Garden City, Kansas
Encyclopedia
Garden City is a city in and the county seat
of Finney County
, Kansas
, United States
. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 26,658. The city is home to Garden City Community College
and the Lee Richardson Zoo
, the largest zoological park in western Kansas.
The original townsite was laid out on the south half of section 18 by engineer
Charles Van Trump. The land was a loose, sandy loam, and covered with sagebrush
and soap weeds, but there were no trees. Main Street ran directly north and south, dividing William D. and James R. Fulton's claims. As soon as they could get building material, they erected two frame houses. William D. Fulton building on his land, on the east side of Main Street, a house one story and a half high, with two rooms on the ground and two rooms above. This was called the Occidental Hotel. William D. Fulton was proprietor. No other houses were built in Garden City until November 1878, when James R. Fulton and L. T. Walker each put up a building. The Fultons tried to get others to settle here, but only a few came, and at the end of the first year there were only four buildings.
Following a sustained drought
, irrigation
came to Finney County in 1879, with completion of the Garden City Ditch. The ditch helped to launch an agricultural boom in southwestern Kansas.
, later known as "Buffalo" Jones, came to Garden City for an antelope hunt in January 1879. Before Jones returned home, the Fulton brothers procured his services to promote Garden City, and especially in trying to influence the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad to put in a switch station. The railroad agreed to place its station at Garden City. In the spring of 1879, more people began coming to homestead in the area. During the years of 1885-1887, a rush was made for Western Kansas, and a settler arrived for every quarter section. The United States Land Office also located at Garden City, and people came there to make filings on their land. Lawyers also arrived in Garden City. I. R. Holmes, the agent for the sale of lands of the ATSF, and Holmes's partner, A. C. McKeever, in 1885 sold thousands of acres of railroad and private land.
The streets of Garden City were crowded with horses, wagons, buggies
, and ox
teams. Long lines of people stood out in the weather awaiting mail at the post office
, and there was always a crowd in front of the land office. During the height of the boom the town had nine lumber yards. Lumber was hauled in all directions to build up inland towns, and to improve the nearby homesteads. Thirteen drug stores were in operation. The town had two daily newspapers. Nearly everyone used kerosene
lamps, and a few were placed on posts on Main Street. There was no city water works; so all depended on shallow wells
, which were strong of alkali
. Passenger trains of two and three sections arrived daily, loaded with people, most of whom got off at Garden City.
The first issue of "The Garden City Newspaper" appeared April 3, 1879. Three months after the paper was established, the editor stated, "There are now forty buildings in town." When the first telephone
line was built, trees were growing on both sides of Main Street. These interfered with the wires, but local residents knew the value of trees in Western Kansas would not allow them to be cut, and the telephone poles were set down the center of the street. The first long distance telephone service from Garden City was a line nine miles (14 km) long built in 1902.
in the High Plains
region of the Great Plains
. Located in southwestern Kansas at the intersection of U.S. Route 50
and U.S. Route 83
, Garden City is 192 miles (309 km) west-northwest of Wichita
, 204 miles (328.3 km) north-northeast of Amarillo
, and 255 miles (410.4 km) southeast of Denver.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, Garden City has a total area of 8.5 square miles (22 km²), all land.
is 62%. Over the course of a year, temperatures range from an average low of 16 °F (-8.9 °C) in January to an average high of 92 °F (33.3 °C) in July. The high temperature reaches or exceeds 90 °F (32.2 °C) an average of 66 days a year and reaches or exceeds 100 °F (37.8 °C) an average of 11 days a year. The minimum temperature falls below the freezing point 32 °F (0 °C) an average of 137 days a year. Typically, the first fall freeze occurs by the second week of October, and the last spring freeze occurs by the last week of April. Garden City receives 19 inches (482.6 mm) of precipitation during an average year with the largest share being received from May through August. There are, on average, 72 days of measurable precipitation each year. Annual snowfall averages 19 inches (48.3 cm). Measurable snowfall occurs an average of 8.5 days a year with at least an inch of snow being received on six of those days. Snow depth of at least an inch occurs an average of 19 days a year. On average, January is the coldest month, July is the hottest month, and June is the wettest month. The hottest temperature recorded in Garden City was 108 °F (42 °C) in 2003; the coldest temperature recorded was -22 °F in 1984.
was 3,136.2 people per square mile (1,210.9/km²). There were 9,656 housing units at an average density of 1,136.0 per square mile (436.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 74.7% White
, 4.4% Asian
, 2.8% African American
, 0.9% American Indian
, 14.2% from some other race, and 2.9% from two or more races. 48.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 9,071 households out of which 43.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples living together, 6.5% had a male householder with no wife present, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88, and the average family size was 3.45.
