Nottingham Update Part II

Story by: Caven Denham

Nov. 30, 2019 was the last day of Nottingham Elementary and marks the prospect of a future business to develop in Eudora. Named after a long time beloved teacher Roberta Nottingham, Nottingham was an Elementary in Eudora off of 15th and Elm Street, which was the outskirts of the town at the time. Nottingham was built in 1964 for only 175,000 dollars (1.4M in today’s money) and opened in 1965 as an elementary school for kindergarten to third grade.

Tom Jerome was the head principal there for 35 years.

“I really appreciated the support of the staff throughout the years,” said Jerome.

Eudora High School’s Class of 2021 is the last class to have students who attended Nottingham before it shut down.

“My favorite part of Nottingham was nap time and messing around and getting in trouble,” said Senior Matthew Besser.

As the old elementary school hit its limit, Eudora expanded, and funds were awarded, it was time for USD 491 to upgrade to a new elementary school.

Eudora Elementary replaced Nottingham in 2009 as the new kindergarten through fifth grade school. Eudora Elementary School was the biggest new elementary school in the state of Kansas for a short time running.

As Eudora continues to grow, the empty plot left by Nottingham is prime real estate for new businesses. For over five years, conversations surrounding what will go into the empty lot have interested Eudora locals. From a potential skate park to a shopping center, the speculation has been varied.

On Sep. 29, 2020 Eudora approved Wendy’s to come into Eudora. This is the most promising talk the City of Eudora has had in relations to the development of the Nottingham lot. The Eudora City Commission and Legacy Restaurant Group agreed on a real estate agreement for March 2021, but no further information has been released.

There are pros and cons to a Wendy’s coming to Eudora. Wendy’s could fail and go under or possibly go so well they put out Dairy Queen or Sonic. If the city’s plans for the Nottingham lot move further along, it is always a positive sign for a small town to gain a new business.

Tim Reazin is the City of Eudora’s Mayor and he hopes for Eudora to grow and develop just like surrounding cities.

“I personally think this is just another step in the right way.” Reazin said.