Garden City, Kansas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Garden City, Kansas
City and county seat
Historic Windsor Hotel, the Garden City Amphitheater, the Depot Monument, Eat Beef Sign, Historic State Theatre
Nickname(s):  GCK, The Beef Empire
Location within Finney County and Kansas
KDOT map of Finney County (legend)
Country	United States
State	Kansas
County	Finney
Founded	1878
Incorporated	1883
Area
• Total	10.93 sq mi (28.32 km2)
• Land	10.91 sq mi (28.26 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2)
Elevation	2,828 ft (862 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	28,151
• Density	2,575.6/sq mi (994.03/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes	67846, 67868
Area code	620
FIPS code	20-25325
GNIS ID	485579

Garden City is a city in Kansas, United States. It's the main city of Finney County. In 2020, about 28,151 people lived here. The city is home to Garden City Community College and the Lee Richardson Zoo. The zoo is the biggest one in western Kansas.

History of Garden City

How Garden City Started

In February 1878, three men named James R. Fulton, William D. Fulton, and L.W. Fulton arrived. They came to the spot where Garden City is today.

An engineer named Charles Van Trump planned the first town area. The land was sandy and covered with sagebrush. There were no trees at all. Main Street went straight north and south. It divided the land owned by William D. and James R. Fulton.

As soon as they could, they built two wooden houses. William D. Fulton built a house on his land on the east side of Main Street. It was called the Occidental Hotel. No other houses were built until November 1878. By the end of the first year, there were only four buildings.

After a long dry period, irrigation came to Finney County in 1879. This was thanks to the "Garden City Ditch." This ditch helped farming grow a lot in southwestern Kansas.

Garden City in the 1800s

Charles Jesse Jones, also known as "Buffalo" Jones, came to Garden City in January 1879. He was there for an antelope hunt. The Fulton brothers asked him to help promote Garden City. They especially wanted him to convince the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad to build a train station there. The railroad agreed to put its station in Garden City.

In the spring of 1879, more people started to move to the area. Between 1885 and 1887, many settlers came to Western Kansas. The United States Land Office also opened in Garden City. People came there to claim their land. Lawyers also arrived in Garden City.

The streets of Garden City were busy with horses, wagons, and ox teams. People waited in long lines for mail at the post office. There was always a crowd in front of the land office. During this busy time, the town had nine lumber yards. Lumber was taken in all directions to build other towns and homes. There were also thirteen drug stores and two daily newspapers.

The first Garden City Newspaper was printed on April 3, 1879. Three months later, the editor said there were forty buildings in town. When the first telephone line was built, trees were in the way. But people did not want to cut the trees. So, the telephone poles were placed in the middle of Main Street. The first long-distance phone line from Garden City was built in 1919. It was nine miles long.

Garden City in the 1900s

Garden City in 1943

Garden City Water Tower (2019)

In the 1970s, Garden City's leaders allowed a meatpacking plant to be built. This helped the local economy grow a lot. Many new people moved to the city. Even with more people, there were still plenty of jobs. Many new people were immigrants from other countries. They came from places like Mexico, Vietnam, and Somalia. Because of this, Garden City became a very diverse place.

Geography and Climate

Where is Garden City?

Garden City is located in southwestern Kansas. It sits on the north side of the Arkansas River. The city is in the High Plains area of the Great Plains. It is found where U.S. Route 50 and U.S. Route 83 meet. Garden City is about 192 miles (309 km) west of Wichita. It is also about 255 miles (410 km) southeast of Denver.

The city covers about 8.82 square miles (22.84 km²) of land. It is known as one of the most remote cities in America with over 25,000 people.

Garden City's Weather

Garden City has a semi-arid climate. This means it has hot, dry summers and cold, dry winters. January is usually the coldest month. July is the hottest month. June is typically the wettest month.

Temperatures often reach or go above 90°F (32°C) about 74 days a year. They can reach 100°F (38°C) about 16 days a year. The temperature drops below freezing (32°F or 0°C) about 148 mornings a year. It can even drop to 0°F (-18°C) about 4 mornings a year. The hottest temperature ever recorded was 113°F (45°C) in July 1934. The coldest was -32°F (-36°C) in February 1899.

Garden City is in Tornado Alley. This means it gets many storms each spring. On June 23, 1967, a strong tornado hit the north side of the city. It killed one person and damaged over 400 homes. In April and May 2017, a late snowstorm hit the town. It caused power outages and damaged many trees.

City Areas

Garden City has two main downtown areas.

• Main Downtown is around Southern Main Street. The Windsor Hotel and the police station are some of the tallest buildings here. Many historic buildings are in this area. Most businesses in Main Downtown are owned by local people.
• Commercial Downtown is mostly on East Kansas Avenue and LaRue Road. This area has many different businesses, including larger stores.

Population and People

Garden City is part of the "Garden City, Kansas Micropolitan statistical area." This area includes Finney and Kearny Counties.

Who Lives in Garden City?

In 2020, there were 28,151 people living in Garden City. The city is known for its diverse population. Many different cultures and backgrounds are represented here.

Over half of the people in Garden City are of Hispanic or Latino heritage. This makes Garden City one of only three cities in Kansas with a majority Hispanic population. The other two are Dodge City and Liberal.