In the city, the population was spread out with 31.2% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.0 males age 18 and over.
As of 2009, the median income for a household in the city was $47,777, and the median income for a family was $53,766. Males had a median income of $33,559 versus $26,756 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $19,511. About 7.1% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.9% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
and U.S. Route 400
, both east-west highways, meet U.S. Route 83
, a north-south highway, in the southeast part of the city. A U.S. 50 business route
continues west from the intersection into the city. U.S. 50, U.S. 400, and U.S. 83 run concurrently
around the city's eastern and northern fringe. Northwest of the city, U.S. 50 and U.S. 400 continue west while U.S. 83 turns north. South of the city, a U.S. 83 business route splits off from the main highway and enters the city as Main Street. Downtown, it intersects the U.S. 50 business route, and the two run concurrently north out of the city, terminating northwest of the city at the junction of U.S. 50 and U.S. 83. Garden City is also the western terminus of K-156 which enters the city from the northeast. Garden City was located on the National Old Trails Road, also known as the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, that was established in 1912.
Finney County Transit operates CityLink, a public transport bus service
with four routes in the city, as well as a minibus
paratransit
service.
Garden City Regional Airport
is located approximately 8 miles (12.9 km) southeast of the city. Used primarily for general aviation
, it hosts one commercial airline under the Essential Air Service
program.
Three rail lines serve Garden City: the La Junta Subdivision of the BNSF Railway
, which runs southeast-northwest, and the two lines of the Garden City Western Railway
, of which the city is the southern and eastern terminus. Amtrak
uses the La Junta Subdivision to provide passenger rail service; Garden City
is a stop on the Southwest Chief
line.
Along with Dodge City
, Garden City is a center of broadcast media for southwestern Kansas. Two AM
radio stations and seven FM
radio stations, including one of the two flagship stations of High Plains Public Radio, broadcast from the city. Garden City is located in the Wichita
-Hutchinson, Kansas
television market
, and four television stations are licensed
to and/or broadcast from the city. These stations include NBC
, ABC
, and FOX
network affiliate
s, all of which are satellite stations of their respective affiliates in Wichita. The fourth station is a satellite repeater of the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN)
.
during the Great Depression
, and local farmers used horse-drawn soil-scrapers to later enlarge the pool. The pool hosts 50-meter Olympic swimming lanes, three water slides, and a children's pool with zero-entry depth. The pool employs a minimum of fourteen lifeguards, two slide assistants, three admission clerks, two concession workers and a pool manager on duty each day. Advertised for years as "The World's Largest, Free, Outdoor, Municipal, Concrete Swimming Pool", the pool has been known to count up to 2,000 patrons when open during the summer months. In order to finance improvements made in recent years, admission is now $1 per person, with an added dollar fee for use of the slide.
Located inside 110 acre (0.4451546 km²) Finnup Park, the pool is co-located with Finney County Historical Museum and Lee Richardson Zoo, the largest zoological facility in western Kansas, housing more than 300 animals representing 110 species. Walking tours are free to the public; there ia a $3 charge for driving into the zoo.
A few miles from Finnup Park, The Big Pool and Lee Richardson Zoo is the Buffalo Game Preserve, with one of the largest herds of bison in the world.
The Windsor Hotel, built downtown in 1887 by John A. Stevens, was known as the "Waldorf of the Prairies" because of its lavish quarters. Among its early guests were Eddie Foy
, Lillian Russell
, Jay Gould
, and Buffalo Bill Cody, who stayed in the presidential suite of the third floor. The Windsor, which closed in 1977, is owned by the Finney County Preservation Society. The hotel is four stories high, or about 50 ft (15.2 m). tall.
Garden City Plaza is a strip mall in the recently renovated commercial downtown district. It includes a Sears, Dollar General
, Riddles Jewelry, Buckle
, RadioShack
, Tradehome Shoes, Subway
, J.C. Penney
, Gamestop
, Verizon Wireless
, KFC
, Taco Bell
, and Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon
.
's In Cold Blood
.
, Costa Rica
Oristano
, Sardinia
, Italy
Schools
History
Maps
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Finney County
Finney County, Kansas
Finney County is a county located in Southwest Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 36,776. Its county seat and most populous city is Garden City...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 26,658. The city is home to Garden City Community College
Garden City Community College
Garden City Community College is a fully accredited community college located in Garden City, Kansas, USA. GCCC has regional accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools...
and the Lee Richardson Zoo
Lee Richardson Zoo
The Lee Richardson Zoo is an AZA accredited zoo in Garden City, Kansas. The zoo has more than 100 species of animals located on inside Finnup Park and includes many animals that are non-native to southwest Kansas. Admission is free.-History:...
