basketball courts, soccer, football, softball and baseball fields. The YMCA of Southeast Missouri is located in Sikeston and offers members a 5,000 square foot fitness center, elevated walking track, aquatic center with 6-lane pool and an additional pool with zero-depth entry, a 15 foot water slide, and bubbler. The YMCA operates several youth league athletic programs, as well as other recreational and fitness activities. Library Sikeston’s City Library houses more than 32,000 books, audio-books, videos and magazines. Its programming includes book discussion groups, weekly pre-school story hour and "Family Night" events and an outstanding summer reading program for pre-school through high school youth. Cultural Center The Albritton-Mayer Cultural Center is home to the Sikeston Little Theatre Group which provides musical, drama and comedy performances throughout the year.  The Sikeston Depot Museum & Gallery, a restored train depot on the National Register of Historic Places, is filled with local history and memorabilia.  It hosts local, as well as traveling art and cultural exhibits from the Smithsonian and other institutions. Downtown Historic Downtown Sikeston, located in the heart of the City, has been revitalized and now hosts cobblestone streets, period lighting with a variety of specialty shops and boutiques. The community’s historic homes, many constructed in the early to mid-1900’s, are located adjacent to the Downtown shopping district. Thank you for visiting our site.  We’re sure you’ll find Sikeston is a great place to live, work and play!