In 2017, it was said that Garden City was the most diverse community in Kansas. People there might speak as many as 40 different languages. At least 27 languages were known to be spoken.

Many Hispanic and Latino immigrants started coming to Garden City in the 1980s. This was because meatpacking plants opened in the area. These plants offered many jobs.

After 1975, immigrants from Southeast Asia also began to arrive. Many Vietnamese immigrants came, and later, Lao people joined them. Some moved from Wichita after losing jobs there.

Economy of Garden City

Garden City Cooperative grain elevator (2010)

The economy of Garden City is mostly based on agriculture. There are many places where cattle are fed (feedlots) and large buildings for storing grain (grain elevators). These are located in and around the city. There is also an ethanol plant called Bonanza Bioenergy. It was built in 2007 and uses a lot of grain.

In 2012, most people over 16 years old had jobs. The cost of living in Garden City is quite low. This means it is cheaper to live there compared to many other places in the U.S. In 2012, the average home value was $103,400.

Main Employers

Finney County Courthouse (2015)

Here are some of the biggest employers in Garden City:

Education in Garden City

Colleges

Garden City Community College (GCCC) is a fully approved community college. It is part of the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC). This conference is part of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

Schools for Kids

The public schools in Garden City are run by Garden City USD 457. This district operates Garden City High School.

Transportation

Amtrak station in Garden City (2008)

Several major roads meet in Garden City. These include U.S. Route 50, U.S. Route 400, and U.S. Route 83. Garden City was also on the National Old Trails Road, an old highway from 1912.

Finney County Transit runs a bus service called City Link. It has four routes within the city. There is also a small bus service for people who need special transport. You can also take a bus eastward to Wichita with BeeLine Express.

The Garden City Regional Airport is about 8 miles (13 km) southeast of the city. It is mainly used for smaller planes. But you can also fly to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport from here.

Three train lines serve Garden City. Amtrak uses one of these lines for passenger service. Garden City is a stop on the Southwest Chief train route.

Media

The Garden City Telegram is the local newspaper. It is published six days a week.

Garden City is also a center for radio and TV in southwestern Kansas. Two AM radio stations and seven FM radio stations broadcast from the city. One of these is a main station for High Plains Public Radio.

Four television stations are based in or broadcast from Garden City. These include stations linked to NBC, ABC, and FOX networks.

Culture and Fun

Arts and Music

Garden City Arts is a group that supports art. Their gallery has 10 to 12 art shows each year. They also offer learning programs.

There is an annual music festival called the Hillside Sessions. It takes place at an old building that used to be a barn and a dance hall.

Another yearly music festival is the Tumbleweed Festival. It happens over a weekend in late August at the Lee Richardson Zoo. It features local musicians and other acts.

Places to Visit

Swimmers at "The Big Pool" on a 100°F (38°C) afternoon (2010)

Garden City has a huge swimming pool called "The Big Pool." It's bigger than a football field and holds 2.2 million gallons of water. It was first dug by hand in 1922. The pool has Olympic-sized swimming lanes, three water slides, and a kids' pool. It used to be free, but now there is a small fee for entry. In 2020, The Big Pool was updated and renamed Garden City Rapids. New water slides and a lazy river were added.

The pool is located inside Finnup Park. In the park, you can also find the Finney County Historical Museum and the Lee Richardson Zoo. The zoo is the biggest in western Kansas. It has over 300 animals from 110 different types. You can walk through the zoo for free. There is a charge if you want to drive your car inside.

A few miles from Finnup Park is the Buffalo Game Preserve. It has one of the largest herds of bison in the world.

Windsor Hotel (2015)

The Windsor Hotel was built in 1887. It was known as the "Waldorf of the Prairies" because it was so fancy. Famous guests like Buffalo Bill Cody stayed there. The hotel closed in 1977. A group called the Finney County Preservation Alliance now owns it. They are working to turn it into a modern hotel with a restaurant.

Sports in Garden City

Garden City is home to the Garden City Wind baseball team. They play in the Pecos League.

The city also has the Garden City High School Buffaloes. The school has teams for football, basketball, soccer, wrestling, and more. The Buffaloes are known for their wrestling team, which has won eleven state titles. Their football team also won a state championship in 1999.

The football team at Garden City Community College won the NJCAA National Championship in 2016. The college has teams in 14 sports. They are called the Broncbusters.

Famous People from Garden City

Many notable people have come from Garden City. These include novelist Sanora Babb, jazz pianist Frank Mantooth, and former Governor of Colorado Roy Romer. Professional football players Thurman "Fum" McGraw and Hal Patterson also lived here. Famous boxers like Victor Ortiz, Antonio Orozco, and Brandon Rios are also from Garden City.

Sister Cities

Garden City has two sister cities:

• Ciudad Quesada, Costa Rica
• Oristano, Sardinia, Italy

Images for kids

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  Downtown Garden City

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  The Finney County Public Library in Garden City

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  Defunct State Theatre in downtown Garden City

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  Community Congregational Church in Garden City

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  St. Thomas' Episcopal Church in Garden City

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  The former Pleasant Valley School has been relocated to Finnup Park in Garden City.

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  The Garden City Western Railway Company train on display in Finnup Park

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  Aerial view of Garden City

See also

In Spanish: Garden City (Kansas) para niños