, the largest zoological park in western Kansas.
History
In February 1878, James R. Fulton, William D. Fulton and W.D.'s son, L. W. Fulton, arrived at the present site of Garden City.The original townsite was laid out on the south half of section 18 by engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
Charles Van Trump. The land was a loose, sandy loam, and covered with sagebrush
Sagebrush
Sagebrush is a common name of a number of shrubby plant species in the genus Artemisia native to western North America;Or, the sagebrush steppe ecoregion, having one or more kinds of sagebrush, bunchgrasses and others;...
and soap weeds, but there were no trees. Main Street ran directly north and south, dividing William D. and James R. Fulton's claims. As soon as they could get building material, they erected two frame houses. William D. Fulton building on his land, on the east side of Main Street, a house one story and a half high, with two rooms on the ground and two rooms above. This was called the Occidental Hotel. William D. Fulton was proprietor. No other houses were built in Garden City until November 1878, when James R. Fulton and L. T. Walker each put up a building. The Fultons tried to get others to settle here, but only a few came, and at the end of the first year there were only four buildings.
Following a sustained drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
, irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
came to Finney County in 1879, with completion of the Garden City Ditch. The ditch helped to launch an agricultural boom in southwestern Kansas.
Economic boom
Charles Jesse JonesCharles "Buffalo" Jones
Charles Jesse Jones, known as Buffalo Jones , was an American frontiersman, farmer, rancher, hunter, and conservationist who cofounded Garden City, Kansas...
, later known as "Buffalo" Jones, came to Garden City for an antelope hunt in January 1879. Before Jones returned home, the Fulton brothers procured his services to promote Garden City, and especially in trying to influence the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad to put in a switch station. The railroad agreed to place its station at Garden City. In the spring of 1879, more people began coming to homestead in the area. During the years of 1885-1887, a rush was made for Western Kansas, and a settler arrived for every quarter section. The United States Land Office also located at Garden City, and people came there to make filings on their land. Lawyers also arrived in Garden City. I. R. Holmes, the agent for the sale of lands of the ATSF, and Holmes's partner, A. C. McKeever, in 1885 sold thousands of acres of railroad and private land.
The streets of Garden City were crowded with horses, wagons, buggies
Horse and buggy
A horse and buggy or horse and carriage refers to a light, simple, two-person carriage of the late 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, drawn usually by one or sometimes by two horses...
, and ox
Ox
An ox , also known as a bullock in Australia, New Zealand and India, is a bovine trained as a draft animal. Oxen are commonly castrated adult male cattle; castration makes the animals more tractable...
teams. Long lines of people stood out in the weather awaiting mail at the post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, and there was always a crowd in front of the land office. During the height of the boom the town had nine lumber yards. Lumber was hauled in all directions to build up inland towns, and to improve the nearby homesteads. Thirteen drug stores were in operation. The town had two daily newspapers. Nearly everyone used kerosene
Kerosene
Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
lamps, and a few were placed on posts on Main Street. There was no city water works; so all depended on shallow wells
Wells
Wells is a cathedral city and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills. Although the population recorded in the 2001 census is 10,406, it has had city status since 1205...
, which were strong of alkali
Alkali
In chemistry, an alkali is a basic, ionic salt of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal element. Some authors also define an alkali as a base that dissolves in water. A solution of a soluble base has a pH greater than 7. The adjective alkaline is commonly used in English as a synonym for base,...
. Passenger trains of two and three sections arrived daily, loaded with people, most of whom got off at Garden City.
The first issue of "The Garden City Newspaper" appeared April 3, 1879. Three months after the paper was established, the editor stated, "There are now forty buildings in town." When the first telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
line was built, trees were growing on both sides of Main Street. These interfered with the wires, but local residents knew the value of trees in Western Kansas would not allow them to be cut, and the telephone poles were set down the center of the street. The first long distance telephone service from Garden City was a line nine miles (14 km) long built in 1902.
