New Ownership for Thomas Estates
Thomas Trailer Town
Vergil Thomas was the original owner and started the community in the 1960s. He saw an opportunity to build an affordable housing option for construction workers flocking to the area during the time that the La Cygne power plant was under construction.
He named the community Thomas Trailer Town. His vision turned into a longstanding family business that Vergil and his wife, Mary Ellen, eventually sold to their son, Doyle, in 1985.
Doyle owned and operated Thomas Trailer Town for 35 years with the help of a number of family members, including his children and sister Marlene Riebe. Marlene remembers living in one of the trailer town units after she got married in 1972 and she continues to live here.
After 35 years of ownership & management, Doyle Thomas decided it was time to retire and sell the trailer town.
Thomas Estates – A Manufactured Home Community
The new owners are investors who responded to the opportunity to purchase the trailer park in the Midwest. They are already making improvements to the community.
The term “Trailer” is not really used in the manufactured home industry anymore. So the first improvement was to change the name to Thomas Estates.
Thomas, is a family name for the new owners, that has been passed down in the family for five generations and they thought it was appropriate to honor the family history, as well as the history of Doyle and Marlene’s parents, so they kept “Thomas” in the new name.
There are 60 lots in the community, and there is plenty of space available for new single-wide manufactured housing units or RVs.
As for Doyle, he said he plans to wake up each day in retirement asking himself the same question: “Should I go fishing or play golf today?”