Kearney, Missouri is located in Clay County about 15 minutes north of Kansas City and has a population of 8,381. Each September, the city hosts an annual festival celebrating its distinction as the birthplace of outlaw Jesse James. The James farm with the original house and Jesse James’s burial site are a popular tourist attraction. The Kearney School District serves about 3,500 families in Kearney and northern Clay County.
A few years ago, the city of Kearney jumped on the pickleball bandwagon and modified the old tennis courts of Kearney High School into three pickleball courts, and a skate park. Wow, the sport of pickleball exploded in this small town north of Kansas City.Due to the explosion of interest and several national competitors in the sport, the city is redeveloping that area to put in 12 state-of-the-art pickleball courts with lighting and tons of parking and with that redevelopment, the skate park is getting a facelift too. The new courts are scheduled to open at the end of May, and there has been national attention in the pickleball world regarding hosting tournaments. Get your paddles ready and come to Kearney to check out the new courts. The city is committed to having plenty of open play for residents and guests and not being monopolized by tournaments.