Geography
Garden City is located at 37°58′31"N 100°51′51"W at an elevation of 2,838 feet (865 m). It lies on the north side of the Arkansas RiverArkansas River
The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. The Arkansas generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's initial basin starts in the Western United States in Colorado, specifically the Arkansas...
in the High Plains
High Plains (United States)
The High Plains are a subregion of the Great Plains mostly in the Western United States, but also partly in the Midwest states of Nebraska, Kansas, and South Dakota, generally encompassing the western part of the Great Plains before the region reaches the Rocky Mountains...
region of the Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
. Located in southwestern Kansas at the intersection of U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50 is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching just over from Ocean City, Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean to West Sacramento, California. Until 1972, when it was replaced by Interstate Highways west of the Sacramento area, it extended to San Francisco, near...
and U.S. Route 83
U.S. Route 83
U.S. Route 83 is one of the longest north–south U.S. Highways in the United States, at . Only four other north–south routes are longer: U.S. Routes 1, 41, 59 and 87. The highway's northern terminus is north of Westhope, North Dakota, at the Canadian border, where it continues as...
, Garden City is 192 miles (309 km) west-northwest of Wichita
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
, 204 miles (328.3 km) north-northeast of Amarillo
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
, and 255 miles (410.4 km) southeast of Denver.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, Garden City has a total area of 8.5 square miles (22 km²), all land.
Climate
Garden City has a semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSk) with hot, dry summers and cold, dry winters. The average temperature in Garden City is 54.5 °F (13 °C), and the average relative humidityRelative humidity
Relative humidity is a term used to describe the amount of water vapor in a mixture of air and water vapor. It is defined as the partial pressure of water vapor in the air-water mixture, given as a percentage of the saturated vapor pressure under those conditions...
is 62%. Over the course of a year, temperatures range from an average low of 16 °F (-8.9 °C) in January to an average high of 92 °F (33.3 °C) in July. The high temperature reaches or exceeds 90 °F (32.2 °C) an average of 66 days a year and reaches or exceeds 100 °F (37.8 °C) an average of 11 days a year. The minimum temperature falls below the freezing point 32 °F (0 °C) an average of 137 days a year. Typically, the first fall freeze occurs by the second week of October, and the last spring freeze occurs by the last week of April. Garden City receives 19 inches (482.6 mm) of precipitation during an average year with the largest share being received from May through August. There are, on average, 72 days of measurable precipitation each year. Annual snowfall averages 19 inches (48.3 cm). Measurable snowfall occurs an average of 8.5 days a year with at least an inch of snow being received on six of those days. Snow depth of at least an inch occurs an average of 19 days a year. On average, January is the coldest month, July is the hottest month, and June is the wettest month. The hottest temperature recorded in Garden City was 108 °F (42 °C) in 2003; the coldest temperature recorded was -22 °F in 1984.
Neighborhoods
There is a Main Downtown and Commercial Downtown.- Main Downtown is centered on Southern Main Street. The Windsor Hotel and the police station are among the tallest buildings.
- Commercial Downtown is centered mainly on Eastern Kansas Avenue. It is the home of many businesses such as Wal-MartWal-MartWal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
, Sam's ClubSam's ClubSam's Club is a chain of membership-only retail warehouse clubs owned and operated by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., founded in 1983 and named after Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. , the Sam's Club chain serves more than 47 million U.S. members...
, Sears, TargetTarget CorporationTarget Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
, J.C. PenneyJ.C. PenneyJ. C. Penney Company, Inc. is a chain of American mid-range department stores based in Plano, Texas, a suburb north of Dallas. The company operates 1,107 department stores in all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. JCPenney also operates catalog sales merchant offices nationwide in many...
, Dollar GeneralDollar GeneralDollar General Corp. is a U.S. chain of variety stores headquartered in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. As of January 2011, Dollar General operated over 9,300 stores in 35 U.S. states....
, Staples, Home DepotThe Home DepotThe Home Depot is an American retailer of home improvement and construction products and services.The Home Depot operates 2,248 big-box format stores across the United States , Canada , Mexico and China, with a 12-store chain...
, Hibbett Sports, HastingsHastings EntertainmentHastings Entertainment is a regional retail chain that sells books, music, movies, and video games. It also rents movies and video games and buys used books, music, movies and video games for resale....
and IHOPIHOPIHOP may refer to:* IHOP, a restaurant chain, formerly known as The International House of Pancakes* International House of Prayer, a Christian 24/7 prayer center in Kansas City, Missouri...
.
Demographics
As of the 2010 census, there were 26,658 people, 9,071 households, and 6,355 families residing in the city. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,136.2 people per square mile (1,210.9/km²). There were 9,656 housing units at an average density of 1,136.0 per square mile (436.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 74.7% White
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, 4.4% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 2.8% African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.9% American Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 14.2% from some other race, and 2.9% from two or more races. 48.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 9,071 households out of which 43.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples living together, 6.5% had a male householder with no wife present, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88, and the average family size was 3.45.
