Garnett, Kansas Facts for Kids

Garnett was first planned out in 1857. The city is named after W. A. Garnett, who was from Louisville, Kentucky. He helped start and promote the town.

Three important places in Garnett are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are the Anderson County Courthouse, the Sennett and Bertha Kirk House, and the Shelley-Tipton House. These buildings are special because of their history or architecture.

The city also has the Garnett House Hotel, which was built in 1858.

Geography and Nature

Garnett covers about 3.2 square miles (8.25 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Garnett is well-known for its amazing fossil finds. These fossils are from the late Carboniferous period, which was about 300 million years ago! This area is a special type of fossil site called a lagerstätte, where many well-preserved fossils are found. Some of the oldest reptiles on Earth have been discovered here.

Garnett's Climate

The weather in Garnett has hot, humid summers. Winters are usually mild to cool. Garnett has a humid subtropical climate, which means it gets plenty of rain and has warm temperatures for most of the year.

Climate data for Garnett, Kansas, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1906–present
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	74 (23)	82 (28)	92 (33)	92 (33)	100 (38)	107 (42)	116 (47)	108 (42)	107 (42)	96 (36)	86 (30)	75 (24)	116 (47)
Mean maximum °F (°C)	63.8 (17.7)	69.7 (20.9)	78.0 (25.6)	83.4 (28.6)	88.3 (31.3)	93.9 (34.4)	98.8 (37.1)	99.1 (37.3)	94.5 (34.7)	86.6 (30.3)	73.4 (23.0)	65.1 (18.4)	100.4 (38.0)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	40.5 (4.7)	45.8 (7.7)	56.4 (13.6)	65.9 (18.8)	74.8 (23.8)	84.3 (29.1)	89.0 (31.7)	88.0 (31.1)	80.3 (26.8)	68.8 (20.4)	55.4 (13.0)	43.8 (6.6)	66.1 (18.9)
Daily mean °F (°C)	30.1 (−1.1)	34.5 (1.4)	44.6 (7.0)	54.4 (12.4)	64.6 (18.1)	74.1 (23.4)	78.6 (25.9)	77.0 (25.0)	68.8 (20.4)	57.1 (13.9)	44.4 (6.9)	34.0 (1.1)	55.2 (12.9)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	19.7 (−6.8)	23.1 (−4.9)	32.9 (0.5)	42.8 (6.0)	54.4 (12.4)	63.8 (17.7)	68.2 (20.1)	66.0 (18.9)	57.4 (14.1)	45.3 (7.4)	33.5 (0.8)	24.2 (−4.3)	44.3 (6.8)
Mean minimum °F (°C)	1.2 (−17.1)	5.8 (−14.6)	15.2 (−9.3)	27.4 (−2.6)	38.1 (3.4)	50.6 (10.3)	57.2 (14.0)	54.3 (12.4)	41.0 (5.0)	27.6 (−2.4)	17.4 (−8.1)	6.0 (−14.4)	−3.6 (−19.8)
Record low °F (°C)	−19 (−28)	−21 (−29)	−3 (−19)	15 (−9)	25 (−4)	42 (6)	46 (8)	44 (7)	28 (−2)	18 (−8)	2 (−17)	−23 (−31)	−23 (−31)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	1.24 (31)	1.83 (46)	2.39 (61)	4.20 (107)	5.49 (139)	5.15 (131)	4.30 (109)	4.34 (110)	4.33 (110)	3.37 (86)	2.25 (57)	1.74 (44)	40.63 (1,031)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	4.8 (12)	2.5 (6.4)	1.4 (3.6)	0.2 (0.51)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.5 (1.3)	0.4 (1.0)	3.0 (7.6)	12.8 (32.41)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	4.7	5.1	7.1	8.7	10.6	9.1	7.4	6.7	7.3	6.6	5.0	4.7	83.0
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)	2.5	1.3	0.6	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.2	1.3	6.2
Source 1: NOAA
Source 2: National Weather Service

People of Garnett

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1870	1,219	—
1880	1,389	13.9%
1890	2,191	57.7%
1900	2,078	−5.2%
1910	2,334	12.3%
1920	2,329	−0.2%
1930	2,768	18.8%
1940	2,607	−5.8%
1950	2,693	3.3%
1960	3,034	12.7%
1970	3,169	4.4%
1980	3,310	4.4%
1990	3,210	−3.0%
2000	3,368	4.9%
2010	3,415	1.4%
2020	3,242	−5.1%
U.S. Decennial Census

Population in 2020

The 2020 United States census showed that 3,242 people lived in Garnett. There were 1,363 households, which are groups of people living together.

Most people in Garnett (about 91%) were white. A small number of people were from other racial backgrounds. About 3% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

About 28% of households had children under 18. The average age of people in Garnett was about 41 years old.

Population in 2010

In the census of 2010, there were 3,415 people living in Garnett. Most of the people (about 97%) were white.

About 30% of households had children under 18. The average age was around 41 years old. About 25% of residents were under 18, and about 22% were 65 or older.

Education in Garnett

The public schools in Garnett are run by the Garnett USD 365 school district. This includes Garnett Elementary School and Anderson County Junior-Senior High School. Both schools use the "Bulldogs" as their mascot.

Garnett also has a private school called St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Catholic School. It was built in 1947 and teaches students from kindergarten to 8th grade.

Getting Around Garnett

Public square, circa 1900-1919

Transportation Options

Trains

Garnett has one railroad line. This helps move goods in and out of the city.

Roads

Garnett is located where several main roads meet. These include U.S. Route 59, U.S. Route 169, and K-31. Larger highways like Interstate 35 and Interstate 70 are also not too far away.

Air Travel

The Garnett Industrial Airport is located near U.S. 169. For bigger flights, the closest international airport is the Kansas City International Airport, which is about 90 miles away.

Biking

If you like to bike, there's a special bike path at Prairie Spirit Trail State Park. This path uses an old railroad line that goes right through Garnett.

Famous People from Garnett

Sam Brownback: He used to be the Governor of Kansas and a member of Congress. He also served as a U.S. Ambassador.
Arthur Capper: He was also a Governor of Kansas and later a U.S. Senator.
Edgar Lee Masters: A well-known poet, lawyer, and writer.
P. Thomas Thornbrugh: He was born in Garnett and is now a judge on the Oklahoma Civil Appeals Court.

Garnett, Kansas facts for kids

Contents

History of Garnett