In the city, the population was spread out with 31.2% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.0 males age 18 and over.
As of 2009, the median income for a household in the city was $47,777, and the median income for a family was $53,766. Males had a median income of $33,559 versus $26,756 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $19,511. About 7.1% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.9% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
The economy of Garden City is driven largely by agriculture. There are several feedlots and grain elevators located in and around the city. Additionally, an ethanol plant was built in 2005 by Conestoga Engineering which uses 19.6 million bushels of grain. Some of the largest employers located in Garden City include Tyson, Garden City Public Schools, and St. Catherine Hospital.Health Services
Health services account for a large share of employment. Garden City is served by St. Catherine Hospital. Additionally, the Southwest Kansas Surgery Center, Heart Center, Cancer Center, and Maternal Child Center provide additional employment, as well as several other health-related businesses.Transportation
U.S. Route 50U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50 is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching just over from Ocean City, Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean to West Sacramento, California. Until 1972, when it was replaced by Interstate Highways west of the Sacramento area, it extended to San Francisco, near...
and U.S. Route 400
U.S. Route 400
U.S. Route 400 is a mostly east–west U.S. Highway, commissioned in 1994. Its route number is a "violation" of the usual AASHTO numbering scheme, as there is no US 0 or US 100....
, both east-west highways, meet U.S. Route 83
U.S. Route 83
U.S. Route 83 is one of the longest north–south U.S. Highways in the United States, at . Only four other north–south routes are longer: U.S. Routes 1, 41, 59 and 87. The highway's northern terminus is north of Westhope, North Dakota, at the Canadian border, where it continues as...
, a north-south highway, in the southeast part of the city. A U.S. 50 business route
Business route
A business route in the United States and Canada is a short special route connected to a parent numbered highway at its beginning, then routed through the central business district of a nearby city or town, and finally reconnecting with the same parent numbered highway again at its...
continues west from the intersection into the city. U.S. 50, U.S. 400, and U.S. 83 run concurrently
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
around the city's eastern and northern fringe. Northwest of the city, U.S. 50 and U.S. 400 continue west while U.S. 83 turns north. South of the city, a U.S. 83 business route splits off from the main highway and enters the city as Main Street. Downtown, it intersects the U.S. 50 business route, and the two run concurrently north out of the city, terminating northwest of the city at the junction of U.S. 50 and U.S. 83. Garden City is also the western terminus of K-156 which enters the city from the northeast. Garden City was located on the National Old Trails Road, also known as the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, that was established in 1912.
Finney County Transit operates CityLink, a public transport bus service
Public transport bus service
Bus services play a major role in the provision of public transport. These services can take many forms, varying in distance covered and types of vehicle used, and can operate with fixed or flexible routes and schedules...
with four routes in the city, as well as a minibus
Minibus
A minibus or minicoach is a passenger carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, the word "minibus" is used to describe any full-sized passenger carrying van. Minibuses have a...
paratransit
Paratransit
Paratransit is an alternative mode of flexible passenger transportation that does not follow fixed routes or schedules. Typically mini-buses are used to provide paratransit service, but also share taxis and jitneys are important providers....
service.
Garden City Regional Airport
Garden City Regional Airport
-History:During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces used Garden City Airport as a training airfield by the Army Air Forces Flying Training Command, Gulf Coast Training Center...
is located approximately 8 miles (12.9 km) southeast of the city. Used primarily for general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
, it hosts one commercial airline under the Essential Air Service
Essential Air Service
Essential Air Service is a U.S. government program enacted to guarantee that small communities in the United States, which, prior to deregulation, were served by certificated airlines, maintained commercial service. Its aim is to maintain a minimal level of scheduled air service to these...
program.
Three rail lines serve Garden City: the La Junta Subdivision of the BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
, which runs southeast-northwest, and the two lines of the Garden City Western Railway
Garden City Western Railway
The Garden City Western Railway is a railroad operating in the U.S. state of Kansas. GCW was organized in 1916, first owned by The Garden City Sugar and Land Company and then owned by the Garden City Coop, Inc. The GCW is located in southwest Kansas and totals of operating railroad and...
, of which the city is the southern and eastern terminus. Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
uses the La Junta Subdivision to provide passenger rail service; Garden City
Garden City (Amtrak station)
The Garden City Amtrak station is a train station in Garden City, Kansas, United States served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system. It is located in downtown Garden City along the BNSF Railway La Junta Subdivision...
is a stop on the Southwest Chief
Southwest Chief
The Southwest Chief is a passenger train operated by Amtrak on a 2256-mile BNSF route through the Midwestern and Southwestern United States. It runs from Chicago, Illinois, to Los Angeles, California, passing through Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and California...
line.
Media
The Garden City Telegram is the city's daily newspaper with a circulation of nearly 8,000.Along with Dodge City
Dodge City, Kansas
Dodge City is a city in, and the county seat of, Ford County, Kansas, United States. Named after nearby Fort Dodge, the city is famous in American culture for its history as a wild frontier town of the Old West. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,340.-History:The first settlement of...
, Garden City is a center of broadcast media for southwestern Kansas. Two AM
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
radio stations and seven FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
radio stations, including one of the two flagship stations of High Plains Public Radio, broadcast from the city. Garden City is located in the Wichita
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
-Hutchinson, Kansas
Hutchinson, Kansas
Hutchinson is the largest city in and the county seat of Reno County, Kansas, United States, northwest of Wichita, on the Arkansas River. It has been home to salt mines since 1887, thus its nickname of "Salt City", but locals call it "Hutch"...
television market
Media market
A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area , Television Market Area , or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same television and radio station offerings, and may also include other types of media including newspapers and Internet content...
, and four television stations are licensed
City of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
to and/or broadcast from the city. These stations include NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, and FOX
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
network affiliate
Network affiliate
In the broadcasting industry , a network affiliate is a local broadcaster which carries some or all of the television program or radio program line-up of a television or radio network, but is owned by a company other than the owner of the network...
s, all of which are satellite stations of their respective affiliates in Wichita. The fourth station is a satellite repeater of the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN)
Trinity Broadcasting Network
The Trinity Broadcasting Network is a major American Christian television network. TBN is based in Costa Mesa, California, with auxiliary studio facilities in Irving, Texas; Hendersonville, Tennessee; Gadsden, Alabama; Decatur, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Orlando, Florida; and New...
.
Points of interest
Initially named by its developers "The Big Dipper", Garden City's "The Big Pool" is larger than a 100-yard football field, holds 2.2 million gallons of water, and is large enough to accommodate water-skiing. Originally hand-dug in 1922, a bathhouse was added by the Works Progress AdministrationWorks Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, and local farmers used horse-drawn soil-scrapers to later enlarge the pool. The pool hosts 50-meter Olympic swimming lanes, three water slides, and a children's pool with zero-entry depth. The pool employs a minimum of fourteen lifeguards, two slide assistants, three admission clerks, two concession workers and a pool manager on duty each day. Advertised for years as "The World's Largest, Free, Outdoor, Municipal, Concrete Swimming Pool", the pool has been known to count up to 2,000 patrons when open during the summer months. In order to finance improvements made in recent years, admission is now $1 per person, with an added dollar fee for use of the slide.
Located inside 110 acre (0.4451546 km²) Finnup Park, the pool is co-located with Finney County Historical Museum and Lee Richardson Zoo, the largest zoological facility in western Kansas, housing more than 300 animals representing 110 species. Walking tours are free to the public; there ia a $3 charge for driving into the zoo.
A few miles from Finnup Park, The Big Pool and Lee Richardson Zoo is the Buffalo Game Preserve, with one of the largest herds of bison in the world.
The Windsor Hotel, built downtown in 1887 by John A. Stevens, was known as the "Waldorf of the Prairies" because of its lavish quarters. Among its early guests were Eddie Foy
Eddie Foy
Eddie Foy, Sr. , was an actor, comedian, dancer and vaudevillian.-Early years:...
, Lillian Russell
Lillian Russell
Lillian Russell was an American actress and singer. She became one of the most famous actresses and singers of the late 19th century and early 20th century, known for her beauty and style, as well as for her voice and stage presence.Russell was born in Iowa but raised in Chicago...
, Jay Gould
Jay Gould
Jason "Jay" Gould was a leading American railroad developer and speculator. He has long been vilified as an archetypal robber baron, whose successes made him the ninth richest American in history. Condé Nast Portfolio ranked Gould as the 8th worst American CEO of all time...
, and Buffalo Bill Cody, who stayed in the presidential suite of the third floor. The Windsor, which closed in 1977, is owned by the Finney County Preservation Society. The hotel is four stories high, or about 50 ft (15.2 m). tall.
Garden City Plaza is a strip mall in the recently renovated commercial downtown district. It includes a Sears, Dollar General
Dollar General
Dollar General Corp. is a U.S. chain of variety stores headquartered in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. As of January 2011, Dollar General operated over 9,300 stores in 35 U.S. states....
, Riddles Jewelry, Buckle
Buckle
The buckle or clasp is a device used for fastening two loose ends, with one end attached to it and the other held by a catch in a secure but adjustable manner. Usually overlooked and taken for granted, the invention of the buckle has been indispensable in securing two ends before the invention of...
, RadioShack
RadioShack
RadioShack Corporation is an American franchise of electronics retail stores in the United States, as well as parts of Europe, South America and Africa. As of 2008, RadioShack reported net sales and operating revenues of $4.81 billion. The headquarters of RadioShack is located in Downtown...
, Tradehome Shoes, Subway
Subway (restaurant)
Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
, J.C. Penney
J.C. Penney
J. C. Penney Company, Inc. is a chain of American mid-range department stores based in Plano, Texas, a suburb north of Dallas. The company operates 1,107 department stores in all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. JCPenney also operates catalog sales merchant offices nationwide in many...
, Gamestop
GameStop
GameStop Corporation is an American video game and entertainment software retailer. The company, whose headquarters is in Grapevine, Texas, United States, operates 6,500 retail stores throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New...
, Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless
Cellco Partnership, doing business as Verizon Wireless, is one of the largest mobile network operators in the United States. The network has 107.7 million subscribers as of 2011, making it the largest wireless service provider in America....
, KFC
KFC
KFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global...
, Taco Bell
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is an American chain of fast-food restaurants based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., which serves American-adapted Mexican food. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items, and a variety of "Value Menu" items...
, and Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon
Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon
Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon is a casual dining restaurant chain, serving steak, seafood, salad, and similar food items. Lone Star opened its first restaurant in 1987 in Tampa,Florida. In March 1992, Lone Star became a public company with eight restaurants opened. On February 18, 2008, Lone Star...
.
In popular culture and the arts
Garden City is depicted in Truman CapoteTruman Capote
Truman Streckfus Persons , known as Truman Capote , was an American author, many of whose short stories, novels, plays, and nonfiction are recognized literary classics, including the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's and the true crime novel In Cold Blood , which he labeled a "nonfiction novel." At...
's In Cold Blood
In Cold Blood (book)
In Cold Blood is a 1966 book by American author Truman Capote detailing the brutal 1959 murders of Herbert Clutter, a successful farmer from Holcomb, Kansas, his wife and two of their four children. Two older daughters no longer lived at the farm and were not there at the time of the murders...
.
Notable people
Notable individuals who were born in and/or have lived in Garden City include:- Sanora BabbSanora BabbSanora Babb was an American novelist, poet and literary editor. She was also the wife of famed cinematographer James Wong Howe.-Life:...
, novelist, journalist - Kendall Carl CampbellKendall Carl Campbell-Navy career:After enlisting in the Naval Reserve 28 October 1940, Campbell reported to the Naval Reserve Aviation Base in Kansas City for flight training 15 November. Appointed Aviation Cadet on 1 February 1941, he became an Ensign on 19 August...
, U.S. Naval Reserve aviator - John CotteralJohn Hazelton CotteralJohn Hazelton Cotteral was a United States federal judge. Cotteral was an appellate court judge on two Circuit Courts of Appeals, the Eighth and the Tenth....
, U.S. federal judge - Webster DavisWebster DavisWebster Davis was a mayor of Kansas City, Missouri from 1894 to 1895 and was the Assistant Secretary of the Interior from 1897 to 1898.Davis was born in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania...
, Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri - Mark FoxMark Fox (basketball coach)-External links:*...
, basketball coach - Clifford R. HopeClifford R. HopeClifford R. Hope was a U.S. Representative from Kansas. Born in Birmingham, Iowa, Hope attended public schools and Nebraska Wesleyan University, in Lincoln, Nebraska. He served during the First World War, as a second lieutenant. He served in the Kansas House of Representatives...
, U.S. Representative from Kansas - Richard HopkinsRichard Joseph HopkinsRichard Joseph Hopkins was a United States federal judge.Born in Jefferson City, Missouri, Hopkins received an LL.B. from Northwestern University School of Law in 1901. He was in private practice in Chicago, Illinois from 1901 to 1906. He was in private practice in Garden City, Kansas from 1906 to...
, U.S. federal judge - Jeremy HubbardJeremy HubbardJeremy David Hubbard in Glenwood Springs,Colorado is an American news anchor for KDVR-TV and KWGN-TV in Denver. He was a New York-based correspondent for ABC News, and reported for all ABC News broadcasts and platforms, including Good Morning America, World News with Diane Sawyer, and...
, news anchor
- Buffalo JonesCharles "Buffalo" JonesCharles Jesse Jones, known as Buffalo Jones , was an American frontiersman, farmer, rancher, hunter, and conservationist who cofounded Garden City, Kansas...
, frontiersman, conservationist, co-founder of Garden City - Gene KrugGene KrugGary Eugene Krug is a former Major League Baseball player. Krug played in four games for the Chicago Cubs in the 1981 season. He had two hits in five at-bats, with one strikeout. He was drafted by the Cubs in the 29th round round of the 1977 amateur draft.-External links:*...
, MLBMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pinch hitter - Frank MantoothFrank MantoothFrank Mantooth was an American jazz pianist and arranger.Mantooth attended University of North Texas College of Music, graduating in 1969, then played in and arranged for the Air Force Academy Falconaires from 1969 to 1973...
, jazz pianist, arranger - Fum McGraw, NFL defensive tackle
- Fred MytonFred MytonFred Myton was an American screenwriter. He wrote for 168 films between 1916 and 1952.He was born in Garden City, Kansas and died in Los Angeles, California.-Selected filmography:* Dead Men Walk...
, screenwriter - Victor OrtízVictor OrtízVictor Ortiz is an American professional boxer of Mexican descent and the former WBC welterweight champion.He was previously in the light welterweight division, where he held the USBA & NABO title....
, boxer - Hal Patterson, CFLCanadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
wide receiver - Chuck ReedChuck ReedCharles Rufus "Chuck" Reed is the current Mayor of San Jose, California.-Biography:Reed was born in Garden City, Kansas. Reed's high school basketball team became Kansas State Champions despite being from a very small, rural school. He joined the United States Air Force in 1970 after attending the...
, Mayor of San Jose, California
- Brandon RiosBrandon RiosBrandon Lee Ríos is an undefeated Mexican-American/Native American boxer and the current WBA lightweight champion. Brandon is trained by former IBF super featherweight champion Roberto García.-Amateur career:...
, boxer - Roy Romer, Governor of ColoradoGovernor of ColoradoThe Governor of Colorado is the head of the executive branch of Colorado's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Colorado General Assembly, to convene the...
- Dale SaffelsDale Emerson SaffelsDale Emerson Saffels was a United States federal judge.Born in Moline, Kansas, Saffels was a Major in the United States Army Signal Corps during World War II, from 1942 to 1946. He then received a B.A. from Emporia State University in 1947 and a J.D. from Washburn University School of Law in 1949...
, U.S. federal judge - William Howard ThompsonWilliam Howard ThompsonWilliam Howard Thompson was a United States Senator from Kansas.Born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, he moved with his parents to Nemaha County, Kansas in 1880, where attended the public schools and graduated from the Seneca Normal School in 1886. He graduated from the Lawrence Business College in 1891...
, U.S. Senator from Kansas - Ray WatsonRay Watson (athlete)Ray Bates Watson was an American track and field athlete who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics, in the 1924 Summer Olympics, and in the 1928 Summer Olympics....
, U.S. OlympicOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
track and field athlete - John ZookJohn ZookJohn Zook . Attended and played high school football at Larned, Kansas. He was a defensive end who played 12 seasons in the National Football League for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Atlanta Falcons...
, NFL defensive end
Sister cities
Ciudad QuesadaCiudad Quesada
Ciudad Quesada is a city in the district of Quesada in the cantón of San Carlos in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. It is the capital city of the cantón...
, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
Oristano
Oristano
Oristano is a town and comune, capital of the Province of Oristano, on the island of Sardinia, Italy. It has approximately 32,500 inhabitants.Its economy is mainly based on fishing, agriculture and, to a certain extent, tourism.-History:...
, Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Further reading
- Story of the Marking of the Santa Fe Trail by the Daughters of the American Revolution in Kansas and the State of Kansas; Almira Cordry; Crane Co; 164 pages; 1915.
- History of the State of Kansas; William G. Cutler; A.T. Andreas Publisher; 1883. (Online HTML eBook)
- Kansas : A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc; 3 Volumes; Frank W. Blackmar; Standard Publishing Co; 944 / 955 / 824 pages; 1912. (Volume1 - Download 54MB PDF eBook),(Volume2 - Download 53MB PDF eBook), (Volume3 - Download 33MB PDF eBook)
External links
CitySchools
- USD 457, local school district
History
Maps
- Garden City Map, KDOT
- Finny County Map, KDOT